The 1999 NC State football squad has brought new meaning to the phrase "no rest for the weary" heading into spring workouts. The Wolfpack will begin practice on Friday, February 19, less than eight weeks after taking the field for the Micron PC Bowl in Miami, Fla. And just two weeks after playing its last game of the 1998 season, Mike O'Cain and company were beginning offseason conditioning workouts in preparation for the 1999 campaign.

O'Cain is pleased with the work ethic his team has shown during winter conditioning drills, which cranked up at 6:00 a.m., as many as four days a week.

"We started at a very high level, having just finished the season two weeks before we started again," he said. "Developing mental and physical toughness has been a very important part of our conditioning program. We start spring practice very early, so it's important for us to get as big and strong and fast as we can during our offseason workouts. Also, your offseason program is when your leaders begin to step up. Now we can see what they're going to do on the field."

The Pack will practice on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays during spring drills, taking a week off for spring break on March 8-12 and culminating with the spring game on March 27. The squad will scrimmage on most Saturdays.

"Spring practice gives us a great opportunity to evaluate our personnel, particularly the younger players that we haven't had a chance to see play," continued O'Cain, who will enter his seventh season at the helm of the NC State program.

"In addition to developing those younger players, we want to experiment with what we want to do next season on offense and defense. We want to take what we did last year and make it better, then add a little wrinkle here or there. Spring workouts give you an opportunity to find your strengths and build on them, and find your weaknesses and improve on them."

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OFFENSE

The 1998 season saw the NC State offense set new school records for passing yards and total offense, as well as individual marks for receiving and passing. However, the Wolfpack offensive depth chart is certainly a contrast of feast and famine for NC State heading into spring workouts. O'Cain has the luxury of returning his starting quarterback plus a talented backup, two tailbacks with considerable starting experience, and five letterwinners at wide receiver, including a senior who caught 52 balls in 1998.

However, at the tight end, center and fullback positions, the players pencilled in on the depth chart have little or no experience at those spots in game situations. And the top wide receiver in ACC history, Torry Holt, will be wearing the uniform of an NFL squad rather than the Wolfpack red and white when the season opens in September.

"I don't see us making a lot of changes offensively, just minor adjustments due to personnel changes. I feel very good about the players we have coming back on offense, but at this point, we don't know exactly what our offense will be like next year."

One factor that will determine the look of the '99 Wolfpack offense will be the progress of the offensive line this spring. "If your offensive line isn't very good, then you're not going to be very good offensively," said O'Cain. "We have some questions to be answered at offensive line, but I think we can be pretty strong there. We've got to determine what our offensive line can do best, whether they're better at pass protection or run blocking. Their development will determine a great deal about our offensive game plan."

The coaching staff has two big holes to fill since second-team All-ACC tackle Ian Rafferty and center Justin Burroughs have completed their eligibility. Manning the center slot heading into spring workouts will be Keegan Weir (6-5, 280, *So.) and Derek Green (6-4, 245, *Fr.), neither of whom have ever played in a college game at the center slot. "It will be very important for us to come out of the spring feeling confident about the center position," said O'Cain. "Developing those young players is one of our main goals."

Todd Boyle (6-7, 303, *Sr.) started eight games at right tackle last season and should battle for the starting job again this spring. O'Cain is also hoping to see improvement from Jarvis Borum (6-8, 332, *Jr.) and John Fletcher (6-8, 317, *Sr.), both of whom started games in 1998. There are also several young players who O'Cain hopes will develop over the course of spring workouts. "We are really looking for Jarvis Borum and John Fletcher to step up and show what they can do," said O'Cain. "They both need to become more consistent and more aggressive, but we hope that will come with more experience. Jarvis has unlimited potential and there are several other young players that we think will develop this spring."

The Wolfpack will enjoy the rare luxury of returning three starters at guard for 1999. Alex Rice (6-4, 302, *Jr.) started all 12 games at right guard last season, while Ryan Knudtson (6-5, 293, *Sr.) started seven contests following the injury to starter Alex Santos (6-3, 316, *Sr.). Santos, who was listed as a senior last season after starting every game of 1996 and playing nine games of 1997, has been cleared to participate this spring and should have a year of eligibility restored.

"We have unexpected depth at guard, but having that competition will be good for us. Alex Santos had the best August camp he had ever had last year before getting hurt, so that will be a bonus to have him back. We should have good competition at the offensive line and the better the competition, the better the progress we should make."

Another big question mark for the Pack this spring will be the tight end slot. The only returnee at the position with any game experience is Andy VanDerVeer (6-5, 250, *So.), while converted defensive players Tramayne Simmons (6-3, 232, *Jr.) and Cecil McCurty (6-4, 264, *Jr) have practiced at the position but never played there.

"This spring will be crucial to the development of our tight ends. Our tight ends have to be strong enough to block and be physical, but athletic enough to be able to catch the football. They are critical to our passing game."

