NC State football countdown to 2023 kickoff: 9

The NC State football season opener for 2023 is at Connecticut on Aug. 31 — or 9 days away. TheWolfpacker.com’s countdown for the season looks at the significance of the number 9 in Pack history.

NC State Football And The No. 9

• Any conversation about the No. 9 around NC State football has to begin with two of the greatest defenders to ever don the Wolfpack uniform.

The first is defensive end Mario Williams, who made a lot of history from 2003-05. Williams still holds the school record for tackles for loss in a season with 27.5 in 2005. His 14.5 sacks that year is also the most ever at NC State, as was his single-game tally of four against both Southern Miss and Maryland. His six overall tackles for loss in the former remains the most ever in a game by a NC State defensive lineman.

Williams led the ACC in both sacks and tackles for loss in 2005 on his way to being named a first-team All-American by Sports Illustrated. In addition, Williams was a two-time first-team All-ACC choice. The NC State football award for Most Valuable Defensive Player is now named in Williams’ honor.

After done playing at NC State, Williams made further history by becoming the first ever ACC player to be selected with the first overall pick in the NFL Draft, going to the Houston Texans.

In the NFL, Williams was a four-time Pro Bowl selection and two-time All-Pro choice while he compiled 97.5 sacks over 11 seasons, five times reaching double digit sacks in a single year. He is 25th all-time in the NFL in tackles for loss with 121.

His No. 9 was honored by the Pack.

• The first player to wear No. 9 after Williams was honored was Bradley Chubb, and he did the jersey more than proud. Chubb broke Williams’ school records at NC State for career tackles for loss (60) and sacks (26). His eight forced fumbles are tied for the third most by a Wolfpack defender.

Like Williams, Chubb led the ACC in sacks and tackles for loss in his final season for NC State. Chubb was named the 2017 ACC Defensive Player of the Year and a consensus first-team All-American. He also won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy for the top defender in college football and the Ted Hendricks Award for top defensive end nationally.

Chubb was selected in the first round with the sixth overall pick by the Denver Broncos. He made the All-Rookie team in 2018 after having 12 sacks and the Pro Bowl in 2020 when he added 7.5 more hits on the quarterback.

Now the No. 9 for NC State football honors both Chubb and Williams, and this season super senior Savion Jackson will wear the jersey for the second consecutive year.