N.C. State shocker: Haynes to start at RB

Dean Haynes, who began training camp as a starter at cornerback, has earned the starting running back job for N.C. State's opener at 6 p.m. Saturday against Western Carolina, according to a depth chart released this afternoon.

Haynes, a redshirt freshman, moved to running back about two weeks ago, according to team spokeswoman Annabelle Myers. Coach Tom O'Brien referred on a couple occasions last week to personnel moves the staff had made on a tentative basis, but didn't specifically list them.

Apparently Haynes' was the most significant move. He will be backed up by freshman Mustafa Greene.

Junior Curtis Underwood and sophomore James Washington, who began the preseason as the starter and backup, respectively, at running back, are not on the two-deep depth chart.

Although Haynes has played defense at N.C. State, he rushed for 878 yards and 18 touchdowns as a senior at Northwest Whitfield County High in Georgia in 2008.

Elsewhere on the depth chart, Jeff Rieskamp has moved in front of Michael Lemon at defensive end after having a strong camp following a return from a sports hernia that caused Rieskamp to miss the entire 2009 season.

Natanu Mageo and Brian Slay are listed as starters at defensive tackle, backed up by J.R. Sweezy and Markus Kuhn. Terrell Manning is starting at outside linebacker ahead of Dwayne Maddox, and Justin Byers will start at boundary cornerback - which was the position Haynes filled at the beginning of the preseason.

O'Brien was not immediately available for comment on the depth chart.

Ken Tysiac