Senior Spotlight: WR Bryan Underwood
10/1/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
RALEIGH, N.C. - Carter-Finley Stadium was full on a Thursday night last September. ESPN was in the house and the Wolfpack was about to tie the game vs. third-ranked Clemson. Bryan Underwood took the handoff on a jet sweep around the right side 83 yards, causing Wolfpack Nation into a delirium.
When he looked back from the end zone, he saw head coach Dave Doeren talking to the officials. Underwood said he was confused. The official on the sideline ruled Underwood had stepped out of bounds at the Clemson 47-yard line. The call was at a pivotal point in the game.
"It was chaotic looking into the crowd and on the sideline. But I tell everybody the refs have their jobs. I was trying to make a play, certain things didn't happen. It's just the way of the game."
It's the play Underwood is most known for. When talking about the controversial play a year after it happened, the fifth-year wide receiver from University Heights, Ohio, laughs and shows a mature nature. It's that maturity that has turned Underwood into a trusted and dependable leader for the NC State football program.
At the end of each summer camp, Doeren's players elect their Leadership Council. The group consists of two players chosen by player vote from each position group. The Leadership Council meets with Doeren on Sundays to talk about the previous and upcoming games and also serves as a voice for the players concerning day-to-day issues surrounding the football program. Underwood was voted to the council and also spends time counseling teammates on and off the field.
"Most of the guys will tell you that when they came in I was able to help them keep their hopes up,"Â the veteran receiver said. "Most guys are anxious to get out there and show what they can do and get the playbook down. I got everyone to calm down and take a deep breath. I wanted everyone to know what the plays are and how to study film. They're new and anxious, so you want to make sure they are calm and can understand things."
Underwood explained to the younger wideouts how to understand a college football playbook, which can be mentally daunting. He explained that in order to remember the different formations and packages, it was easier to group things together in your mind in order to separate them from other play calls.
Underwood's leadership isn't limited to just tutoring the younger receivers. NC State is among the nation's youngest teams, with a roster featuring the second-most freshmen in the country. On game day, NC State plays freshmen and sophomores all over the field. As a result, Underwood will also provide leadership to defensive players as well.
"I found myself talking to defensive linemen and defensive backs. People not in my position group. Young guys will always look up to the upperclassmen," Underwood said. "We are always trying to be a brotherhood here. We get to understand each other so nobody steps on any toes or hurt the program in any type of way. Our new players were eager to get in there and learn how things work around here. It's about helping others get to where I am and even be better than I am and do things they didn't even think they could do."
Before the notorious jet sweep play, Underwood had placed himself in the receiving record books. He caught 10 touchdown passes from current Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Mike Glennon as a sophomore in 2012, a mark that charts fifth in NC State single-season history. He scored a touchdown in the first eight games of that season, one shy of the ACC record for consecutive games to start a season with a touchdown. He entered 2014 tied for 10th in school history with 13 receiving touchdowns.
The 5-9 senior has made a name for himself as NC State's deep threat. As a freshman in 2011, Underwood caught a 79-yard TD in a game at Virginia, the longest reception ever by a Wolfpack freshman. In a win over Central Michigan last season, he hauled in an 80-yard reception and racked up 190 all-purpose yards.
"Everybody has seen what I've done, whether it be catching the ball or running with it," Underwood said. "I use that as motivation to keep going and show the young guys that if you work hard and study the right things and focus they can do what I'm doing."
This past offseason, Underwood committed to football like never before. He packed on 10 pounds of muscle and gained speed by running sprints. He gained explosiveness in plyometric drills.
The Wolfpack coaching staff brought in military-style personnel to help with some of the training. It was a physical endeavor that also included player-to-player leadership through a series of activities. Underwood noted a program called Fourth Quarter in the training. The goal in Fourth Quarter was to be able to focus when tired and to finish strong. That element specifically hit home with him, as he knows now he is in the fourth quarter of his college football career.
"This is my last year and I came in thinking I wanted to go harder than ever," he said. "I was really focused on getting faster. And I got more explosive because I was lifting better. This summer was really good for me. I didn't have a lot of classes, so I was able to focus more in the weight room and on football. My bench went up, my squat went up. It was good to see the results."
Underwood is expected to graduate in December. Taking his last few classes this semester, he can bring his absolute best into his final season at NC State.
"Redshirting my freshman year really helped with academics. I wanted this last season to focus on football," Underwood said. "I have to make sure everything I do this year counts."
