While many NC State fans have been spending energy on the basketball program’s problems during the last two weeks, it is likely that some of Chuck Amato’s off-season success may have slipped under your radar. At least some of the success has had to slip past you because, in part, there has been SO MUCH success.
The good news for the Wolfpack got rolling two weeks ago when 5-star running back, All-American Toney Baker announced he would run with Wolfpack live on national television from a high school all-star game in San Antonio.
Baker’s announcement immediately opened a flood gate of big commitments for the Pack, including quite a few key offensive line targets
The News & Observer discussed that weekends events as follows:
BIG WEEKEND FOR PACK: If the N.C. State football program has a series of outstanding seasons in the next few years, one of the reasons will be the recruiting haul the Wolfpack made Jan. 15-17.
The Wolfpack brought in many of its top targets for official visits and received eight commitments over the weekend — about a third of all the players State is expected to sign.
Scout.com ranked State’s class No. 51 in the country before the weekend and No. 23 after the bevy of commitments.
On Jan. 15, Jamestown Ragsdale running back Toney Baker committed to State live on national television during the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio. The state’s all-time rushing leader, Baker has a five-star rating from Scout.com, the highest ranking the service gives. Studentsports.com, another recruiting service and magazine, ranks Baker No. 7 in the country among running back prospects.
State now has at least 18 oral commitments if you count New Bern offensive tackle Julian Williams (6-5, 295), who described his commitment to State as a soft verbal. “I don’t know right now where I am going to sign,” Williams said Thursday night. “I really don’t think I am State’s No. 1 guy, and it is bringing in a lot of offensive linemen.”
Also making oral commitments to State over the weekend were wide receiver Geron James of Wilmington Ashley (6-4, 175); defensive end Littleton Wright of Scranton (Pa.) Lackawanna Junior College (6-7, 250); tackle Curtis Crouch of Fayetteville E.E. Smith (6-6, 316); tackle Doug Palmer of Fayetteville Byrd (6-3, 291); safety/running back J.C. Neal of Sumter (S.C.) Lakewood (6-1, 185); and linebacker Ray Michel of Fort Myers, Fla. (6-1, 215).
As Chuck Amato’s program continues to haul in the players, the Pack also is making some headway filling our current coaching vacancies.
Yesterday, it became official that Chuck Amato has hired Marc Trestman as the Wolfpack’s next offensive coordinator…and I don’t know if I could be more excited about the hire. Trestman’s resume is quite impressive and is detailed in some of the hyperlinks included in this entry. The N&O’s summarizes his resume as follows
Trestman, 49, has spent 17 years as an assistant coach with eight NFL teams. He has worked for coaches such as Bill Walsh, Marty Schottenheimer and Bud Grant. He also has worked with such quarterbacks as Steve Young, Bernie Kosar, Jake Plummer and Rich Gannon, and coached in a Super Bowl with the Oakland Raiders in 2002…
Trestman has not coached in the college ranks for more than 20 years. He was the quarterbacks coach at Miami under Howard Schnellenberger in 1982 and 1983, helping the Hurricanes win a national championship in the 1983 season.
Sunday’s Charlotte Observer says that Trestman “will apply his west coast roots” to the talent left behind by NOel RedZZONNE.
I also hear that Trestman, by all accounts described as “cerebral”, has been curious to investigate hy NC State has not recently utilized the eye-formation in our offensive backfield. That, along with Trestman’s comments about tailoring the offense around the skills of the players are both music to my ears. Therefore, I no longer expect to see Jay Davis executing ballet in the backfield to carry out 5 fakes before he faces the line of scrimmage. I also expect the Pack to be able to actually be able to earn those short yards when needed since we may not have only one back trying to find a small hole in our offensive line.
Additional Note: This Link to the Red and White provides a history of articles on Trestman for your reading pleasure. It is really informative.
