MCLAMB: NC State's Stars Are Willing To Sacrifice
Good teams have great players. Great teams have players who are willing to sacrifice.
The rushing attack for NC State is led by Nyheim Hines while Bradley Chubb is in front of the Wolfpack defensive parade into the opposition’s backfield.
Do not blink on special teams however.
Hines is a known commodity as a kickoff and punt returner. His speed can be devastating.
He is getting help.
“Those guys have been solid,” Hines said of his teammates on special teams. “We have a true freshman, Chris Ingram, he has done a great job. In the first game he ran into me as we all remember and ever since then he has been phenomenal. Everybody else on the team has been great.”
It is not limited to Ingram or players who have only just entered the football program.
There are contributors that most would not expect. it not only is helping NC State succeed but is building team spirit.
The Wolfpack is a tight unit.
“We even have people like Bradley Chubb who have been on the team,” Hines said. “He is probably a First Team All-ACC person. He is selling out by giving himself up and playing special teams. It is just really the brotherhood that helps me do what I do and everyone on the team be great.”
For his part Chubb is happy to help in any way he can. He returned to NC State to leave the program in a better place than it was when he found it.
“When everybody is playing for each other then the team is winning,” Chubb said. When you are playing for each other everyone notices that, especially when you are winning so just us being in the position we are in right now I feel like it is bringing the spotlight not only on myself but a lot of guys here.
“I just try to go out there and just play my game. You may see me do extra stuff and all of that but I am just trying to have fun in my last year with these guys. We are all just playing for each other.”
Hines himself is not limited to just returning kicks.
“I played gunner in high school, and I played every special team in high school,” Hines said. “I talked to Coach Faulkner in the offseason, and he said that I could play some gunner. I said if I have to go in there and make a tackle I will….I will do anything I can to make the team get better."
It is not all about having a good time. NC State entered the bye week riding a six-game winning streak but also looked to improve.
The Pack has yet to play a complete game.
“We know that we have been winning,” Chubb said. “We just can’t get complacent with where we are at. We know this team could go to another level because in the Pittsburgh game and all the other games you see us make mistakes that didn’t bite us at the time but we still need to fix those mistakes. I feel like there is another gear for this team.”