Assessing the Key Specialists at NC State Before the Summer
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RALEIGH — Rebuilds occurred all over the country for power conference football programs, with the transfer portal ravaging many rosters. NC State lost a significant number of starters to the portal and exhausted eligibility, forcing the staff to completely rebuild certain position rooms and make sweeping changes up and down the roster to help the returners have a shot at competing in 2026.
While the Wolfpack offense and defense each retained some key pieces, many new players joined up to get one last shot in the ACC in Raleigh. However, for veteran head coach Dave Doeren, special teams can often make or break a season. The program lost some of its best specialists from the 2025 campaign, so there's a somewhat new cast of characters in that part of the roster. Who are they?
Projected Specialist Depth Chart
The following is a projected depth chart for key specialist positions at NC State based on transfer acquisitions, spring camp rumors and general roster avaliability.
Position | Name | Year |
|---|---|---|
PT | Jackson Waller | R-So. |
PK | Kanoah Vinesett | R-Sr. |
OR | Nick Konieczynski | R-So. |
PR/KR | Victor Snow | R-Sr. |
Key storylines for the specialist group
NC State had some adventures in the kicking game during the 2025 season. After he supposedly had a tremendous fall camp in the buildup to the first game, Nick Konieczynski was named as the starting placekicker over veteran Kanoah Vinesett. Konieczynski went 1-for-3 in the season opener against East Carolina, missing every kick from beyond 40 yards. Leaving points on the board frustrated
Vinesett took over the role in the second week and never relinquished it, making 83.3% of his field goal attempts and 98% of his extra point kicks, with the lone miss coming in the loss to Duke. There's no reason for NC State to shake things up unless Konieczynski thrives in camp again and proves he can handle the pressure of kicking in games. If not, expect Vinesett to remain in control of the role and the Pack to avoid kicking field goals unless absolutely necessary.
Former Arkansas State punter Jackson Waller is joining the Wolfpack. He announced his commitment to NC State on Instagram Tuesday night. @WolfpackOnSI pic.twitter.com/18a6WtVOds
— Tucker Sennett (@SennettTucker) January 7, 2026
The Pack replaced standout punter Caden Noonkester by dipping into the transfer portal to sign Arkansas State transfer Jackson Waller. With the Red Wolves, Waller averaged 41.3 yards per kick on 59 punts during the 2025 season. He pinned opponents inside the 20-yard line on 19 occasions in Arkansas State's 7-6 run through the Sun Belt.
Buffalo transfer and All-MAC wideout and specialist Victor Snow is the most likely candidate for duties as a return man. Punt returns were problematic in 2025 until Terrell Anderson took over the role. Now the Wolfpack has Snow, an elite returner who returned 20 punts for 213 yards and a score with the Bulls in 2025.
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Tucker Sennett graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Sports Journalism from the esteemed Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. A former basketball player, he has gained valuable experience working at Cronkite News and brings a deep passion for sports and reporting to his role as the NC State Wolfpack Beat Writer On SI.
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