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Today I continue our series called “Losing Their Shirt” where I will look at the Redshirt Freshmen on the NC State football roster.  Fans can be so focused on the stars they have returning, who they lost on their roster, and the incoming freshman recruiting class, that they forget entirely about the class of redshirt freshmen.  Allow me to help introduce you to the NC State redshirt freshmen.  The second player featured in “Losing Their Shirt” is Defensive Tackle Coult Culler.

A lot has changed since Coult Culler first committed to NC State back on December 6th, 2013.  Back then Culler was a linebacker for Laney High School in Wilmington, North Carolina.  The three-star recruit tallied 135 tackles his Senior season, and earned All-State honors.  Culler chose to run with the Wolfpack over offers from in-state foes East Carolina and UNC.

Coach Doeren had this to say about Culler after he signed his national letter of intent in February of 2014:

“I know a lot of coaches down in the Wilmington area are glad he’s gone.  You talk to them (and they say) he’s a tackling machine.  He had multiple games where he had 20-plus tackles,” said Doeren. “We’re really excited about what he brings, not only as a player but his attitude, his demeanor, the way he was raised, his toughness. He’s going to do a lot of things for us here.” (FayObserver)

Culler redshirted last season, and within his first 6 months of being a part of the program, he gained 30 pounds.  This winter the NC State coaches decided to move Culler from linebacker to defensive end.  Between the winter and Spring ball, the coaches had changed their minds once again.  Culler was sitting at defensive tackle on the 2-deep depth chart for the Kay Yow Spring Game in April.

Coach Doeren explained the decision to move Culler to DT at Media Day, and spoke very highly of the redshirt freshman:

“We moved him from linebacker to defensive tackle.  He’s doing really well.  He’s getting better and better.  He went from 240 to 285.  A lot of eating and a lot of lifting.  He spent last year as a redshirt.  He played linebacker, and it was just apparent at the end of bowl practices that he wasn’t moving like a linebacker anymore.  We thought he was an aggressive tough kid, and I think he was trying to keep his weight down a little bit. We told him that we thought that we needed to let nature take it’s course. He’s a big guy. His dad was a big man. He bought in right away. When I recruited him he told me ‘I’ll play wherever you want me to play. You’re my coach, and I’m your player. What do you need?’  I appreciate that about him. He has a great team attitude. He’s done a lot of good things. In the Spring he was thinking a lot, but you can see now he’s just being aggressive. He has a smile on his face and it’s fun to watch him” (Media Day)

Junior Year Highlights

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Matthew is Publisher and Co-Owner of Pack Insider. He is also the Lead Pastor of The Point Church in Cary, NC.

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NC State Football

Congrats to NC State Football’s Spring Graduates!

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3 hours ago

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May 3, 2024

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Congratulations to the 7 NC State Football Players that just graduated this Spring.

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2024 Football Spring Graduates

Linebacker Devon Betty (1 year of eligibility)

Defensive End Davin Vann (1 year of eligibility)

Cornerback Aydan White (1 year of eligibility)

Offensive Guard Anthony Carter Jr. (2 years of eligibility)

Offensive Lineman Matt McCabe (2 years of eligibility)

Offensive Tackle Patrick Matan (2 years of eligibility)

Offensive Lineman Brendan Lawson (no longer on the roster)

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NC State Football

Proposed Bill in the NC House Would Require NC State & UNC To Play One Another, as well as ECU, UNCC and App St.

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10 hours ago

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May 3, 2024

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A bill has been proposed by members of the North Carolina House of Representatives that would force NC State and UNC to play one another, as well as East Carolina, UNC Charlotte and Appalachian State.

According to House Bill 965, which you can read here in full, NC State and UNC would be required to play one another annually in Football, Men’s Basketball and Women’s Basketball. The Wolfpack and the Tar Heels would also be forced to play a game annually in all three sports against either ECU, UNC-Charlotte or App St. Every six years, NC State and UNC would be required to have played a home and away game against each of the three school in all three sports.

Here’s the exact wording from the proposed bill:

Competition Required. – A high-enrollment institution shall do all of the following in each eligible sport: (1) Every academic year, play at least one home or one away game against (i) another high-enrollment institution and (ii) an eligible constituent institution that is not a high-enrollment institution. (2) Every six academic years, play at least one home and one away game against each eligible constituent institution that is not a high-enrollment institution. A high-enrollment institution shall alternate home and away games that are scheduled against the same eligible constituent institution that is not a high-enrollment institution.

For glossary of terms being referenced above:

For the purposes of this bill, “High-enrollment institutions” = NC State and UNC, while “Eligible constituent institutions” = East Carolina, UNC Charlotte and Appalachian State.

It’s worth noting that NC State already has games schedule against each of these teams home-and-away in Football between now and 2031.

2025 – East Carolina (H)

2025 – @ App St.

2026 – App St. (H)

2028 – @ East Carolina

2030 – Charlotte (H)

2031 – @ Charlotte

What are your thoughts?

For more details, check out this article at WRAL.

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NC State Football

Akron Safety Kerry Martin Jr. will Take an Official Visit at NC State Next Week

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1 day ago

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May 2, 2024

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Akron Safety Kerry Martin Jr. (6’1″/195) confirmed with me that he will be taking an Official Visit to NC State next week beginning on May 7th.

After receiving an offer from NC State yesterday, it didn’t take him long to set up the visit.

Martin Jr. is familiar with NC State, because he was recruited by Wolfpack Defensive Coordinator Tony Gibson before he left West Virginia to come to Raleigh. Even though he never coached him, a relationship was established.

Martin Jr.’s connections to NC State are deeper than that. Former NC State Cornerback Derrek Pitts, who is currently a member of the Tampa Bay Bucs, is his cousin.

This past year, Martin Jr. recorded 45 tackles, 2 interceptions and 6 pass breakups for Akron, starting in 9 of the 11 games he played in. His PFF Grade was 68.9.

In 2022, he had 53 tackles, 1 interception and 1 pass breakup, starting in 9 of the 11 games he played in. Martin Jr.’s PFF Grade was 60.9.

In 2019, as a Freshman for West Virginia, Martin Jr. earned PFF Freshman All-American honors, recording a grade of 70.6, with 50 tackles and 3 pass breakups.

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NC State Football

NC State Sits in the Top-20 in 247’s Post-Spring 2024 Preseason Poll

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2 days ago

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May 1, 2024

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247’s Brad Crawford released his Post-Spring 2024 Preseason College Football Top-25 recently, and NC State moved up 1 spot to #20.

ACC Teams in the Top-25

11. FSU

14. Miami

16. Clemson

20. NC State

24. Virginia Tech

25. Louisville

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