At six-foot three-inches tall, senior wide receiver Owen Spencer has

the height to reach passes many of his defenders cannot.  Over the

past year, Spencer has developed into much more than a home-run

threat, becoming the Pack’s top receiver, with 36 catches for 529

yards through the first eight games.

In the final nine games of his senior year at North Brunswick

High School, Spencer hauled in more than 500 yards receiving on 27 catches,

13 for touchdowns.

“I was never known to drop balls in high school,” Spencer said.  ”I

always had quick feet to be so tall. I learned more about being a

receiver than just running for the ball.”

Spencer joined the Pack in the fall of 2007 and saw time in all 12

games.  Though he didn’t make a huge impact in his first season, he

soon improved his hands and footwork.  His second year as a wide

receiver, Spencer pulled in 15 catches of 20 or more yards and  set an

ACC and Wolfpack single-season record with 22.3 yards per catch.  He

emerged as an even more potent deep threat as a junior, leading the

nation with 25.5 yards per catch. Spencer is his team’s leader in

receiving yards and receptions in his fourth and final season.

“He really took a big leadership role this year,” redshirt junior

defensive tackle J.R. Sweezy said.  ”He is a big leader on this team.

He leads by example and gets all of his stuff done. I have never heard

a complaint from Owen. He is a great guy and always gets all of his

stuff done.”

Spencer has shortened his routes in 2010, as many of his catches have gone for less yardage.  He has attempted more routes through the

middle of the defense rather than going for the long ball. Spencer’s

said he has gained 30 pounds since his freshman year, and the added

bulk, along with his speed, has helped him become a threat between the

hashes.

“Underneath is when you have speed and momentum and are going against a linebacker,” Spencer said.  ”Not a lot of linebackers are used to

it.  They love it when they get a chance to hit but they don’t want to

chase you.  Going across the middle means you’re going to get hit.”

 For his future plans, Spencer looks forward to playing football on a

professional level.  He said he hopes his hard work through high

school and college will pay off in the NFL.  Since coming to N.C.

State, Spencer has improved his bench press from 185 to 260 pounds.

To Spencer, speed is the killer, but strength is also important to

making big plays. He said he hopes his combination of breakaway

potential and toughness have impressed NFL scouts.

  “[The NFL] is the plan,” Spencer said.  ”It’s what I dream for.  I

work hard so that people will even consider me.  I’ve been blessed to

make plays through this offense and be put in a position to be viewed

by scouts.”

Spencer’s big start to his senior year has come as a fitting

conclusion to a productive career, as Spencer leads all active ACC

receivers with more than 1,500 yards and 11 career touchdowns. A

number of different teammates and coaches throughout Spencer’s stay in

Raleigh have imparted wisdom upon him. But it is the words former

Wolfpack great and Super Bowl winning wideout Torry Holt shared with

him shortly after his arrival on campus that have stuck with him the

most.

“As a receiver you have to have good feet. I remember when I came in,

Torry Holt, the first time he talked to me, he said, ‘take care of

your feet,'” Spencer said. “Now that I’ve been in a pro offense, I’ve

learned that footwork is very important. The first step in a route is

the most important because good defensive backs will catch up to you.”