Hawthorne, Washington to start for N.C. State

Freshman walk-on Chris Hawthorne will start at place-kicker and James Washington will start at running back for N.C. State in today's home game against Wake Forest, which begins at 2 p.m.

Hawthorne, a former Raleigh Leesville Road High player, replaces senior Josh Czajkowski, who suffered a hamstring injury last week at Clemson that will keep him out the rest of the regular season. Hawthorne beat out former Hofstra kicker Ellis Flint in a weeklong competition this week for Czajkowski's spot.

Washington is one of three running backs who have been in N.C. State's rotation, along with Mustafa Greene and Dean Haynes. Haynes suffered a head injury Oct. 28 against Florida State. He didn't play against Clemson, although he had been medically cleared for that game and is cleared for today's game, too.

Ken Tysiac