One area that O'Cain can relax about this spring will be the quarterback position, as Jamie Barnette (6-0, 190, *Sr.) returns for his fourth year as a starter. Barnette has already set the NC State records for career passing yards and total offense and is in a position to earn the ACC records in both categories as well.

"Jamie Barnette is as fine as any player in the history of NC State when it comes to throwing the football," said O'Cain. "I've said many times that even though Torry Holt was the big-play part of our offense, Jamie Barnette was the catalyst. He's the guy who gets it all started. He can avoid the rush, get the football to the open receiver and make people miss.

Jamie has so much experience now that we're able to put more and more responsiblity on him. He has a tremendous command of our offense and he is getting better and better physically. It's a tremendous comfort as a coach to have someone like him coming back at quarterback."

Charles Berry (6-2, 193, *Jr.) has performed admirably as Barnette's backup over the past two seasons, including playing the entire second half against Georgia Tech in 1998, when he threw for 187 yards and a touchdown. "Charles has tremendous ability and I have no qualms about playing him at any point in time. The way he played against Georgia Tech last year is a tribute to the kind of player he is."

No one will literally be able to fill the jersey worn by wide receiver Torry Holt over the past four years, as #81 was officially retired in January. Holt's presence as the playmaker for NC State's offense and special teams will be sorely missed, but O'Cain feels good about his receiving corps for 1999.

"The area of our team that has played with the most consistency over the 13 years that I've been at NC State has been the wide receivers. We've always had players step up at that position, year after year. It seems like every time we've lost a great receiver, another great receiver has stepped up to take his place. One year it was Haywood Jeffires, the next year is was Nasrallah Worthen, then Charles Davenport, then Eddie Goines, right on down to Torry Holt. We've always had the next player step up and make tremendous strides and I think this year will be no different."

With 52 receptions during the 1998 regular season, Chris Coleman (6-0, 203, *Sr.) had more grabs than any other Wolfpack wide receiver other than Holt since 1988. That mark was also the fourth-highest single-season total in NC State history. "Chris has already proven that he is a heck of a player," said O'Cain. "Now it's his opportunity to be the go-to guy."

Coleman's high school teammate, Ryan Hamrick (6-3, 205, *Sr.), was named the Pack's most improved player in 1998 after making several crucial third-down catches. Ricky Collins (6-3, 190, *So.) and Eric Leak (5-9, 184, *Jr.) both have plenty of game experience, while O'Cain expects redshirt freshman Koren Robinson (6-2, 190, *Fr.) to be a factor at wideout as well.

"We expect Ryan Hamrick to be even better this season. Ricky Collins and Eric Leak are young men with great ability who need to develop more confidence and consistency. I also believe that Koren Robinson has as much ability as anyone on our football team, he just needs experience."

"Overall, I feel very good about our receiving corps, we just need some guys to step up and prove themselves. We've always had that happen in the past and I believe this year will be no exception."

O'Cain says that optimally, his offensive coaching staff would like to field a team that runs and throws an equal amount of plays next season. Obviously, accomplishing that goal will depend on who will fill the running back positions. With two talented experienced tailbacks returning and no experienced fullbacks returning, O'Cain may have to use some offensive creativity to decide who should be in the game.

Rahshon Spikes (5-11, 204, Sr.) started seven games in 1998, while Ray Robinson (5-10, 199, So.) started the other five en route to being named the ACC Rookie of the Year. The tandem combined for over 1,200 yards in the regular season, while Spikes added another 176 yards in the Micron PC Bowl contest. Robinson will miss much of spring workouts after fracturing his arm in the bowl game, but should be ready for action in August. K.J. Stone (6-0, 190, *Fr.) and Carlos Doggett (5-11, 200, *Fr.) both showed great potential while redshirting in 1998 and could factor in as well.

The fullback spot is perhaps the most inexperienced on the team, as Derek Roberts (6-2, 225, Sr.) and Quincy King (6-1, 207, *Fr.) have never played that position collegiately.

"It is very important for us this spring to find the right offensive set to utlitize the talent we have in the backfield," said O'Cain. "We have plenty of talent back there, we've just got some work to do in determining how to utilize those backs. One reason we've been successful offensively the past couple of years is because we've done a variety of things in terms of formations to make sure we utilize the talents of our players. We have gotten the football in the hands of the people who need to have their hands on the football. This spring we will try to determine who those players will be."

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DEFENSE

The Wolfpack fielded a young defensive unit in 1998, with freshmen or sophomores starting at five different positions. That lack of experience was evident at times, as the Pack finished the season ranked seventh in the ACC in total defense. But the youth of last year's defensive unit portends good things for the 1999 NC State defense, as seven experienced starters will return.

"In the late 80s and early 90s, NC State was looked at as a defensive team," said O'Cain. "Because of some uncontrollable things that have happened, we've lost some key players on our defensive front and that has kept us from being as good as we could've been. I believe our defense is getting better, even though we struggled at times last year. We were very, very young inside at the defensive tackle position and at the linebacker spots."

