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Hello and welcome to a another episode of WKNC Sports podcast in the den.
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Today, we'll be doing a preview for the men's and women's cross country seasons, and we'll be going over some of the top freshmen to look out for this upcoming school year, and we'll finish by talking about NC State's last bowl game victory in 2017
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so get Now,
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get your headphones on. Get get ready to
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to listen. And I hope you enjoy it as always. We'll we'll start off with our sports, particularly men's cross country. They'd finished on ranked and seventh in the ACC conference championship, seventh in the southeastern regional rankings as well.
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Brett Gardner, who was the big star for this men's cross country team, has now graduated from NC State, finished in 100 and 22nd and compiled rankings for the NC double A champion ships. Some other finisher in the national championships is soon to be graduate John Malach, who finished 35th in a conference with the top 30 finish in the Hokie Invitational. He did. He Adidas cross country challenge and the 3000 meter Indoor Track and Field ACC championship.
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Soon to be Junior Ryan motondo was 47th
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and a Southeast Regional Champion, 56th
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in the ACC championship. And senior Wesley Larson, who was 67th in the Southeast Regional and 59th in the ACC championship.
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As of recording no 2025 roster is reported. More information will come out with time, and I will keep updates for future episodes on what the roster looks like. However, the lack of true success finishing last year is likely to continue with the loss of star Brett Gardner and Ryan Motondo and Wesley Larson, would need to gear up for big years If we want to see some success,
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some notable
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newcomers would be Krister Sjobald, a junior from Raleigh, and Elliot MacArthur, who also finished in invitationals, the Hokie Invitational and Matthew Bogdan and Jimmy malarkey have also received points for The performances in the Adidas cross country and invitationals. So while there is a lot to be desired from this men's cross country roster, there should be someone on this team who can pop off and become that number one guy. The most likely one would be graduate John Malach. But if Ryan Motodno or Wesley Larson could do it. That would also be great, just to kind of have that continued success and notable names. And I mean, that's very all there is to the men's, but the women's,
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it's a whole different story. Finish in eighth in the nation of first in the southeast region, Hannah gapes finished eighth in the national championships, followed by Brooke Rauber, senior, who finished ninth in regionals and 50th in national
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Ellie Shea, sophomore who finished 29th in conference, Angelina Napoleon, sophomore who finished 43rd
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track and field star as well Grace Hartman, the NC State Athlete of the Year, finished first in regional conference and finished fifth in national championship. The majority of the athletes listed will return to continue NC State's legacy with despite them not winning their
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fourth straight, they still have won three straight from 2021 to 2023 the only other sport in the 21st Century I can think of that had a streak like that is Oklahoma softball. I mean
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that just to kind of put it into comparison. And we know how dominant Oklahoma softball is.
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They are then winning - there are in the run in to win it all in 2025 just that everything needs to come together, some way too early. Rankings by flow sports has
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Grace Hartman at third, Hannah Gapes in 13th, Angelina Napoleon at 17th. But we should expect Ellie Shea and Brooke Rauber to crack the top 25 as the season goes by, um
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Bethany Michalak a senior and Kate Putman, a junior, could also step up, even though there aren't really any players that are leaving and haven't had a
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lackluster performance. So basically, there's no stars that are leaving, but more.
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The major Bethany Michalak and Kate Putman are also named. So we'll go for and top recruit from Shelby, North Carolina would be Jesse Jazwinski.
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So the women's cross country should continue their dominance, so to speak, and cross country, it's just, you know, getting back into that running for the national championship.
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All right. Um, now we'll go on to some of the top freshmen to watch out for this 2024 2025 season from all the notable sports and even some of the smaller ones as well. I'm going to start with Men's Basketball, just because I have mentioned these incoming freshmen before, but I just kind of wanted to re highlight them.
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A four star. Matt Abel, shooting guard from Weston, Florida. Size says six foot five 175
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pounds.
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His shooting prowess is impeccable, and that was a key part of his scouting, but he did have issues with defense and that it just wasn't really anything special.
