NC State football countdown to kickoff: 31

The NC State football season opener for 2022 is at East Carolina on Sept. 3 — or 31 days away from Wednesday. The Wolfpacker continues its countdown for the season with notes about the number 31.

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31: Significant notes involving the number 31 in NC State football history

• There is one scholarship player this fall wearing No. 31 for NC State football — recent arrival and linebacker DaeJuan Thompson.

At 6-foot-2, 183 pounds, Thompson will clearly have to get stronger, but given the depth on the Wolfpack roster at the position, Thompson will be afforded time to grow into his body.

Thompson arrived at NC State in the summer after choosing to sign with the Pack over an offer from Duke.

In 12 games as a senior for Whiteville (N.C.) High, Thompson had 115 tackles (75 solo), including 31 for loss and 15 sacks. He also forced five fumbles, recovered a pair and broke up nine passes.

On3 rated Thompson as a four-star, the No. 37 linebacker in the country and the No. 13 prospect from the state of North Carolina. On3 was the highest of the four recruiting services when it came to Thompson’s ranking.

• While Thompson is the lone current NC State scholarship football player wearing No. 31, he is not the only person around the program with an association to the number.

Nickels coach Freddie Aughtry-Lindsay wore No. 31 from 2001-04 for NC State. Aughtry-Lindsay was a two-year starter and two-year captain for former head coach Chuck Amato.

Aughtry-Lindsay may be remembered most for one of the greatest individual games on defense in NC State football history. Against Connecticut, a team quarterbacked by Dan Orlovsky who played in the NFL and is now an analyst on ESPN, at Carter-Finley Stadium in 2003, Aughtry-Lindsay returned a fumble 48 yards for a touchdown.

However, Aughtry-Lindsay’s second defensive score of the day was more famous. He had a 57-yard pick six with five seconds left to give NC State a stunning 31-24 win.

Aughtry-Linsday’s performance earned him National Player of the Week honors afterwards.

• In 1933, John “Clipper” Smith made his debut as the NC State football coach. An All-American offensive lineman for Knute Rockne at Notre Dame, Smith had a tough first season, going 3-6 overall and 2-4 in the Southern Conference.

A season later though, Smith led NC State to an impressive 6-1-2 mark, including 3-1-1 in league play. Year three saw the bottom fall out at 1-5-3 and going winless in four conference games.

Smith would resurface in 1936 at Duquesne, where in three seasons he would compile an 18-12 overall record. His first team there was ranked No. 14 in the AP poll and won the Orange Bowl.