O'Cain feels that his defensive unit's number-one priority for the spring is to improve along the defensive front. This task will begin at the defensive end position, where starters Bobbie Cotten and Greg Derrick have completed their eligibility. Clint Johnson (6-3, 256, *Jr.) and Corey Smith (6-3, 238, *So.) are listed as starters heading into spring practice, but O'Cain hopes to see development from young players such as Shane Riggs (6-4, 250, *Fr.), George Anderson (6-2, 225, *Fr.) and Paul Whittaker (6-8, 242, *So.) as well.

"Defensive end is a critical area for us," said O'Cain. "Clint Johnson suffered from a hip flexor problem in the sixth week of the season last year and never got back to where he had been. But we think that he and Corey Smith are going to be very fine players. We have to develop some depth here, which is a main reason we signed five players that fit into the defensive end/tight end category."

Five players who started at least one game at defensive tackle last season will return for 1999: Jeff Fisher (6-2, 280, *Jr.), Rashad Streets (6-2, 286, Jr.), Nate Goodson (6-4, 254, *So.), Darius Bryant (6-2, 299, *So.) and Jeff Kuh (6-4, 258, *Jr.). With an added year of experience under their belts, O'Cain is confident that the tackle spot will be much improved. "We've got talent and depth there, we just need to keep getting better. I feel good about the young men we have playing at defensive tackle."

The Wolfpack linebacking corps was a pleasant surprise last season, as several young players played like seasoned veterans. True freshmen Edrick Smith (6-1, 235, So.) and Levar Fisher (6-1, 223, So.) started the last nine games of the season at middle and strongside linebacker and Clayton White (6-0, 224, *Jr) started every outing at the weak side. White ranked as the team's second-leading tackler, while Smith and Fisher ranked third and fifth respectively.

Senior Sheldon Kee (6-0, 247, *Sr.) has experience as a starter, as does William Pannell (6-4, 219, *So.), who will miss spring workouts after undergoing offseason shoulder surgery. Brian Jamison (6-2, 215, So.) and Corey Lyons (5-11, 199, So.) earned experience, mainly on special teams, as rookies last season.

"We have the potential to have a very solid group of linebackers," said O'Cain. "This year will determine what kind of players they are. Last season, the expectations weren't very high, so it is easy for them to play better than the expectations. They're still not tested veterans, but they do have talent. They just need to continue to work hard and get better."

There's good news and bad news in the defensive secondary for the Wolfpack in 1999. The good news is that both starting cornerbacks and two talented backups at safety return from last season. The bad news is that both starting safeties from 1998 have completed their eligibility, including leading tackler Jason Perry.

Lloyd Harrison (5-11, 193, *Sr.) was a second-team All-American and a first-team All-ACC performer last season after leading the league in interceptions with seven. Tony Scott (5-11, 187, Sr.) was also an all-conference candidate in 1998 and picked off two passes. Marcelle Hough (5-10, 175, *Sr.) and Anthony Cason (5-10, 170, *So.) saw frequent action at cornerback as well.

Strong safety Adrian Wilson (6-3, 195, So.) and free safety Brian Williams (6-0, 184, So.) saw increased action over the course of last season and are poised to become starters heading into spring workouts. Terrence Holt (6-3, 187, *Fr.) will back up Wilson at the strong safety spot, while Erik Riddick (6-1, 185, *So.) will see action at free safety.

"It all starts with your corners," said O'Cain. "Lloyd, Tony, Marcelle and Anthony give us talent and depth at that position. At safety, Brian Williams and Adrian Wilson have tremendous talent, now we can see how they react when the pressure is on them. It is important for them to continue where they left off and get better. Erik Riddick has a lot of ability. The key in the secondary will be to develop depth."

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SPECIAL TEAMS

Special teams inconsistencies were a problem for the Pack in 1998, but O'Cain says that individual breakdowns, rather than personnel deficiencies were to blame. "Our overall schemes and coverages were good last year, especially on our punt return and punt pressure teams. We just need to eliminate those individual breakdowns in order to be strong on special teams."

Scott Earwood (6-1, 207, Sr.) will return at punter in 1999. Earwood suffered from a stress fracture in his shin last season and could not practice his punting, although he handled the primary punting duties in all but two contests. Jess Wade has decided to leave the program, which leaves Earwood as the sole returnee at punter.

"I have a great deal of confidence in Scott. I think he would have had a great year if he had not been injured. When you can't practice your skill, it's very difficult to get better, but he's ready to go now."

Kent Passingham (5-10, 165, Jr.) handled kickoffs for the Wolfpack in 1998 and handled some of the placekicking duties before Danny Deskevich took over that job in the Syracuse game. "Another year of maturity and experience will help Kent Passingham," says O'Cain. "We need him to be able to step up and perform under pressure."

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