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RELEASE: Bill Cowher to be Inducted Into the NC State Ring of Honor

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9 months ago

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RALEIGH, NC — NFL legend Bill Cowher, the only former NC State player in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, will be the newest member of Wolfpack Football’s Ring of Honor, Director of Athletics Boo Corrigan and head coach Dave Doeren announced today.

Cowher will be honored in ceremonies prior to the Louisville game on Friday, Sept. 29.

“Bill Cowher has left an indelible mark on the game of football and is certainly beloved by Wolfpack Nation,” said Director of Athletics Boo Corrigan. “It is an absolute privilege to recognize his remarkable contributions and celebrate his outstanding career.”

“Throughout his career, Bill Cowher has epitomized what Wolfpack football is all about,” said head coach Dave Doeren. “He is a true mentor, leader, and icon in the coaching profession, and we are so proud to be able to honor him in Carter-Finley Stadium alongside other NC State legends.”

The Crafton, Pa., native starred at linebacker for the Wolfpack from 1975-78 under head coaches Lou Holtz and Bo Rein. He still ranks seventh in school history in career tackles (371), while his 195 stops in 1978 still stands as a single-season record. He recorded two 24-tackle games (against South Carolina in 1977 and Clemson in 1978), tallies that still rank second in the record books.

Cowher played five seasons in the NFL (1980-84) for the Philadelphia Eagles and the Cleveland Browns. At the age of 28, he began his coaching career under Marty Schottenheimer with the Browns, serving as special teams coach (1985-86) and secondary coach (1987-88) before following Schottenheimer to the Kansas City Chiefs, where he took on the role of defensive coordinator.

In January 1992, he was named head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. He would serve in that role for 15 seasons, becoming the second coach in league history to lead his team to the playoffs in each of his first six seasons as head coach. Cowher boasted a regular season record of 149-90-1 (.623) and a postseason record of 12-9 (.571) for an overall record of 161-99-1 (.619). He was named NFL Coach of the Year twice (1992 by Associated Press and Sporting News; 2004 by Sporting News).

During his tenure, the Steelers captured eight division titles, earned 10 postseason playoff berths, played in 21 playoff games, advanced to six AFC Championship games, and made two Super Bowl appearances. In 1995, the 38-year-old became the youngest coach in NFL history to lead his team to the Super Bowl, and he is one of only six coaches in NFL history to claim at least seven division titles.

On February 5, 2006, Cowher led the Steelers to victory in Super Bowl XL.

In January of 2007, he resigned as head coach of the Steelers, finishing with a record of 161–99–1 as head coach. That same year, he began as a CBS NFL Today studio analyst. He was on set in 2020 when he learned he had been selected for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

“What a tremendous honor it is to be inducted to the Ring Of Honor in Carter-Finley Stadium,” said Cowher. “It is a legendary list of past honorees. I came to NC State as a boy from Crafton, PA, and left four years later a man. Thanks to the tutelage and guidance of so many – Lou Holtz, Bo Rein, & Chuck Amato, to name a few. This is a very SPECIAL recognition. Go Pack!”

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Papajohn
Papajohn
8 months ago

Long overdue

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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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5 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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NC State Football

NC State Ranks 8th in Players Selected in the NFL Draft in the ACC in the Last 10 Years

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4 days ago

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April 29, 2024

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The 2024 NFL Draft has come and gone, and NC State had two players drafted: Linebacker Payton Wilson in the 3rd round, and Center Dylan McMahon in the 6th round.

Over the past 10 years, NC State has produced 25 NFL Draft picks, and 3 1st round picks. The 25 Draft Picks ranks 8th in the ACC, and the 3 1st Round picks is tied for 7th.

NC State produced 18 NFL Draft Picks in the first 5 Draft’s of Dave Doeren’s tenure. Only 8 Wolfpack players have been selected in the past 5 NFL Drafts.

Players selected in the NFL Draft under Dave Doeren:

2024

Payton Wilson, LB – Pittsburgh – 3rd – 98th
Dylan McMahon, C – Philadelphia – 6th – 190th

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