NC State Football
Losing Their Shirt: Will Richardson
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 third player featured in “Losing Their Shirt” is Offensive Tackle Will Richardson.
Will Richardson originally committed to play football for the Virginia Cavaliers back in May of 2013. With the 2014 National Signing Day only a couple of weeks a way, Richardson took an Official Visit to UVA on January 17th, 2014. In a strange turn of events, Richardson came back from Virginia and committed to play for NC State three days later on January 20th, and signed his letter of intent to play for the Wolfpack on February 5th, 2014.
Richardson played high school football at Hugh M Cummings in Burlington, North Carolina. ESPN rated him as a 4-star prospect, and the 290th overall prospect in the 2014 recruiting class. Scout, Rivals, and 247 gave him 3-stars. Rivals ranked him as the #23 player in the state of North Carolina, and ESPN ranked him 13th. The Burlington standout played in the Shrine Bowl.
Richardson chose to run with the Wolfpack over offers from UVA, FSU, UNC, Indiana, Duke, ECU, Louisville, Virginia Tech, and Ohio.
Senior Highlights
NC State Head Coach Dave Doeren spoke highly of Richardson at his Media Day Press Conference:
“He (Richardson) had a great summer in the weight room. He got a lot stronger. He’s been hurt. He’s had nicks that have bumped him out of the training cycle. He have a sprained ankle, or a sprained knee, or mono, or pinkeye. It was crazy. You need an eight week window to maximize your growth,” said Doeren. “He never really got one of those until this summer. I think he matured a lot and the redshirt year helped him. Will has a great passion and energy for the game of football. I think that’s something our offensive line needed. It’s contagious. And he finishes. He worked really hard this first week to get himself in the conversation.” (PI)
Doeren spoke to the media after the Scrimmage this past Saturday, and he was asked if any of the offensive linemen were entrenched in certain positions. His response would lead you to believe that Richardson is fighting hard and in the mix to be a starter at one of them.
“Quinton Schooley is our starting Center. Tony Adams is our starting Guard. Whether Joe Thuney is starting at Left Tackle or Left Guard still remains to be seen. Will Richardson, Tyler Jones and Alex Barr are all a part of that equation.” (PI)