First Look: North Carolina State Wolfpack

Today we continue our “Early Look” series, where we preview each of the Tigers opponents during the upcoming season.

North Carolina State quietly put together a solid 8-4 campaign in the 2020 season, finishing 7-3 in the ACC.

Dave Doeren enters his eighth season season as the North Carolina State head coach, and outside of a couple of seasons, including a 4-8 effort in 2019, the Wolfpack have been respectable under his guidance. And very few people expected them to win eight games last season.

With Mack Brown and North Carolina getting so much attention this summer, the Wolfpack are getting very little love, despite returning a ton of talent, and you can bet Doeren likes it that way.

Last season was Tim Beck’s first year as offensive coordinator. Considering all the injuries NC State dealt with, including starting quarterback Devin Leary being in and out of the lineup, it’s safe to judge his first season as a rousing success.

The Pack finished with a Top-40 passing offense and are expecting that number to improve in year number two. Leary will be back and at 100% after starting just three games in 2019 and he will have some playmakers at receiver to work with.

Emeka Emezie returns for his senior season after catching 47 balls for 738 yards. Thayer Thomas is also back after logging 42 receptions for 529 yards. The two combined to catch 11 touchdown passes. Devin Carter is also back, giving NC State it’s top three wideouts back in 2021.

Running backs Bam Knight and Ricky Person Jr are both back too. Knight led the team with over 800 yards in 2019 and averaged 5.5 YPC. Person finished with over 700 yards, averaging 4.4 YPC. The two combined to give the Pack a very productive 1-2 punch out of the backfield and they did it behind an offensive line that no one would ever confuse with being elite.

The offensive line returns four starters from last season, however, only the left tackle and center spots are locked up, meaning there could be some shuffling. Ikem Ekwonu heads into his third season at left tackle and has developed into a very good football player, particularly in the running game. Veteran Grant Gibson returns at center.

This group has to be better in pass protection, though, after allowing over 2.5 sacks per game last year. The coaching staff is also looking for this group to be a little more physical in the running game. It isn’t an offensive line with a lot of size either.

Where the Pack really needs to see some improvement is on the defensive side of the ball. NC State allowed 29 points per game in 2020. They do get nine starters back so experience should not be to much of a factor.

The linebackers are probably the strength of this unit, with Payton Wilson, who led the ACC in tackles last year, Isaiah Moore and Drake Thomas all returning. All three have size and speed and are capable of causing opposing offenses lots of problems.

State does lose nose tackle Alim McNeil, who was no doubt the anchor of their three-man front. However, Cory Durden transferred in from Florida State and should help ease with his loss. Their best pass rusher, Daniel Joseph is back as is Savion Jackson giving Doeren two very disruptive defensive ends.

The Pack could be really good on the backend. Doeren really likes to employ a 3-3-5 look and they have three really good safeties in Tyler-Baker Williams, Tanner Ingle and Cyrus Fagan, another Florida State transfer.

Shyheim Battle is back at one of the corner spots, and the coaching staff has all the confidence in the world in him. Marshall transfer Derrek Pitts could be the guy on the other side.

It won’t take very long for Doeren to find out exactly what he has in this team. The Pack open up at home against a solid USF team before hitting the road for a week two matchup with Mississippi State.

Two weeks later they host Clemson, then after an out of conference game against Louisiana Tech, will go on the road to face Boston College and Miami in consecutive weeks. There’s also a November game in Tallahassee and they end the regular season in Chapel Hill.

Some think this could very well be Doeren’s best NC State team to date, as well as his deepest. If Leary can stay healthy and play to his potential and they can improve in their run defense, this is a team certainly capable of winning ten games.