Trinity’s Lindsay steps up at N.C. State
By Sammy Batten FAYETTEVILLE OBSERVER
Staff writer
RALEIGH — N.C. State coach Dave Doeren heaped some high praise on the team’s freshmen offensive linemen Sunday during the team’s annual preseason “Meet The Pack” day at Carter-Finley Stadium.
“It’s probably as good of a freshman offensive line group as I’ve been a part of,” Doeren said of the four-player group that also features Trinity Christian School graduate Zovon Lindsay.
Lindsay was a two-way star at Trinity Christian, but has become a full-time offensive tackle since joining the Wolfpack last January. He was chosen to the Best of 910Preps squad as an offensive lineman as a senior at Trinity when he made 18 pancake blocks for the 9-1 Crusaders.
The 6-foot-4, 291-pounder has been working at left and right tackle during preseason practice at N.C. State.
“Things are going pretty good,” Lindsay said Sunday. “I’m still getting used to college football. On the field, I’m adjusting to the speed of the game. It’s way different than high school. Every person you go against is good.
“Off the field, I’ve been adjusting to college classes and the schedule. You’re usually full until 8 o’clock at night. But it’s been a pretty good transition for me. A lot of my teammates have helped me with it.”
Doeren said Lindsay is already a much different player than when he reported last January. After graduating in December from Trinity, he enrolled for the second semester at N.C. State and had the chance to participate in spring practice with the Wolfpack.
“He was very raw, which we expected being a multi-sport guy from a really small school,” Doeren said. “So the weight room was a shock. He came into fall camp in a much better place than he did going into spring football. He sprained his ankle, which he’s dealing with right now. But I really look at how much he’s improved in the short time he’s been here.”
N.C. State returns one starter at offensive tackle in junior Justin Witt and two others who saw action at the positions in 2018 — grad students Tyrone Riley and Emanuel McGirt. Continued strong play during preseason practice could land Lindsay on the two-deep depth chart at tackle for the Aug. 31 season opener
against in-state rival East Carolina.
Lindsay isn’t dwelling on his position on the depth chart right now. He simply wants to keep improving each day.
“We’ll just see where it goes,” he said. “I’m going to keep working. If the coach decides to redshirt me or play me this season, I’ll just keep doing what I have to do to keep getting better.”
Staff writer Sammy Batten can be reached at sbatten@fayobserver.
com or 910-486-3534.
By Sammy Batten FAYETTEVILLE OBSERVER
Staff writer
RALEIGH — N.C. State coach Dave Doeren heaped some high praise on the team’s freshmen offensive linemen Sunday during the team’s annual preseason “Meet The Pack” day at Carter-Finley Stadium.
“It’s probably as good of a freshman offensive line group as I’ve been a part of,” Doeren said of the four-player group that also features Trinity Christian School graduate Zovon Lindsay.
Lindsay was a two-way star at Trinity Christian, but has become a full-time offensive tackle since joining the Wolfpack last January. He was chosen to the Best of 910Preps squad as an offensive lineman as a senior at Trinity when he made 18 pancake blocks for the 9-1 Crusaders.
The 6-foot-4, 291-pounder has been working at left and right tackle during preseason practice at N.C. State.
“Things are going pretty good,” Lindsay said Sunday. “I’m still getting used to college football. On the field, I’m adjusting to the speed of the game. It’s way different than high school. Every person you go against is good.
“Off the field, I’ve been adjusting to college classes and the schedule. You’re usually full until 8 o’clock at night. But it’s been a pretty good transition for me. A lot of my teammates have helped me with it.”
Doeren said Lindsay is already a much different player than when he reported last January. After graduating in December from Trinity, he enrolled for the second semester at N.C. State and had the chance to participate in spring practice with the Wolfpack.
“He was very raw, which we expected being a multi-sport guy from a really small school,” Doeren said. “So the weight room was a shock. He came into fall camp in a much better place than he did going into spring football. He sprained his ankle, which he’s dealing with right now. But I really look at how much he’s improved in the short time he’s been here.”
N.C. State returns one starter at offensive tackle in junior Justin Witt and two others who saw action at the positions in 2018 — grad students Tyrone Riley and Emanuel McGirt. Continued strong play during preseason practice could land Lindsay on the two-deep depth chart at tackle for the Aug. 31 season opener
against in-state rival East Carolina.
Lindsay isn’t dwelling on his position on the depth chart right now. He simply wants to keep improving each day.
“We’ll just see where it goes,” he said. “I’m going to keep working. If the coach decides to redshirt me or play me this season, I’ll just keep doing what I have to do to keep getting better.”
Staff writer Sammy Batten can be reached at sbatten@fayobserver.
com or 910-486-3534.
