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NC State Newsstand: Trent Pennix makes prestigious award watchlist

On3 imageby:Ethan McDowell•08/07/23•

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NC State tight end Trent Pennix (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

Fall camp is officially underway for NC State football, and there will be no shortage of news between now and the Wolfpack’s season opener. Our daily ‘Newsstands’ will be a way for our readers to catch up on what they missed from the day before. 

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TheWolfpacker.com’s Monday Morning Newsstand

Trent Pennix chose to return to NC State for his sixth season of eligibility, and the tight end is now preparing for a potential breakout year. He received some preseason recognition in the process.

The John Mackey Award included Pennix on its 2023 watchlist. Each year, the honor is given out to the best tight end in college football.

Over the past 5 seasons, Pennix caught 40 passes for 522 yards and 8 touchdowns and also recored 173 rushing yards. The graduate student from Raleigh stands 6-3, 235 pounds, and some of his teammates consider him one of the most athletic players on the roster.

Going into this season, he is optimistic about his role in offensive coordinator Robert Anae’s new offense.

“It’s just so much simpler in the way that we can move so much faster and not really think as much compared to [former offensive coordinator Tim Beck’s] offense,” Pennix said. “No offense to Beck’s offense, it was helpful as well, but I feel like, with Anae’s offense, he really utilizes all his players’ ability.

“He could probably have me in motioning back in the backfield probably taking a snap, for all I know. He’s so creative with his schemes. It’s just unbelievable what he can do.”

Anae coached the first-team All-ACC tight end in each of the past two seasons at Syracuse and UVA. Georgia tight end Brock Bowers won the Mackey Award last season.

Tweets of the day

The Pack picked up a commitment from elite in-state wide receiver Jonathan Paylor last week.

Priority three-star defensive lineman Josh Alexander-Felton committed to the Wolfpack last week as well.

Checked out this mic’d up segment with Wolfpack cornerbacks coach Brian Mitchell at practice last week.

Wolfpack offensive lineman Dylan McMahon made the Rimington Award watchlist— an honor given to the top center in college football each year.

NC State quote of the day

This quote is from Paylor discussing how Dave Doeren’s frequent visits to his high school helped during his decision-making process.

“He’s the only coach that came to my school more than like three times,” Paylor said. “That’s a big deal for your head coach to be on campus.”

Today’s top NC State headlines

Jonathan Paylor: ‘I will be playing college football at NC State’

Josh Alexander-Felton commitment to NC State analysis

3 thoughts on NC State’s recent run of commitments

The Wolfpacker Show: Reaction to big day for NC State football recruiting

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