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Where are they now? NFL QB Edition: Philip Rivers

Published

10 years ago

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Vince Lombardi was fond of telling friends that football was the perfect team game except for one conspicuous problem—The quarterback was too important.

As the first week of preseason games just concluded we had a chance to see three former NC State signal callers take the field. I would like to break down each of these guys and give insight to their seasons ahead.

Philip Rivers (6-5, 228) Entering 11th season:

Last year was a welcoming sight not only for San Diego Chargers fans but also Philip River’s supporters. Prior to last season Philip struggled mightily with turnovers and subpar team performances. Personally, I attribute most of his struggles during those seasons to a leaky offensive line and a lack of weapons on the perimeter. Take into consideration the constant rumors swirling around Norv Turner at the time and all together you had an environment less than conducive for success.

Enter in Mike McCoy and a new scheme to breathe fresh air into the Chargers and what did you see? Many saw a rejuvenated Philip Rivers and a potent offensive unit. The Chargers ranked 5th in total offense by gaining 393.3 yards a game and ranked 4th in passing yards per game at 270.5. Philip Rivers was instrumental in helping the Chargers reach these numbers. However a favorite statistic of mine speaks volumes of just how good of a quarterback Philip Rivers is. This can be found in 3rd down completion percentage. The Chargers lead the league in 3rd down percentage, converting at a 49% clip. Games are won and lost on 3rd downs!

Philip has always been a big time performer when the game is on the line. He always seems to come up the biggest when his team needs him the most. In his career he has led 33 comebacks in the 4th quarter! That ranks 38th all time according to Pro Football Reference.

As for the upcoming campaign I expect to see even more improvement from the Chargers and Philip. Yes he has a new Offensive Coordinator, following Ken Whisenhunt’s departure to the Titans. With Whisenhunt gone, the Chargers promoted Frank Reich to Offensive. Reich served under Coach Whisenhunt while he was with the Cardinals and as an assistant with the Chargers last season. I expect to see a similar offensive scheme that focuses on the run game and picking and choosing when to take shots down the field.

The passing game was a huge weapon but Philip was quick to praise the ground attack and deflect the compliments to his teammates for his personal accolades last season. A saying that the Chargers frequent around their practice facility is Nunc Coepi, a Latin phrase that means; “Now I begin.” In a recent interview Philip spoke on this mantra, he talks about how he has had the mind set to begin again no matter the outcome. Philip stated, “You can always begin again, you throw a touchdown, well, now we begin. You throw an interception, you can begin again, and constantly you can start over.”

I believe it is because of this mindset, “Now I begin,” Philip will have zero hangovers from his success last season. As a whole the Chargers should be even better than they were a season ago. I expect a healthy Malcolm Floyd and the continued emergence of Keenan Allen to be a deadly one-two punch on the perimeter for Philip. With great complimentary pieces of Gates and Royal working the underneath and middle, I expect the passing attack to be even more efficient.

Just how important is Philip Rivers to San Diego’s success? Nick Hardwick, longtime center, sums it up perfectly, “He’s the top man on the totem pole in this building for sure.” He goes on to say, “but just interacting with teammates, he’s just a guy. He’s one of your buddies. There’s no pretense about him whatsoever.”

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NC State Football

NC State vs. Tennessee: Offensive PFF Grades Report

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56 mins ago

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September 8, 2024

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NC State lost in a big way to Tennessee last night, falling to the Vols 51-10. Here’s the breakdown of the individual PFF Grades on the Wolfpack Offense.

Sophomore Wide Receiver Kevin Concepcion – 69.5
Redshirt Junior Wide Receiver Dacari Collins – 66.9
Redshirt Freshman Running Back Hollywood Smothers – 65.3
Freshman Wide Receiver Terrell Anderson – 58.8
Redshirt Senior Running Back Jordan Waters – 58.6
Redshirt Junior Wide Receiver Jalen Coit – 57.8
Redshirt Sophomore Right Tackle Jacarrius Peak – 56.4
Freshman Wide Receiver Keenan Jackson – 55.9
Sophomore Running Back Kendrick Raphael – 55.3
Redshirt Junior Left Guard Anthony Carter Jr. – 55.0
Junior Wide Receiver Wesley Grimes – 54.7
Redshirt Senior Center Zeke Correll – 54.4
Junior Tight End Justin Joly – 53.6
Redshirt Senior Right Guard Timothy McKay – 53.6
Redshirt Freshman Wide Receiver Noah Rogers – 53.0
Redshirt Senior Quarterback Grayson McCall – 51.8
Redshirt Senior Left Tackle Anthony Belton – 49.0
Redshirt Junior Tight End Matt McCabe – 38.8
Freshman Quarterback CJ Bailey – 28.3

For perspective, here’s a Snap Count Breakdown.

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NC State Football

NC State vs. Tennessee: Defensive PFF Grades Report

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1 hour ago

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September 8, 2024

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NC State lost in a big way to Tennessee last night, falling to the Vols 51-10. Here’s the breakdown of the individual PFF Grades on the Wolfpack Defense.

