Fake punt no run to glory for Wilson

Freshman linebacker Payton Wilson picked up a first down on a trick play against West Virginia, but he's not ready to make running with the football a habit

Rob Kinnan/USAToday sports

 Payton Wilson had a flashback to his days as a two-way player at Hillsborough’s Orange High School during Saturday’s game at West Virginia.

While running with the football again was fun, the nine yards he gained on a fourth quarter fake punt reminded him why he’s concentrating solely on defense as a redshirt freshman at NC State.

“I could tell I hadn't done it since high school. But it was great, it was fun,” said Wilson, who gained 754 all-purpose yards with nine touchdowns during an injury-shortened final prep season. “It was just like old times. But it's not going to happen much. Not up here.”

Lined up in the middle of a three-man shield in the backfield protecting punter Trenton Gill, Wilson took a short snap and took off running. He found a hole and took off running toward the far sideline.

The 6-foot-4, 235-pound linebacker took a heavy hit, but not before he picked up the first down with plenty of room to spare.

With the Wolfpack trailing 38-27 and facing a fourth-and-four situation from its own 31-yard line with just under 12 minutes remaining, Wilson’s clutch run on the trick play gave his team a brief sliver of hope. But that quickly evaporated after two short runs and an incomplete pass put State back in a punting situation.

Even though Gill went through with the kick this time, Wilson was still proud of his contribution.

"I just went out there and did my best job to get our offense back on the field to do their job,” he said. “It didn't work out the way we wanted to, but it was still great that the coaches put their trust in me to get that first down in a game like that.”

In addition to his exploits running the ball, Wilson played a season-high 36 snaps on defense, making three tackles.

"I feel like I was playing too fast. I was not fitting the right gaps sometimes,”Wilson said. “It was something I had to adjust to and towards the end of the game I feel like I did. But it was too late."