NC State Wolfpack

With its Multiple offensive sets, zone blitzes, and situation substitutions, modern day football is a very different game now than it was 30 or 40 years ago. Yet, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

One aspect of the game still holds true. The teams that run the football effectively and stop the run will always win more than they lose. Perhaps that's why NC State was somewhat of an aberration last season.

Despite being ranked eighth in the ACC in rushing defense and sixth in rushing yardage, the Pack managed to put together a 7-5 campaign which included an invitation to the Micron PC Bowl.

The remarkable Jamie Barnette to Torry Holt combination coupled with an opportunistic big-play secondary helped to cover up some of NC State's weaknesses at the line of scrimmage.

Still, after Miami's Edgirrin James shredded the Pack to the tune of 156 yards in the bowl game, State coach Mike O'Cain and his staff knew that figuring out a way to stop the run would be a major priority during the off-season.

"We've needed to improve our defense tremendously over the last couple of years," O'Cain said. "We've made improvement from when we were one of the worst in the country in 1996 to better in 97. We played well at times last year, but towards the end of the season we didn't play quite as well. We've got to play consistently for an entire season."

Effective run stopping starts with strong play up front from the defensive tackles. Their ability to occupy the offensive center and guards usually determines how much freedom linebackers will have to make plays.

O'Cain says the Wolfpacks defensive tackles have shown noticeable improvement this pre-season. "With Jeff Fisher, Nate Goodson and Darius Bryant, we've been very solid inside. I see a different attitude in the way they're going about their business. They're just playing a lot better."

There's more good news. NC State has only one senior in its starting front seven on defense. If those players can stay healthy this season, the Wolfpack should be much improved on the defensive side of the ball.