Losing Their Shirt: DT Coult Culler

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