On Saturday’s first play from scrimmage, Wake Forest RB Josh Adams took an inside handoff, bounced outside, and cut hard toward the Demon Deacon sideline. Charging hard from his boundary safety position, Earl Wolff greeted Adams along the sidelines to record his 65th tackle of the season. 10 tackles, a sack, and one fumble recovery later, Wolff headed off to the locker room knowing that the young Wolfpack secondary remained the No. 1 pass defense in ACC play. For the Raeford, NC native who starred for coach Greg Bryant at Hoke County High, leading a group that doesn’t feature a single upperclassman starter has been a welcome role.
“I want to step up and play this role for my team,” Wolff said. “People were talking about our secondary. We’re young, and basically in the offseason we all worked hard as a group. I believe I stepped up to play this role.”
In high school, Wolff accumulated gaudy numbers on both sides of the ball. In addition to gaining 997 yards and nine touchdowns as a running back, Wolff also stood out in the secondary, with 89 tackles, five interceptions, a sack, and seven forced fumbles. Despite using his athleticism to play more than one position, Wolff hesitates to call himself the standard “two-way” athlete.
“It was a four-way (athlete) actually,” Wolff said. “In high school our coaches were alright, but we had to do a lot of things ourselves. Athletically, I’ve always had the talent and I’ve always been a hard worker growing up. I’ve never been complacent, I just go out and fight every day and every game.”
With a last name synonymous with N.C. State’s mascot, Wolff said that making the hour and a half drive up to Raleigh to join State was just meant to be.
“N.C. State was my first big offer,” Wolff said. “Everybody asked me why I committed on my first big offer, but when I came here I just felt at home. The coaches showed me a lot of love, the players were really cool, and academically it’s a pretty good school. It just felt like home.”
One of the unique talents that Wolff brings to the Pack is versatility. Adding to the first half interception he had against UCF earlier in the year, the redshirt safety has also been credited with a team-leading three forced fumbles. Wolff said that learning the technique actually didn’t start on the the practice field.
“It all started one day my junior year of high school,” Wolff said. “I was sitting down just watching TV and I just saw the way Ed Reed got his arm in there and stripped the ball. And I’ve been doing it since then. Lately, I’ve been pretty successful at it.”
With Wolff having redshirted in 2008, the growing leader of the defensive backs has seen teammate Nate Irving also grow stronger after an adversity-riddled 2009 season sandwiched by outstanding campaigns in his sophomore and senior seasons. Wolff said that having a leader like Irving on the field has paid tremendous dividends in his own development.
“It’s great to have Nate on our team as an individual and as an athlete,” Wolff said. “He’s a great leader and it’s great just to watch him play. Everybody is just thankful to have him back.”
Heading into this Saturday’s match up against the Tar Heels, Wolff knows that the Pack will need Irving at his best. Wolff also said that he knows another promising performance out of the secondary will be vital in limiting UNC quarterback T.J. Yates, the ACC’s second-rated passer.
“I’m just trying to go in there, do my job and play 100 percent,” Wolff said. “I have be at full speed every play, read my keys. and try and go in there and help my team win.”