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NC State Football

Scouting the Competition: Syracuse

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11 years ago

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NC State will play it’s first ever ACC game against Syracuse this Saturday and will be in search of their first ACC victory. So what can Doeren and his guys expect?

Well, the Orange probably still have a bad taste in their mouth after their ACC opener with Clemson. They were slammed 49-14, but it’s not like they weren’t expecting the added competition.

“It’s what we signed up for,” Syracuse head coach Scott Shafer said Tuesday. “We played a really good football team. Everybody knows that. There are always positives, even in a tough loss against a good team like Clemson.”

Now they set their sights on a game that is a lot more winnable in their minds, a matchup with the Pack. State is coming off a bad loss to Wake Forest and needs this win to right the ship, however it’s not going to be an easy task by any means. The Orange ground game we pretty impressive against the Tigers as they reeled off 323 yards and 2 touchdowns. The good news for NC State however, is that they’ll be facing off against a QB who is still wet behind the ears. Terrel Hunt will be making his 3rd career start in Raleigh this Saturday. So far, he’s been good, but not great. In his first game against Tulane he put up 4 TDs and 181 yards, but took a huge step back against Clemson’s defense when he put up only 52 yards and threw 3 INTs.
State will be able to disrupt Syracuse with a little pressure, but they’ll need to really lock down their ground game if they want to put the clamps on them. On defense, Syracuse has been apt to give up the big play. Against Clemson there were plenty. This is a defense that does not look used to the type of athleticism that the ACC can bring to the table. NC State needs to take advantage of this. They need to take shots down the field and capitalize when Syracuse falls asleep at the wheel.
Players To Watch:
Terrel Hunt – We mentioned him earlier as a potential weakness, but he’s young and with kids like this you never know. He had a great game against Tulane then stunk it up against Clemson. In my opinion, if State doesn’t really ratchet up the pressure, he could have a big game.

Jerome Smith- The junior RB has been great for Syracuse. 342  yards and 7 TDs in only 5 games. He’s scored in every one so far and 125 and a TD against Clemson last week. He’s a game changer and if the Wolfpack don’t look out he could bite them.

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NC State Football

WATCH: Hollywood Smothers Leads NC State in Rushing at the Spring Game

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2 days ago

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April 18, 2024

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Redshirt Freshman Hollywood Smothers seemingly was the 3rd string Running Back in NC State’s 2024 Spring Game a few weeks back, but at the end of the game, he had more rushing yards than any other back.

Smothers rushed the ball 8 times for 75 yards. He possesses explosive speed, as well as excellent vision.

Check out Pack Insider’s Tape of Smothers from the Spring Game.





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NC State Football

NC State Offers FCS Interior Offensive Lineman D’Angalo Titialii

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2 days ago

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April 17, 2024

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NC State offered Interior Offensive Lineman D’Angalo Titialii (6’2″/320) today. After entering the Portal, the Wolfpack were the first to offer him.

Titialii spent his first three seasons at Portland State, which competes in the FCS. This year, he was the starting Center for the Vikings, and the year before he was their starting Left Guard. Over three seasons, Titialii started in 28 of the 32 games he played in.

Titialii is an intriguing prospect, considering he can play numerous positions on the Offensive Line.

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NC State Football

NC State Offers FCS DT Elinus Noel III

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2 days ago

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April 17, 2024

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After Elinus Noel III (6’2″/230) entered the Transfer Portal yesterday, it didn’t take long for NC State to extend an offer.

He also has picked up offers from Baylor and Temple.

Noel III played last year at Texas Southern, which is in the FCS. As a Junior, he had 52 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks in 10 games.

Prior to Texas Southern, Noel III spent his first two seasons at Nicholls State, where he recorded a total of 53 tackles.

247Sports ranked him as a 3-Star prospect in the 2021 recruiting class out of New Orleans (LA).

Noel III has 1 year of eligibility remaining.

With Nick Campbell entering the Transfer Portal, NC State is in the hunt for some depth at Nose Tackle. Even if the staff were to feel confident with what they have in JR Brandon Cleveland and RS-SODJ Jackson, the Wolfpack is in need of depth at the position.

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NC State Football

WATCH: In NC State’s Spring Game, Tight End Justin Joly Showed He is Going to Be Trouble for Opposing Defenses in ’24

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3 days ago

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April 17, 2024

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It was evident NC State Tight End Justin Joly (6’3″/235) is going to be a problem for opposing defenses after his performance in the 2024 Spring Game a few weeks back. He is an extremely athletic Tight End, but he’s also bigger and more physical than I expected.

According to my calculations, Joly had 3 receptions for 56 yards and a touchdown. He started things off with a 3-yard touchdown in the corner of the end zone. He followed that up with a 16 yard catch across the middle through contact. Finally, Joly was the recipient of a double-reverse flea flicker, from RB Demarcus Jones II to WR Kevin Concepcion to QB Grayson McCall to him, for a 37-yard gain.

Joly transferred to NC State this offseason from UCONN, and he was the #2 Tight End in the Transfer Portal according to ON3. He had an incredible Sophomore campaign this past year, catching 56 passes for 578 yards and 2 touchdowns. Joly had 4 receptions for 38 yards in the season opener against the Wolfpack.

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