Several former NC State players paid tribute to coach Dick Sheridan, who passed away on Thursday at the age of 81.
>> BUT YOU ARIEL SPORTS STARTS NOW. ONE-THIRD BY EASTER AUTOMOTIVE. >> WHEN SHERIDAN BECAME NC STATE'S HEAD COACH. BEFORE THE 1986 SEASON, THE WOLFPACK HAD NOT MADE A BOWL GAME IN THE PREVIOUS 7 YEARS. SHARING QUICKLY TURN A PROGRAM AROUND WINNING NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR HONORS IN HIS FIRST SEASON SHARED AND PASSED AWAY YESTERDAY AT AGE, 81 AND TODAY WRAL'S JASON JENNINGS CAUGHT UP WITH SOME OF SHARON'S FORMER PACK PLAYERS. >> SHERIDAN ONLY COACH DIDN'T SEE STATE FOR 7 SEASONS. HE STILL TALKED ABOUT AS ONE OF THE BEST COACHES IN THE NC STATE HISTORY. I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALLY REALIZE HOW IMPACTFUL WAS TO THE GAME. >> FROM 1986 TO 1992. HIS TEAMS MADE 6 BOWL GAME IN AN ERA GOALS WERE HARDER TO REACH AND HIS RECORD AGAINST UNC WAS 6 AND WON THE BROADER IMPACT TO UNIVERSITY AND SURROUNDING AREAS IMMEDIATELY. COACH WENT TO THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME AND >> AND HE DID WIN A CHAMPIONSHIP. SHERIDAN ALSO COMMANDED RESPECT. YOU NEVER USE TILE AND WOOD. IT WAS RARE THAT YOU EVER HEAR ACTUAL THE PRACTICE. WE CAN EVEN HAVE MUSTACHE DURING THE SEASON. YOU KNOW, THAT'S UP TO IT. >> NO, NO COACH. WE DO THAT NOW. AND I WAS TALKING TO ROBBIE CALDWELL AND HE SAID THERE WAS A REVEALING SHERIDAN MEN IN THEIR 50'S 60'S AND THEY SAID THEY WERE. HE SAID IT WAS FOCUSING OURS. AND HE SAID BECAUSE SHE HAD WALKED UP, EVERYBODY PUT THE CIGARS OUT, HIT HIM. AND THAT'S JUST HE COMMANDED RESPECT. SHERIDAN WAS SO RESPECTED. HE WAS OFFERED AND TURNED DOWN JOB OFFERS FROM GEORGIA, LSU AND HIS ALMA MATER, SOUTH CAROLINA. >> HE SAW SOMETHING IN US THAT HE THOUGHT HE COULD WIN AT A HIGH LEVEL HERE. SHERIDAN WAS ALSO CLOSE WITH HIS ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, JIM VALVANO. BUT AFTER VALVE DIED IN 1993, SHERIDAN SURPRISINGLY RESIGNED AT NC STATE CITING HEALTH REASONS. IT WAS A HUGE SHOCK TO US. HE NEVER COACHED AGAIN. I THINK JUST BEING AWAY FROM THE GAME FOR 13 YEARS TO REALIZE, YOU KNOW WHAT, MAYBE I DON'T NEED TO GET BACK INTO THAT. I BECAME A COACH. >> I WANT TO BE JUST AS ORDERED JUST AS DOES THE PLAY AND WHAT A CHAMPIONSHIP IF YOU TO STAY THERE FOR A COUPLE MORE YEARS.
