Pack notes: Wilson in 'game mode'

At the beginning of preseason practice, N.C. State coach Tom O'Brien said quarterback Russell Wilson was a bit rusty after coming back from playing baseball for the Wolfpack in the spring and the Colorado Rockies organization in the summer.

But Wilson said today that he is in 'game mode' and in rhythm now.

"I feel great," he said during his weekly conference with reporters. "I’m working with the receivers, tight ends and running backs, and trying to continue the rhythm and continue the flow of the football game, and keep working hard and getting better every day."

Meanwhile, O'Brien alluded for the second time in two days to unspecified personnel moves that coaches are evaluating in practice. He said he won't decide until Sunday on a starting lineup for the Sept. 4 opener with Western Carolina.

"We haven’t made any decisions anywhere," he said. "We kind of changed things around and moved a couple guys around, and we still have until Sunday until we have to make any decisions. So no sense making them Wednesday if you don’t have to make them until Sunday."

O'Brien said Justin Byers, who has played safety and cornerback for the Wolfpack the last two seasons, has responded well to settling in at cornerback full time. For the past two seasons, O'Brien said, Byers has played with a shoulder injury.

"It was one of those things he could play with," O'Brien said. "It wasn’t as bad his first year. It got progressively worse last year. He had to have surgery. He got it in the offseason. Now he’s back to 100 percent and he’s back to playing his position. So I think he’s much more comfortable there. It’s a position where I think we needed him now, and he’s doing a good job for us."

T.J. Graham, meanwhile, who has made most of his biggest plays as a kick returner, is making strides at wide receiver according to O'Brien.

"He’s much more comfortable now as a wide receiver," Graham said. "He’s making many more plays. Maybe he came in more as a track guy than a football player. But now he’s a football player, and you can see it in all phases of his game."

Ken Tysiac