John Joyner
Freshman running back Shadrach Thornton runs the ball around around the Citadel defense during the ACC Military Appreciation Day football game in Carter-Finley Stadium Saturday, Sept. 22, 2012. Thornton, playing in his first collegiate football game, carried for 145 yards and two touchdowns, helping to lead the Wolfpack to a 52-14 victory over the Bulldogs. Photo by John Joyner.
As the annual Kay Yow Spring Game quickly approaches, students and fans of the N.C. State football team will see how the team has grown under newly appointed Head Coach Dave Doeren.
One aspect of last year’s program under former head coach Tom O’Brien was the stagnant running game that stemmed from Mustafa Greene’s dismissal from the team and season-ending injuries by junior running back James Washington and former offensive lineman Zach Allen.
The mishaps left the Wolfpack with two underclassmen to rush the ball: redshirt junior Tony Creecy and sophomore Shadrach Thornton.
When fans look to see who will be the starting running back on Aug. 31 against Louisiana Tech, the numbers do not lie. On paper, Thornton is the obvious choice to lead the Pack’s rushing attack. He has the agility and vision to make the best play.
As the tailback with seniority, Creecy was O’Brien’s first choice once Washington and Greene were out. It was not until the Sept. 22 game against the Citadel that Thornton was able to show his true colors. Washington, Greene and Creecy were out of the lineup due to injuries, leaving O’Brien with Thornton and former running back Brandon Barnes as the only eligible backs.
Thornton, who lost his redshirt for the season, took hold of the reins and began his college career with 171 total yards, including 145 on the ground and two touchdowns.
After recovering from his injury, Creecy returned to the starting lineup once again. The running attack struggled. The team cumulatively failed to rush for more than 100 yards four times within a six-game span with Creecy as the starting tailback.
In the first game of that stretch, Creecy rushed for 120 yards in the Sept. 29 loss to Miami. However, it was Thornton who gained the most yards on the ground against Wake Forest five games later.
The Hinesville, Ga. native rushed for 110 yards. Creecy, the starter, only managed to scrounge up 36 – four more than then-freshman backup quarterback Manny Stocker.
Thornton earned the start for the last two games of the regular season and gained 114 and 105 yards on the ground against Clemson and Boston College.
The only game in which Creecy outran Thornton off the bench was the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl against Vanderbilt when Creecy’s 43 rushing yards outmatched Thornton’s 39.
Despite the case against Creecy, this is not an all-out bash against him. Creecy’s style of rushing is better suited in third-down and red-zone situations. His strength will help him get past the first line of defense and, depending on how well the offensive line opens holes for him, past the first-down marker or even into the end zone.
State is destined for greatness and can become a three-dimensional team, but it starts with the running game.
The Pack can return as one of the ACC’s top contenders and even pose a threat to Florida State and Clemson once again.
Doeren’s current squad is heading in the right direction. Thornton will have to step up as a leader for the team to head in that direction.
These words in newsprint are not just a blessing for the running game: They also serve as a warning. If Creecy is the starter in the backfield opening week, he either needs to step up as the senior leader or give way to Thornton.
Thornton is the future of the team. It is up to Creecy whether he rises with the Pack or gets left in the past.