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His weight may be a concern, but he can drive it to the rim and dish it out, which is necessary for a Will Wade offense, where there's a lot of
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kind of going like doing a driving and kicking it out or going in for the score, even though Matt Abel himself might not be doing it, he might be more of a guy who sits out, catches the ball and shoots. He's a really good catch and release shooter, if he can get his feet stable,
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um, he will need some development if he wants to become a staple three and D player in the offense - and defense,
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but it's going to be hard to ignore his offensive productivity, and while he may not crack some minutes early on, I do expect by the end of the season, he will be at the very least a starter.
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And the other notable freshman for NC State Basketball mints is ZyMicah Williams, a center from Arden, North Carolina.
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He's a traditional big man who can score in the interior and can pass the ball pretty well. He can hold his own defensively due to his size.
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He is listed at six foot eight, 215
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pounds, which is, you know, maybe not, like, super big, but it should be enough to help play a little bit of bully ball.
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He struggles in traffic, and this better off left in space.
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So, I mean, as long as there's not too much going on, he can produce points and, you know, rebounds, it says he can load up a box score, as long as not all of the
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pressure is on him, which, as a center, may not be entirely expected in Will waits offense. I do expect him to be a backup behind Brandley. Hatley Huntfield field early on, but with time, he could eventually become a starter for NC State
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and now for the women that I would like to mention are two new five star guards, Destiny Lunan on from Goodyear, Arizona and Adelaide. Jernigan from South kernsville, North Carolina,
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went on. Her nickname is "Ky'She"
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She is expected to be a
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really good shooter for the team who can also dish it out to Zoe Brooks and Zamareyah Jones.
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Jernigan, however, is seen as a kind of a lengthy 3nD guard who can score off the catch and defend pretty well against other guards, racking up steals and even some blocks for the team, and she could be a rotational piece early on when I do my women's basketball deep dive later on in the fall,
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I will try to, you know, figure out what her role entirely is it's hard to find really good scout in for women's basketball, especially if they are not like one of the top prospects.
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But Zoe Brooks, Zamareyah Jones, Destiny Lunan and Adelaide Jernigan can makes for a really strong guards like duo and death that could help NC State stay the powerhouse in the ACC that they might not have been as much this year, but, you know, they made it to the Final Four and all that
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two years ago. And I do,
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I wouldn't say.
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At for them to go back. But I feel like getting these two guard additions sets them up for that possibility in the future.
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All right, um, kind of a football honorable mention, five four star,
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Je'Rel Boulder, wide receiver from Marshfield, North Carolina, six foot, 195 pounds, chose to come to NC State over Georgia,
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possibly, I'm not really sure why. I think it was just kind of like a playing time thing. He's a pure athlete. He can play both sides of the ball
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with cornerback and receiver. A lot of his footage he's shown to get great separation, and just when he gets the ball, he just goes with it. Um, he should see plenty time this year if things go AWOL offensively, and while there is like absolute zero hope for this
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defensive backs early on, he could maybe see some minutes there, but I don't expect him to be NC State's Travis Hunter, I think he'll be more of a emergency cornerback, especially early on when he tried to try to figure out his fit in NC State's offense and defense.
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All right, some other
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players I should mention, from swimming. Gavin Keogh, I think I'm pronouncing that right. Erie, Colorado. He owns the record for the 100 yard backstroke and Colorado, and has won a, I think it was a regional championship with his 200 yard backstroke. Ian Stutts from Raleigh, North Carolina, who has a top six national time in individual medley and for females, Lily King, who is also in that similar spot, from Latrobe, Pennsylvania.
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She is a sectional champion and individual medley and freestyle for 500 not 500 but 50 100 & 200 yards. So NC State's excellence and swimming should continue
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over the next few years. Um, some other players mentioned, Daisy Duda that Forwardd slash, like midfielder from New Jersey, I think with um, a lot of question marks offensively. Having a pretty high end
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women's soccer offensive recruit should help within the next few years as the program tries to rebuild, rebuild and get back to where it was.
