'Cause Richard Washington is SICK! :eek: :eek:

He seriously looks like the next KRob.

The following is a somewhat related article. It is more about all of the receivers. It speaks volumes to have Jericho fighting for the passes.

Did you go on Sunday?
GoPACK.com article

Quote:

NC State Receivers Pack Big Play Punch
A deep, speedy group of receivers will be tough for defenses to deal with.

Aug. 7, 2003

By Tony Haynes

Raleigh, N.C.-The question was directed to NC State's Jerricho Cotchery, a first-team All-ACC receiver last season. Just how competitive will it be at the wide receiver spots during training camp? Quite familiar with all the talent and depth the Wolfpack possesses in its pass catching ranks, the senior from Alabama could only shake his head and roll his eyes. He was, for a moment, nearly speechless. But without even saying a word, Cotchery had answered the question. When it takes the field against Western Carolina on August 30, NC State will unleash what will likely be one of the most explosive offenses in college football.

Generally a man of few words, Cotchery was finally able to put it into perspective.

"It's going to be wild out there," he said. "We have a ton of playmakers. If anyone slips, they'll fall way down the depth chart. You can't take a day off, and that includes me. The way I take it everyday is that I don't have a position locked up. The battles are going to be wild out there."

Let's see here...Jerricho Cotchery, an all-conference wide receiver who had the second most productive season in school history with 67 catches for 1,192 receiving yards is worried about holding down a starting spot? What is this, the NFL?

Well, not quite, but NC State's array of weapons should be impressive. Just ask the Wolfpack defensive backs, who didn't appear to be enjoying themselves when asked to go head-to-head with the wideouts during a passing drill in Tuesday's first practice.

Richard Washington got open deep on a post-corner route. A few plays later, there was Tramain Hall scooting past another defender who will remain anonymous.

Have we even mentioned Sterling Hicks, Andy Bertrand and LaMart Barrett? And how about Brian Clark, who was listed as one of the Pack's most improved players during the spring.

So deep is NC State's receiving corps that Chris Murray, once described as the next Michael Irvin by some college recruiters, has been moved to free safety. Dovonte Edwards wasn't a bad receiver either, was he? He's now a cornerback.

"The depth we have now won't allow anyone to slack off," Cotchery said. "Everyone was busting their behinds in the weight room and in conditioning this summer."

Without the supervision of coaches, the quarterbacks and receivers did a lot of throwing and catching on their own over the summer, sometimes going against the linebackers and defensive backs in 7-on-7 drills. The extra work certainly showed during the first few days of practice as the timing between quarterback Philip Rivers and his talented pass catchers was surprisingly crisp.

"We've been going three days a week since we finished spring ball," said Rivers. "We've gotten in a lot of quality work. You can't work on everything, but the stuff we were doing gives you a little bit of an edge when you get into camp."

Of course, what quarterback wouldn't want to throw as much as possible to the stall of receivers NC State will put on the field this fall?

During a three-game slide last season, the Wolfpack often had a difficult time punishing the aggressive blitz schemes it encountered against Georgia Tech, Maryland and Virginia. This year, however, teams that choose to employ similar strategies will be walking across a shaky tightrope. Imagine trying to go man-up across the field against players like Cotchery, Washington and Hall with Rivers pulling the trigger.

This is an offense that will be packing some big play punch.