Coult Culler makes transition from Laney LB to NC State DT

RALEIGH, NC (WWAY) — Coult Culler hasn’t played in a football game since 2013. That’s about to change when the former Laney Buccaneer linebacker will play for NC State this weekend in the 2015 season opener in Raleigh against Troy. “What do I remember the most from my playing days at Laney? Definitely just running around and making tackles,” Culler told WWAY recently. “There was just no worry in the world, going to school and playing football.” Making tackles is no understatement. Over his last two seasons at Laney High School Coult Culler made 274 tackles. That’s just one of the reasons he was named the Mideastern Conference player of the year his senior senior at Laney

Culler signed with NC State just over a year and half ago, but he hasn’t played in a game since high school because he ended up redshirting his freshman season with the Wolfpack. Redshirting was not something Culler expected to do, but he did. “It was difficult sitting out, going from high school and middle school and never really missing a game. It was difficult, but I think it was a great learning experience in order to get used to the program and everything that goes on and how college football actually works. It was a wonderful learning process, but it was hard at times sitting there watching wishing I were on the field.”

Coult Culler spent his freshman redshirt season as a linebacker for NC State, but he hard a hard time keeping his weight down, so head coach Dave Doeren moved him to defensive tackle a few months ago. “It was just apparent by our bowl practices that he wasn’t moving like a linebacker anymore. I think he was trying to keep his weight down a little bit to stay there. We said let’s just let nature run its course. He’s a big guy. His dad was a big guy. He was excited about it and bought in right away. He told me when I recruited him that I would play anything you wanted me to play. I appreciated that about him. He said you’re my coach and I’m your player, what do you need? In the spring he was thinking a lot I think, but you can see now that he’s being aggressive and physical and he’s got a smile on his face. It’s fun to watch him.”

With the position change Culler’s role on defense is a bit different than what he was used to in the past. “I play defensive tackle now, so it’s all about stopping the run and getting to the quarterback as fast as I can,” Culler said. “When I was a linebacker I could see the whole field and I could see what the quarterback was doing and what the running back was doing. Now I can only see a few feet in front of me so I have to do the right things and make the play and everything like that.”

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• Coult Culler’s weight at Laney (junior year – approximately 220 pounds)
• Coult Culler’s weight at Laney (senior year – approximately 240 pounds)
• Coult Culler’s weight at NC State (redshirt freshman – 282 pounds)