Wolfpack Starts Practice With Renewed Confidence and New Uniforms

The team's season starts early this year with a Kickoff Classic game August 28 against the University of Texas.

"We've been invited to play in one of the Kickoff Classics August 28 against Texas so that will give us 12 games instead of the normal 11," Head Coach Mike O'Cain says. "And hopefully we'll have one at the end of the season as well, so hopefully we'll play 13 games this year."

O'Cain says the team gained confidence last year and is looking forward to this season's games.

"To say we're going to beatFlorida State, that's a tough chore. But our players are excited about playing them. Beating them last year gave us a lot of confidence. Now we just have to go down there and play very hard," says O'Cain.

The team is also anticipating a rematch withCarolina.

"It was a great atmosphere last year when we went to Charlotte and played the Tar Heels and this year we play them on a Thursday night on national television, ESPN, I think it's November 11. It ought to be a great game down there and a lot of excitement. It's a great venue for college football," O'Cain says.

The Wolfpack head coach says fans are in for a bit of a change this year.

"We're going to change uniforms a little bit. We've been wearing a white helmet for the past 13 years and we're going to change to a red helmet with a white diamond on them. And we're going to change our pants. Instead of wearing white and red pants we're going to wear silver pants. I think it's going to look good. I believe our fans are going to enjoy them, particularly if we win."

The team's first home game is September 4 against South Carolina.