Senior Defensive Tackle Chazz Wallace – 80.2
Redshirt Freshman Defensive End Isaiah Shirley – 79.1
Redshirt Freshman Linebacker Kamal Bonner – 74.3
Senior Defensive End Red Hibbler – 73.6
Redshirt Freshman Nickel Tamarcus Cooley – 70.2
Senior Linebacker Devon Betty – 67.7
Senior Defensive End Davin Vann – 65.1
Senior Nickel Ja’Had Carter – 64.7
Sophomore Cornerback Brandon Cisse – 64.3
Senior Cornerback Aydan White – 64.3
Redshirt Sophomore Nose Tackle DJ Jackson – 64.2
Junior Nose Tackle Brandon Cleveland – 63.4
Redshirt Senior Defensive End Noah Potter – 63.0
Redshirt Junior Safety Rente Hinton – 61.2
Redshirt Junior Defensive End Travali Price – 58.5
Senior Safety Bishop Fitzgerald – 58.2
Senior Cornerback Corey Coley – 57.8
Redshirt Junior Linebacker Sean Brown – 54.9
Senior Safety DK Kaufman – 54.8
Redshirt Junior Linebacker Caden Fordham – 41.5
Senior Safety KJ Martin – 37.5

For perspective, here’s a Snap Count Breakdown.

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NC State Football

NC State vs. Tennessee: Defensive Snap Count Report

Published

4 hours ago

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September 8, 2024

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Last night NC State stumbled against Tennessee, losing to the Volunteers 51-10. Here’s Snap Count Report for the Wolfpack Defense in Week 2.

Redshirt Junior Linebacker Caden Fordham – 63
Redshirt Junior Linebacker Sean Brown – 63
Senior Cornerback Aydan White – 60
Senior Cornerback Corey Coley – 56
Senior Nickel Ja’Had Carter – 55
Senior Safety DK Kaufman – 51
Sophomore Cornerback Brandon Cisse – 49
Senior Safety Bishop Fitzgerald – 48
Redshirt Senior Defensive End Noah Potter – 46
Junior Nose Tackle Brandon Cleveland – 44
Senior Defensive End Davin Vann – 44
Senior Linebacker Devon Betty – 22
Senior Defensive End Red Hibbler – 21
Senior Safety KJ Martin – 21
Redshirt Junior Safety Rente Hinton – 18
Redshirt Sophomore Nose Tackle DJ Jackson – 16
Redshirt Freshman Defensive End Isaiah Shirley – 15
Redshirt Freshman Nickel Tamarcus Cooley – 14
Redshirt Junior Defensive End Travali Price – 12
Redshirt Freshman Linebacker Kamal Bonner – 11
Senior Defensive Tackle Chazz Wallace – 9
Redshirt Freshman Linebacker Kelvon McBride – 6
Junior Cornerback Devon Marshall – 6
Redshirt Sophomore Cornerback Jackson Vick – 6
Redshirt Junior Linebacker Jayland Parker – 3

Notes

  • Redshirt Senior Defensive End Noah Potter started over Redshirt Junior Travali Price.
  • Redshirt Freshman Linebacker Kamal Bonner took his first snaps of the 2024 season last night, playing in 11 snaps.
    • Bonner played in only 6 snaps last season.
  • Redshirt Sophomore Cornerback Jackson Vick saw his first action of the season, playing in 6 snaps. Last year, he only played in 3 snaps all season long.
  • Senior Nickel Ja’Had Carter played his first game as a member of the Wolfpack, after missing Week 1 due to injury.
    • He played 55 snaps.
    • He transferred in from Ohio St. this offseason.
  • Senior Safety KJ Martin didn’t play in Week 1 vs. WCU, but he made his Wolfpack debut last night, playing 21.
    • Martin transferred in from Akron this offseason.
  • Junior Cornerback Devon Marshall made his NC State debut, playing in 6 snaps.
    • Marshall transferred in from Villanova this offseason.
  • Senior Defensive Tackle Chazz Wallace made his NC State debut, playing in 9 snaps.
    • He transferred in from Colorado this offseason.

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NC State Football

NC State vs. Tennessee: Offensive Snap Count Report

Published

5 hours ago

on

September 8, 2024

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Last night NC State stumbled against Tennessee, losing to the Volunteers 51-10. Here’s Snap Count Report for the Wolfpack Offense in Week 2.

Redshirt Sophomore Right Tackle Jacarrius Peak – 54
Redshirt Senior Left Tackle Anthony Belton – 54
Redshirt Junior Left Guard Anthony Carter Jr. – 54
Redshirt Senior Right Guard Timothy McKay – 54
Redshirt Senior Center Zeke Correll – 54
Redshirt Senior Quarterback Grayson McCall – 48
Junior Tight End Justin Joly – 42
Sophomore Wide Receiver Kevin Concepcion – 38
Redshirt Freshman Wide Receiver Noah Rogers – 28
Redshirt Junior Wide Receiver Dacari Collins – 27
Redshirt Senior Running Back Jordan Waters – 22
Redshirt Junior Tight End Matt McCabe – 20
Freshman Wide Receiver Keenan Jackson – 19
Sophomore Running Back Kendrick Raphael – 18
Redshirt Freshman Running Back Hollywood Smothers – 15
Junior Wide Receiver Wesley Grimes – 14
Freshman Wide Receiver Terrell Anderson – 8
Redshirt Junior Wide Receiver Jalen Coit – 7
Freshman Quarterback CJ Bailey – 6
Sophomore Tight End Juice Vereen – 5
Redshirt Senior Running Back Demarcus Jones II – 3
Freshman Wide Receiver Jonathan Paylor – 1
Redshirt Junior Dante Daniels – 1
Redshirt Junior Tight End Reid Mitchell – 1
Redshirt Junior Offensive Lineman Patrick Matan – 1

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