Wolfpack Enter ‘Red Reckoning’ Season Under Coach Wade

What is the Red Reckoning?

Wade brought a reputation as a fiery coach on and off the court with him to Raleigh. His spirit proved to be infectious throughout the offseason, with fans in a frenzy over every statement and public appearance he made. The coach described the team's tagline, the 'Red Reckoning,' the only way he knows how: passionately.

• "This is about everybody being in it together and I think when all of us are in it together, NC State is a force multiplier," Wade said. "When I mean in it together, it starts with our administration. They're all in. They want to win. Then it goes to our players and our staff. We're all in. We want to win. Then it goes to our fans. They're all in. They've been all in."

The repetition of the phrase 'all in' echoed athletic director Boo Corrigan, who used that phrase when discussing the athletic department's financial commitment to its coaches in regards to the changing revenue-sharing rules implemented by the NCAA.

While football reigns supreme in terms of revenue in the world of collegiate athletics, it's clear that NC State recognizes the moment it's in. The school knows there is no better time to capitalize on the fiery personality of its men's basketball coach and the marketing has reflected that.

Creating an Identity

The symbiotic relationship between Wade and the administration backing him has allowed the coach to develop an identity for his team before it even takes the court.

• "We're NC State. We're red. Blood is red, not blue. So, red and then it's going to be a reckoning for the ACC and for college basketball," Wade said. "You're going to have to deal with us. You hadn't had to deal with us because we hadn't always been on the same page... This isn't the Will Wade Wolfpack. It's not the Boo Corrigan Wolfpack ... This is all of us together. This is NC State."

Wade's double entendre directed at the two primary rivals in the Triangle, Duke and North Carolina, certainly is a bold decision. Wade wouldn't do so unless he was confident in his roster. Confidence might be an understatement when describing how the coach feels about the team heading into the preseason.

• "It's coming and people are going to have to deal with us and people are going to have to deal with us a lot sooner than they think because our team is a little bit better than I thought," Wade said. "We've got a damn good team... They're going to see when we're all aligned, when we're all as one and we're all moving in the same direction, you better get the hell out of the way."

Wade filled the roster with carefully selected players who fit the mentality he wanted the team to bring each game. The staff looked for players who overcame adversity either on or off the court in an effort to ensure their team is more prepared for the competitive world of college basketball.

• "I feel that our guys have all seen the adversity. There's a respect, a care and a togetherness that sometimes takes some time," Wade said. "I told our guys ... 'We can have a special season.'"

Whether NC State will be the disruptor Wade thinks it can be in the ACC and even just in the state of North Carolina remains to be seen. However, it's clear there is a palpable energy within the program and the university and the Wolfpack has been reborn in Wade's image.