NC State football countdown to kickoff: 28
The NC State football season opener for 2023 is at Connecticut on Aug. 31 — or 28 days away. TheWolfpacker.com’s countdown for the season looks at the significance of the number 28 in Pack history.
NC State Football And The No. 28
• There are two different players wearing No. 28 for NC State football, with one potentially playing a significant role this fall and the other a good bet to redshirt.
Former walk-on running back Demarcus Jones II, a fifth-year redshirt junior from Wake Forest (N.C.) High, has carved out a role as a top special teams performer. Each of the past two seasons, Jones has accumulated the second-most snaps on the unit for NC State. Jones additionally rushed for 68 yards and had 41 yards receiving a year ago.
One of the more intriguing recruits for NC State football in the 2023 class was On3 Consensus three-star safety Zack Myers from Christ School near Asheville, N.C. Myers chose the Wolfpack over Virginia Tech and Ole Miss among numerous other Power Five offers.
• One of the better former No. 28 on the NC State football roster was cornerback Lamont Reid.
From 2001-04, Reid broke up 32 passes, which ranks seventh best in NC State history. Reid was also an excellent kickoff returner, boasting the fourth-best average at NC State with 26.2 yards per runback.
In 2002, Reid averaged 30.3 yards per kickoff return. Two years later, he had the exact same average. Both of them are ranked tied for third in NC State history for a single season, surpassed last season by Zonovan Knight’s 34.4-yard average.
Top 10
- 1Trending
Reunited
Bailey and friends back together at NC State
- 2
'Why not?'
How Jimmy V's influence helped Terry Gannon
- 3
Rankings
Where Pack's portal adds would have ranked in HS
- 4
Roster update
Where NC State FB stands now
- 5
Depth chart: offense
Projecting the Pack's two-deep
Get the Daily On3 Newsletter in your inbox every morning
By clicking "Subscribe to Newsletter", I agree to On3's Privacy Notice, Terms, and use of my personal information described therein.
Reid’s return of the opening kickoff for a touchdown against East Tennessee State in 2002 remains the last time the opening kick was returned for a score at NC State.
Reid received a cup of tea in the NFL after his playing days at NC State were over, playing in 2005 with the Arizona Cardinals.
• Under head coach Dave Doeren, NC State football is 1-3 on games played on the 28th of the month.
The first game on the 28th was in Doeren’s initial season at NC State, an easy win over Central Michigan. A chance to snap a three-game losing streak on the 28th of the month was robbed from NC State when UCLA defected from the San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl at the last hour.
That game had been scheduled for Dec. 28, 2022. NC State will host Clemson on Oct. 28 this year.