Playing without the services of 20 players, N.C State’s Kay Yow Spring Football game presented the opportunity for many young players to take center stage and show what they could do. A crowd of 25,372 spectators witnessed impressive performances by many underclassmen vying for playing time as the start of the football season approaches.
Perhaps the most surprising performance of the game came from redshirt freshman walk-on running back Travis Leggett whose 21 carries for 129 yards was a game-high. With an unsettled situation at the running back position, Leggett did everything he could this spring to draw the attention of the coaching staff and show he is capable of carrying the football for the Wolfpack.
“Even though I’m a walk-on, I can be just as effective,” Leggett said. “I’ve been waiting for the opportunity to show what I can do for a while. I had expectations of doing well, but not that well.”
Sophomore tight end Asa Watson was a key ingredient in the Red team’s passing attack, catching two passes for a team-high 101 yards and one touchdown. Watson’s big day will certainly help the sophomore’s chance of getting more playing time during the upcoming season, as well as add depth to the tight end position behind redshirt junior and returning starter George Bryan.
On the defensive side of the ball, State fans can be pleased with the performances of the young players in the linebacker corps. Redshirt sophomore Terrell Manning led the Red team in tackles with seven and also had one sack. Although Manning played an important role last season as a reserve, he will be asked to play a bigger one this season.
Inconsistent secondary play last season plagued the Pack and has been an area of emphasis during the spring. Sophomore returning starters Brandan Bishop, at safety, and C.J. Wilson, at corner, have the most experience in the young Wolfpack secondary.
Both Bishop and Wilson played in every game as freshmen for the Pack and will look to provide much-needed consistency for the secondary after having a year of experience underneath their belts.
“We want to make a name for ourselves and get better,” Wilson said. “We’re still looked at as the weak link of the defense, so we have that chip on our shoulder right now.”
Defensive backs for both squads certainly played as though they had a chip on their shoulder during the spring game. Wolfpack defensive backs combined for three interceptions and several pass break-ups.
Coach Tom O’Brien was optimistic about the performance of the young players in the secondary following the game, particularly about their tackling.
“We intercepted some passes today,” O’Brien said. “We have to continue to do that and keep working hard. I also think we tackled better today and that’s an improvement.”
O’Brien and defensive coordinator Mike Archer will lean heavily on young players to try and fill the void left by the departures of seven defensive starters. Wilson said he is enthusiastic about the potential of the defense and has high expectations for the 2010 season.
“We have the potential to be one of the best defenses in the ACC,” Wilson said. “If we put our minds to it, become better students of the game, and keep working on our technique, along with the great coaching staff we have, we can be the one of the best in the ACC.”
