NC State Freshman Nyheim Hines broke nearly every record that a running back could break at Garner High School, and all the records that were broken were held by NC State ‘great’ Anthony Barbour.  Hines now holds the Garner High School record for rushing yards in a season (3,140), career rushing yards (6,242), and touchdowns (126).  So why are the NC State coaches lining him up as a wide receiver?

“Nyheim can do a lot of things. We figured that he’s been in the backfield a lot, and thought it would be easier to move him back if we needed to. It’s easier to go that way than the other,” said Doeren. “His skill set was more developed in the backfield. As you know our receivers carry the ball a lot in our Jet packages. The way he’s been catching it, along with his return skills…he’s got a lot of skill sets. He’s going to play in the slot a lot.”

The NC State backfield is crowded heading into the 2015 season.  Not only do they return Senior Shadrach Thornton and Junior Matt Dayes, but they also are joined by freshman Reggie Gallaspy and Johnny Frasier.  The move of Hines to wideout helps fill some of the void in the receiving corps, but it also shows that finding a way to get the ball in Hines’ hands is a priority for the coaches as well.

Hines doesn’t really care where the coaches play him.  He just wants his space.

“Wherever I can be in space.  I don’t really care,” said Hines. “Hopefully I can be on the field playing both.  Wherever they can line me up, and allow me to use my speed to an advantage, I like that.

It’s a lot easier to trust your coaches decision to move you to wide receiver when Jacoby Brissett is the quarterback throwing the ball to you.  At Media Day, Hines explained to me what it’s been like working with Brissett.

“I love it.  He’s way different from a high school quarterback, I can tell you that much.  He’s really smart.  He protects you on throws,” said Hines. “He’s really particular on what he wants and he’s a perfectionist, so you have to be right on the dime, or you won’t get the ball exactly where you would like it.  He’s a great quarterback and I can’t wait to work with him.”

Being a freshman at Fall Camp can be like drinking water from a fire hydrant, but Hines thinks that he had a slight advantage living so close to NC State.  Even with a slight advantage, Hines says there is a difference between knowledge and action, and a college 1st team defense, and a high school defense.

“I had an advantage, because I’m so close.  I knew a lot of the plays before I got here,” said Hines. “You can know the plays, but then you have to get on the field and actually run the routes, and know the exact technique.  It’s been hard, especially when you get thrown out there against the 1st defense.”

Get ready to see #7 on the field this season. I don’t think the coaches moved him to redshirt him. I think they moved him so that they could play him as much as possible this year.

They are trying to give Nyheim his space.
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