Morehead's Time Is Now
Redshirt junior safety Jarius Morehead knows how important fall camp is for his team. The focus isn't exclusive to schedule-opener James Madison; rather, the primary goal is to simply improve each day.
"I feel like we are competing," he said. "We're finishing day-by-day, taking it one step at a time. On defense we are just running to the ball, doing everything the coaches ask of us. I can’t ask for anything better.
"Knowing that we lost nine seniors last year, we know we have to take a big step up to replace those guys. We are just taking it day-by-day and attacking the day."
He also understands that his unit is benefiting from that competition in practice. The entire secondary gets to face off against the wide receivers and tight ends every day, and that is how you make the strides needed to improve on last season's defensive performance.
"The d-line works with the Band of Brothers. They are one of the best o-lines in the nation -- that helps the d-line," he said. "For us, it's the same... iron sharpens iron. [We're] going against Kelvin [Harmon], they’re basically the best receivers in the nation. That’s going to prepare us for JMU, West Virginia, Boston College, Virginia. It’s going to prepare us."
Morehead is entering his second full season as a starter, and he has a lot of confidence right now. He admits that last year at this time he lacked that confidence, but he benefited from the leadership of one of his teammates.
"I played [with] Shawn Boone, and he was like another coach out there," Morehead said. "Learning behind him and learning the details and concepts of the offense... that’s really helped me from last year to this year. Taking his notes from how he studied the game and prepared for the game really helped me this year."
Morehead finished second on the team in tackles (90) and started all 13 games last season. He is easily the defensive returner with the most experience for NC State.
However, he knows he must improve, too, and one area is being more aggressive from his safety position. There is often a fine line between being the last line of defense and staying aggressive enough to be a legitimate playmaker, but Morehead believes that with a year of starting under his belt he is experienced enough to take even more chances at safety.
"I learned under Shawn Boone and got all his notes and now I recognize what the offense is about to do... what’s about to come up," he said. "It’s going to come faster, and then I can play faster. I know I can now play faster.
"I just have to be where I need to be. I have to make sure I trust everybody on the field and make sure they do their job and I do my job."
Where else has Morehead worked to improve?
"Just becoming a leader and leading the defense, overall," he said. "Taking ownership of the process, making sure everybody is doing what they need to do... staying in the playbook. I want to make sure they do what they have to do and make sure everybody finishes what they’ve been doing."
With Morehead and co-starters Dexter Wright and Tim Kidd-Glass NC State returns both starters at the safety positions. However, the Wolfpack added a couple of newcomers, and one in particular has caught Morehead's eye.
"Malik [Dunlap] has impressed me," he said. "He’s learning the defense fast. When I was a freshman, that defense was complicated, but he’s learning it fast."
This is a big year for Morehead and the defense. A lot of talent and experience is no longer on that side of the ball, but he believes leaders have emerged to where they can continue to be successful.
"I feel like that started in the bowl game because we knew they were leaving," he said. "People had to step up before the spring. Germaine Pratt, Dexter Wright, Darian Roseboro, Nick McCloud... people are going to add on and if you have something to say, say it.
"Even if you’re a young guy, just be a leader, help us out. Everybody can help each other out and give their own two cents."
