With Ricky Person Jr. healthy, the Wolfpack’s backfield is talented, and very deep
In an 8-part series, the News & Observer and Herald Sun will be examining NC State’s football depth chart position by position as the season opener on Sept. 2 at Carter-Finley Stadium draws near.
Ricky Person did something in 2020 he hadn’t done since arriving at N.C. State: For the first time in his career, Person played in every single game.
That’s no small accomplishment for a guy who was bitten by the injury bug throughout his first two seasons. At one point, he even questioned if football was in his future.
Coming out of Heritage High School in 2018, Person was one of the top recruits in the class, an Army All-American and the No. 3 running back in the nation. The Wolfpack expected big things from Person the day he stepped on campus.
But he missed four games with various injuries in 2018, and another four in 2019. He had shown flashes and potential, but couldn’t stay on the field. He changed that in 2020, starting all 12 games and finishing second on the team in rushing. According to Person, the 2020 campaign was just a small dose.
“This is the best I’ve felt,” Person said. “Fastest I’ve ever felt. My body has changed tremendously. It’s been a great camp.”
That should bring joy to the ears of N.C. State fans.
Zonovan Knight had a breakout sophomore campaign, and is expected to be the starter against South Florida on Sept. 2. Last season, Knight led the team with 788 rushing yards and is a preseason All-ACC selection.
Person looks to continue to be the perfect compliment to Knight, providing one of the best one-two punch duos in the ACC. Neither player minds splitting touches, knowing in the long run it’s the best thing for the team, and their bodies.
“You look at these other universities that use one back and he’ll get 30 carries a game,” Knight explained. “Think about when they get to the next level, they are going to be tired, burnt out. They may not have that many years left, versus me and Ricky, we are splitting it, getting 10-12 carries a game, throwing Jordan (Houston) in there, everybody will have fresh legs, which I think gives us an advantage.”
That benefits Person more than anyone else. As a freshman he was still battling a wrist injury suffered in high school. The other person ahead of him on the depth chart was Reggie Gallaspy, so Person had to play. He missed two games in the first three weeks of his freshman season, and could never get on track. Person rushed for a career-high 108 yards against Virginia in week four of his freshman year and was out two games later with another injury. He hasn’t rushed for 100 yards since.
In 2020 he was in for a career-high 400 plays, with highs in carries (141), yards (669) and touchdowns (4). While the COVID shutdown was a nuisance to some, it was a blessing in disguise for Person.
“The COVID (shutdown) actually helped me,” Person said. “It allowed my body to bounce back, get the treatment that I needed to get. In the weight room each day with Coach Thunder (Dantonio Burnette) and you just start stacking those days on top of good days and then you start seeing what happened last year.”
Person was so good last season he even threw a touchdown pass in a game, a two-yard jump pass to Devin Carter in the opener. Person won’t be pushing Devin Leary for his job anytime soon, instead staying in the mix of a deep running backs room.
Aside from Person, Knight and Houston, Delbert Mimms III should see his role expand. Mimms got most of the reps in the spring since Person and Knight were out, and Person is big on freshman Demie Sumo out of Willingboro, N.J.
“He’s just talented,” Person said. “He’s really gifted. He’s starting to pick up on the system. He’ll catch the ball out of the backfield, he’ll put his nose in the fire when it’s time for him to block, he’s an all around good player.”
Projected NC State running back depth chart
STARTER | HEIGHT | WEIGHT |
Zonovan Knight (SO) | 5-11 | 210 |
RESERVES | ||
Ricky Person Jr. (JR) | 6-1 | 222 |
Jordan Houston (SO) | 5-10 | 190 |
Delbert Mimms III (RFR) | 5-11 | 220 |
Previous NC State preview installments
Defensive line
Linebackers
Defensive backs
Wide receivers
Special teams
Other Triangle ACC previews
Running back
Defensive line
Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
Wide receivers
This story was originally published August 29, 2021 at 5:20 AM with the headline "With Ricky Person Jr. healthy, the Wolfpack’s backfield is talented, and very deep."
