I don’t know if there is anybody more excited than me as far as coming back to play. Being that my last game was in 2008, I’m ready to get back out there and go through it one more time. You could say this is the most anticipated game of my life. I have been away for so long and everything is building up to come back. I tried to practice coming out the tunnel when we had practice last Sunday.

But it will be different with the fans screaming and the smoke blazing and the band playing. I think we have the best and most dedicated fans that I’ve seen anywhere. They stuck with us through the highs and the many lows. They’ve sat out there, I remember it was pouring rain in some games and there was extreme heat in others, and they were right there cheering us on, whether we won or lost.

Me getting back to playing the way I was before the injury is going to be a gradual progression. But I think that after I look back over this year and over the last year I played, I will be able to gauge myself and see that I got better.

Offensively, Western Carolina is very good at what they do. They have a pretty good set of skill position players and I think they are going to come and attack us. We just have to be ready for what they are going to give us.

This season will be a success if we win every game. That’s what the goal is. I don’t want to lose a game this year.

I love playing in the rain. It means you have to run the ball. You really can’t throw the ball that much. Linebackers love physical contact so I hope the hurricane comes right over the stadium and that we are playing right in it.

I’m real confident in our D-line. I don’t understand why there will be a lot of question marks surrounding our defensive line. We have guys that were in the rotation the last two or three years, they just haven’t been starting. They have enough playing experience and games under their belts to where they can step in and make plays and make an impact.

I think our passing game will be even better. A lot of guys have improved over the offseason and are ready to take that next step.

I think Russell Wilson is good enough to be a Heisman candidate, but that’s something you leave up to the people that have to vote, and that’s not me. But I think he’s a great quarterback, one of the top quarterbacks in the nation. What he does for this team is beyond words.

I go against George Bryan every day in practice and it’s tough. He’s the ACC’s best tight end. I have had to run down the seam with Jarvis Williams a few times. I haven’t seen anybody go up and get a ball or attack a ball like he does. His ball skills are great. Owen Spencer is a crisp route runner and his speed is real deceptive. Once he gets up on you, the next thing you know, he is pulling away from you. I haven’t gone against anybody faster than him. Maybe him and T.J. are up there somewhere, neck and neck.

Redshirt freshman running back Dean Haynes is a smart player, I have seen that. I joke with him every day about leaving the defense to go and join the other guys and I give him a hard time about that. But he’s going to do OK because he’s a pretty smart player and he knows what is going on back there.

It has never really been about proving anything to anybody. we just have to go out there and play to the best of our abilities. Be there to support the Pack on Saturday.