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A notable um track and field players. Colby Cronk from Palm Coast, Florida, who is a thrower, who is state champion and shot put second place in the national
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state championships and discus and he owned his school record in sacks with 50 and 34 games as a games as a I think it's a defensive end,
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yeah, listed as, hold on,
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don't I don't see his height and weight on the
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bio at NC State's website, But just know, I mean, he's a big dude. He's going to,
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he's going to produce at least one of those two time will tell which one and female track and field athlete to mention, Sadie enghart from Venture California, long distance runner, who is second best in the country and broke the record for indoor mile time with 4:28
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four minutes, 28 seconds. That was beat, however, by the number one
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athlete in that spot who went to BYU. I don't remember her name, but having a one another really good long distance runner, is always helpful for NC State, who has built a reputation of being really good at that.
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That's something for a future episode to kind of go more in depth about that. But that is just some of the
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future freshmen that I would like to highlight for NC State coming into the 2526 school year.
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Now we going over the last bowl game victory, the 2017 Sun Bowl against Arizona State University. NC State has lost the last five bowl games has been in, not including the canceled 2020 Holiday Bowl versus UC LA. We'll be going over NC State's last victory, what the program looked like then. Symbol is one of the oldest bowl games still played, having its first iteration in 1935
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it's usually played on the last few days of December at the stadium of the same name in El Paso Texas for the UTEP Miners.
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Going a little fast. I.
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This will be Arizona state's fifth appearance, the first since 2014
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they are foreign one or last loss being in 1940 versus now deficient three team, case, Western Reserve. This will be NC State's first ever appearance at the symbol.
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So let's take a look at NC State during this time.
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Dave Doron on his fifth season as a head coach for NC State.
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You have offensive coordinator Eli Drinkwiz, who is now the head coach for Missouri, and you have defensive coordinator Dave Huxtable,
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red shirt, Junior Ryan Finley led the offense, complimented by star running back and track and field star Naheem Hines,
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some notable
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receivers, including Jaylan Samuels, Kelvin Harman and Jakobi Myers, they also have one of the best offensive lines in the league, headlined by Will Richardson and center, Garrett Bradbury.
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Defense is loaded with Bradley Chubb, Ketanvious Street, Justin Jones and DJ Hill, how I did a load in front seven, anchored by Germaine Pratt, even though he
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doesn't get as much minutes then as he does now.
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Um, is now, as in years later, uh Jerard Fernandez and Airius Moore some of the other notable linebackers on the back four, Jonathan Alston and Nick McLeod rack up deflect and passes to compliment Sean boone and Jarius Moorhead.
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Season, they would start the season on ranked, but with notable upsets against the FSU Seminoles, which it was, you know, Jameis Winston just left last year before Jimbo Fisher was fired starting quarterback DeAndre Francious,
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they also upset the Lamar Jackson was Louisville Cardinals.
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I mean, to be fair, Bobby Petrino, but that's neither here, there um, they jumped as high as number 14. Whoever losses against Brandon, Wimbush's Notre Dame, the star stood at number six. Clemson
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will help them slide out of the top 25 even though they will sneak back in after demolishing UNC to finish the season eight and four ranked 24th in the nation.
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Arizona State, in this context, is in their sixth year under head coach Todd Graham. They have new offensive and defensive coordinators, with defensive Phil Bennett and offensive Billy Napier, who is currently the head coach of the Florida Gators,
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with a new coaching class at toe, having reliable upperclassmen, QP Manny Wilkins JR and running back Kaelen bellage
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provide certainty for The future. N'Keal Harry and Kyle Williams are something notable wide receivers on the offense, Christian Sam and Alani Latu what a defensive front with the help of Kobe Williams and chase Lucas on the defensive backs,
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some notable wins on their seven to five finish include just defeat into Justin Herbert led Oreo. Oreo, Oregon Ducks
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number five in a country huskies and blowout wins versus Arizona and Oregon State to close out the regular season.
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So how did the game go? Chances are you probably don't remember the score.
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Let's get through it. I'll show you how this goes
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in the first quarter. Manny Wilkins fumbles early in the game to help Ryan Finley lead with a huge pass to Stephen Louis to get inside the red zone.
