LB Irving eager for 2009 with Pack

After the Papajohns.com Bowl, linebacker Nate Irving said he would consider leaving N.C. State early for the NFL draft.

Although Irving never formally announced he’d decided to return for his junior season, last week’s early-entry deadline passed without him declaring for the draft.
Here is what Irving said Thursday about his decision:

Q: Why didn’t you put your name in, and what are your thoughts about the upcoming season?
A: After talking some things over with my coach and my parents, I didn’t think I was ready yet to take on what the NFL was giving. I thought another year in college could benefit me more than leaving early. I’m looking forward to the upcoming season. I think we were on track last season. We’ve turned it around, and I think we’re going to do big things this year.

Q: This particular draft has a lot of linebackers in it. Did that have anything to do with it?
A: That didn’t have anything to do with it. I thought the best players would get picked, and I think that me staying would help me get better. Since I wasn’t ready, I would have fallen back behind all the other great linebackers in the draft now.

Q: Are you looking forward to being able to spend a whole year hopefully healthy (after missing three games with an ankle injury)?
A: I am. I want to be able to prove to my teammates and my coaches and everybody else that I’m not an injury-plagued person. I know last year there were question marks about how durable I was and injuries. I just want to be able to can put a complete season together and let them know that I can take it. – Ken Tysiac