In his first touch of the game, sophomore running back Toney Baker took a handoff from junior quarterback Marcus Stone, juked two defenders, stiff-armed another and then sprinted past the defense en route to a 64-yard touchdown and the game’s first score.
Baker finished the game with one touchdown and 114 yards rushing on nine attempts during the Wolfpack’s spring game, which took place Saturday at Carter-Finley Stadium during a dark and rainy afternoon.
“It was my first touch of the game,” Baker said. “I had a pretty good hole and I made a move. I had some great downfield blocking. Darrell Blackman fought his butt off and made a block all the way down the field that sprung me out. It felt pretty good.”
The Wolfpack switched out first-, second- and third-offensive and defensive teams after each team had 10 plays. After the game, the teams participated in goalline drills.
Early in the game, Stone struggled to get the team’s passing game going — nearly throwing an interception on his first pass and then throwing an interception a short while later to sophomore safety Benjamin Bradsher.
But, even with the interception, coach Chuck Amato was pleased with the way Stone handled the game situation.
“I thought he played really well,” Amato said. “He had that one interception. But he is managing the game. He has really stepped his preparation up of what he’s doing and how he’s going about it.”
Aside from Stone, redshirt freshman quarterback Mike Greco provided a spark for State.
The third-string quarterback threw an interception early but then bounced back with a 60-yard run to the endzone and then completed a 60-yard pass to redshirt freshman wide receiver Kyle Newell. Not only did Newell catch a pass for a touchdown, Greco gave Newell credit for Greco’s touchdown run.
“It was Kyle Newell and another one of the receivers that had an excellent block downfield,” Greco said. “It helped spring me for the touchdown.”
Amato added Newell’s sprint to the endzone showcased what the freshman can do.
“Some of the young ones came out today and did things they haven’t done all spring,” Amato said.
“Kyle Newell, the last three practices has let it loose. Kyle Newell is almost 6-foot-6 and a half, at 220 or 225 pounds. He ran so fast, I thought a policeman was chasing him or something.”
One new face on the defensive side of the ball was senior linebacker Reggie Davis. Davis, who spent all of last season as a running back, was moved to the defensive side of the ball after Amato asked him to try the position.
“We talked to Reggie Davis on Monday about taking a look at linebacker,” Amato said.
“I said, ‘Do it Tuesday and Thursday of this week, and Saturday you can go back and play running back.’ He had such a good time over there on Thursday — he had more tackles in a little half scrimmage that we had than any of our linebackers in any other scrimmages that we’ve had. He said, ‘Oh no, I want to stay there.'”
Redshirt freshman running back Jamelle Eugene, who plans to fill in for Davis and the departed Bobby Washington, finished the game with 105 yards on 16 carries. He also tallied three receptions for 29 yards.
Sophomore running back Andre Brown also rushed for 58 yards on 10 carries.
Eugene said the offensive line deserves all the credit for him, Baker and Brown being able to get so many rushing yards
“The offensive line is doing a great job,” Eugene said. “No running back really does anything on his own, it’s all the offensive line. So, I’m just trying to make it to the hole, and then the rest is on me.”
After his performance, Amato was impressed with Eugene.
“Don’t forget that name,” Amato said.
During the game, Amato said he was pleased with the limited number of penalties the team received.
“I was pleased with the lack of penalties,” Amato said. “We only had, I think we had three or four. I was up there talking a little bit, I may have missed a couple.”
Even though he was pleased with the team’s discipline, Amato said the Pack needed to work on catching passes and tackling.
“Some things that disappointed me a little bit was some drops early,” Amato said.
“We had too many dropped passes, and tackling. Tackling, that could be relative to who we’re trying to tackle. There is something special — I think a lot of other people are going to have a tough time tackling those kids.”