N.C. State: Amato wants to build on impressive start

He knows just how fragile that 8-4 season really was and how far he still has to go to get the Wolfpack program where it needs to be.

"We were really fortunate last year," he said. "We trailed in the fourth quarter in six of our eight wins."

Amato, a star linebacker at N.C. State in the late '60s, returned to his alma mater last year after 18 seasons as a top aide to Florida State's Bobby Bowden. He immediately shook up the Wolfpack community by declaring that not a single one of the N.C. State players he inherited could have started at FSU.

Wolfpack at a glance

SportsLine.com rank: 30

2000: 8-4 Overall; 4-4 ACC (5th)

Coach: Chuck Amato -- 8-4 in one season at N.C. State

Returning starters: 15; 7 offense, 7 defense, punter

Players to watch:
QB Philip Rivers, 6-5, 228, So.
TB Ray Robinson, 5-10, 202, Sr.
LB Levar Fisher, 6-1, 229, Sr.
LB Dantonio Burnette, 5-10, 228, Jr.
FS Terrence Holt, 6-2, 194, Jr.

Primary strengths: QB Philip Rivers is the key to triggering N.C. State's explosive passing game. He's coming off the most productive season by any freshman QB in ACC history. LB Levar Fisher returns to anchor what should be a deeper, more experienced defensive unit.

Potential problems: The loss of big-play wide receiver Koren Robinson forces Chuck Amato to find another deep threat. The candidates are all youngsters. There's still a shortage of experienced depth on both sides of the ball.

Overview: Rivers rallied the Wolfpack to four victories on their final possession last season, and Amato is committed to piling up the kind of talent that will provide a more comfortable margin of error. His first real recruiting class was a giant step in that direction, but until those kids prove themselves on the field and Amato adds another strong class or two, the Pack is going to walk the tightrope between success and failure.

As it turned out, Amato underrated some guys. Bowden wouldn't have minded having wide receiver Koren Robinson, the second wide receiver taken in the NFL Draft, or linebacker Levar Fisher, the ACC's defensive player of the year.

And while freshman quarterback Philip Rivers wouldn't have beaten out FSU's Heisman Trophy winner Chris Weinke, he did emerge as the most successful freshman passer in ACC history.

But that trio of exceptional talents doesn't explain what happened in Raleigh last fall. Give Amato credit for instilling an indomitable will in his new team ... a refusal to accept defeat.

"Coach never wants us to put our heads down," Fisher said. "If you put your head down, he's going to get in your face and slap you or something. Our slogan this year was 'finish.' That's what we did all year."

They did it all the way to the Micronpc.com Bowl, which gave them something of an entry into recruiting Florida hard.

The results of Amato's first foray into the Miami area were encouraging. His new recruiting class sparkles with Floridian gems - running back Tramain Hall, wide receivers Sterling Hicks, Chris Murray and Fred Spann, cornerbacks Greg Golden and Andre Maddox, quarterback Jay Davis, safety Marcus Hudson and linebacker Pat Thomas.

"In our wildest dreams, we didn't think we'd get that many down there," Amato said. "This is the base."

Amato understands that it will take two or three more classes like that one to get his program to the talent level needed to make a title run. Until then, depth will continue to be a concern -- as was painfully evident in the spring.

"All I can say is thank goodness for walk-ons," Amato said after the spring game. "I'll bet you that 60 percent of our second string were walk-ons. Depth is going to be a problem."

The biggest needs are on the defensive front, where Amato has three junior college prospects ready to go, and at wide receiver, where he must replace the gifted Robinson, plus steady senior Erik Leak.

Rivers, who has come back stronger and even more poised after throwing for 3,054 yards and 25 touchdowns as a freshman, still has proven targets in tight end Willie Wright (31 catches for 401 yards) and tailback Ray Robinson (788 yards rushing; 41 catches for 366 yards receiving). He has a solid offensive line that should be bolstered by the return of veterans Scott Kooistra and Keegan Weir, who both missed last season with injuries.

But Bryan Peterson is the only wide receiver back with any real experience. At least a couple of those heralded recruits will have to play right away -- and at least one of them needs to provide the deep threat lost when Robinson turned pro.

N.C. State will need to score a lot of points to offset a defense that might not be a lot better than the one that gave up an average of 28 points a game last season.

The return of Fisher does provide a solid anchor. He'll get strong support from veteran Dantonio Burnette and Brian Jamison, who was switched to linebacker after playing out of position at defensive end for two seasons.

N.C. State's biggest problem last season was a defensive front that was physically overmatched at times. Amato can only hope that another year of work in the weight room will transform last year's weaklings into bullies. He also hopes that three junior college recruits can make an immediate impact up front.

The inexperienced secondary also was a problem area last year. Even standout cornerback Brian Williams was learning a new position after switching from safety. Now Williams and holdovers Terrence Holt, James Walker and J.J. Washington bring a bit of stability to N.C. State's defensive backfield.

But Amato might have to use a freshman to replace Adrian Wilson, and all his backups will be newcomers.

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