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Let's see they were just inches away from a touchdown to Harman that was called out. It was like one of those situations where it was like the was the foot close enough for it to be out or not, and that resulted in a field goal attempt that was faked with the kicker, Kyle Bambard, just being inches away from scoring as well.
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Arizona state leads a drive that does even hit the 50 yard line due to a few drops and a pass deflected by defensive lineman Roseboro and another sack by Gerard Fernandez,
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an area tag led by Stephen Lewis and Kelvin Harmon drive NC State deep, but with crucial runs from 19 highs, Hines at a fourth and two and then the end zone helped NC State Lead by seven heading into the second quarter.
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Nyhiem Hines takes.
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Over gaining the majority of the reception and rushing yards, leading to another touchdown, the lead 14 nothing, a sack by kentavious street and Ben Frazier and any momentum for owners from the state
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until roughing the kicker and Demario Richard drive helps lead Arizona state to a field goal. Right now we're sitting at 14 and three. Um,
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another big pass, Stephen Louis and another five yard touchdown run by Nyhiem Hines negates that, and the lead is now 21 three.
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Arizona state tries to fight back with N'Keal Harry receiving
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65 yards and four catches for a touchdown,
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but another 25 yard touchdown pass Jakboi Myers and a sack by , Kentavious street leads us to halftime with the 28 to 10 score
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heading into
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the third quarter, Nick McLeod intercepts the ball away from Wilkins early in the third quarter, returning it for 53 yards, only to end with a field goal and only four yards of gain age from NC State. However, when NC State had another chance to drive, Heinz drops the ball in a punt return, resulting in Arizona take Arizona State taken over, which is immediately intercepted by Jarvis Moorhead. Reggie Gillespie II takes over the rushing game, hoping NC stay run at the clock and with 35 yards and a 28 yard passage to Jakobi Myers for the 38 to 10 lead and turn the fourth quarter,
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what do I can say?
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Star defensive player, Sam Micheal and
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star defensive player, by the way, Chubb, are sitting out in this game. That's why you aren't really hearing much from them. I
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feel like that's important to say, even though he could have not just produced much, I don't think it was going to change much for NC, Arizona State, having Bradley Chubb out and vice versa.
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Arizona State, they're trying to get back, but they're focusing too much on their Russian game. Eno Benjamin and Demario Richards helped drive Arizona state to a one yard rush and touchdown by Manny Wilkins,
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they recovered an onside kick and throw to Kyle Williams to cut the deficit to 38 to 24
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however, it is just not enough
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deaf players like Reggie Gillespie and Jaylan Samuels. I don't know why I put Jaylan Samuels as a Deaf player, but again, most of the yardage on NC State's next touchdowns with one throw to Samuel and ran in by Gillespie to end a game with a 5231 score and a Wilkins interception for Airius Moore.
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Hold on, that was their second to last year with this
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dominant core of defensive players and their offensive starness as well,
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that next year they would get nine and three, but get blown out by
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Texas A and M. However, this season that we are talking about,
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NC State will finish 23rd in the nation and in the NFL Draft, they would have the most amount of players selected in their school history, with the following players selected, Bradley, Chubb fifth overall to the Broncos. BJ Hill, 69th at the Giants, Justin Jones, 84th to the chargers, not him. Heinz, 100 and fourth to the Colts. Kentavious Street, 128th San Francisco Will Richardson, jaguars, 129th
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and Jaylan Samuel was was the fullback, selected 165th
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overall to the Steelers.
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Garrett Bradbury, Germaine Pratt Ryan Finley, Kelvin Harlan are all selected in that next year's draft, and now here we are with a not too similar core. I figured it would be nice to look back to a time when NC State was winning bowl games, and I
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think that's going to conclude today's episode. I'm sorry that it was a little bit short. I'll try to make up for that. I hope you enjoyed today's episode. Um, in our next big episode, we're gonna be going over the football season. We're gonna be going over the last true Tobacco Road rivalry title for NC State. I'll even go a little bit more in depth on what that what that is,
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and I'll probably going over some to top football draft prospects. Spoiler alert, it's just just enjoying a bunch of question marks. Um,
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but I hope you enjoyed today's episode. Have a good day and go pack bye.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
