[quote]Posted on Sat, Aug. 09, 2003
Rivers says Wolfpack have what they need
By Brian Murphy
Telegraph Staff Writer
He has the Heisman candidacy, the Web site and the records.
Now Philip Rivers wants a championship.
"You've got to have goals to be a college football player and you've got to set them high," said Rivers, N.C. State's senior quarterback. "I think we can win it all this season, every single game."
Rivers, the starter since setting foot on campus four years ago, is on pace to shatter every Wolfpack passing record. Currently ranked in the school's top five in passing yards, total touchdowns, touchdown passes, pass attempts, pass completions and 300-yard passing games, Rivers has become a top contender for this year's Heisman Trophy.
N.C. State, which has never had a Heisman winner in its history, has launched philiprivers.com to promote its quarterback. Rivers already has one high profile supporter.
"He would get my vote for the Heisman Trophy if we had to vote right today," Florida State coach Bobby Bowden said last month. "The best thing about him is his brain, his understanding of the game. The second is his quick release. Third, he is a big, strong boy."
The coaching staff will let the 6-foot-5, 236-pound Rivers, a married father of one, call many of his own plays at the line of scrimmage this season.
"The way he directs a team," Bowden said, "(Head coach) Chuck (Amato) is going to have to pay him an assistant coach's salary."
Rivers, with 8,993 passing yards, is just 846 yards shy of Chris Weinke's Atlantic Coast Conference record. Rivers could be even more productive this season, with wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery (67 receptions, 1,192 yards last year) and running back T.A. McClendon (ACC Rookie of the Year) returning.
"We're going to have as many weapons we've had since I've been here," Rivers said.
Under coach Chuck Amato, who arrived in Raleigh the same time as Rivers, the expectation level at N.C. State has steadily risen. The Wolfpack was 9-0 and ranked No. 10 last season, before dropping three consecutive conference games. N.C. State rebounded by defeating Florida State and Notre Dame to end the season.
Those victories, along with the return of Rivers, Cotchery and McClendon, have those around the program believing this could be the season the Wolfpack takes the next step and claims its first ACC title since 1979. Others are dreaming bigger, though N.C. State travels to defending national champion Ohio State on Sept. 13.
"Our goals are set so high. We want to be a championship team. We want to win the conference," Rivers said. "The expectations are high because of where we want to go."
Where Rivers wants to go has nothing to do with accepting a bronze statue in New York in December. It has more to do with collecting a crystal football in early January.
"He would say, 'You can have them all (the records). I'll throw for 500 yards
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I just cut & paste straight directly from the Macon Telegraph website at 
