NC State: The Last/Next Time Rushing

Here is a look at the last time certain rushing milestones were accomplished in a game by a NC State player:

The last time…

A player rushed for 100+ yards: Jacoby Brissett (14-167-1) & Shadrach Thornton (28-161-1) vs. UNC 11/29/14
A player rushed for 200+ yards: Andre Brown (32-248) vs. Southern Miss. 10/29/05
A player had a 75-yard rush: Ray Robinson (87) at Duke (11/3/01)
A player had 30 carries: Brandon Mitchell (30-72) vs. Maryland 11/30/13
Two players rush for over 100 yards in the same game: Jacoby Brissett (14-167-1) & Shadrach Thornton (28-161-1) vs. UNC 11/29/14
A player scored two rushing touchdowns: Matt Dayes (2) vs. UCF 12/26/14
A player scored three or more rushing touchdowns: Shadrach Thornton (3) vs. ODU 9/6/14
A quarterback rushed for 100+ yards: Jacoby Brissett (14-167-1) vs. UNC 11/29/14
A player rushed for 100 yards and passed for 100 yards in a game: Johnny Evans (126 rushing, 106 passing) vs. Clemson 10/23/76

The question now becomes ‘when will these milestones be accomplished next?’

• I think it’s likely that Shadrach Thornton, Matt Dayes and Jacoby Brissett could all rush for 100 yards in a game this year.  Thornton has already done this 8 times in his career.
• Maybe I’m selling the fellas short, but with the depth at running back, I’m not sure I see a 200 yard game out of an individual this season.
• With the speed of the Wolfpack backs, and their ability to gain yards after the catch, a 75-yard rush is definitely possible.  Also, with a guy like Nyheim Hines on the field now, a ball handed to him in a Jet sweep could definitely go for 75 yards.  Last season, Matt Dayes pulled of a 68-yard run, and Jacoby Brissett and Shadrach Thornton had 65 and 58 yard rushes respectively.
• I’ve already mentioned the depth, but I don’t see an individual player posting 30 rushing attempts in a game this year.  With that being said, Thornton did come close last season with 28 against UNC.
• NC State is committed to the run game.  There is a definite possibility that they have two players with 100 yards rushing in a game.
• There’s a good chance that a player rushes for 2 touchdowns this season.  The depth of the running back corps makes 3 touchdowns by an individual less likely, but watch out for those first 4 games.
• Brissett rushed for over 100 yards only once last season, and only rushed over 50 yards two other times.  I think they played it a little safe with Brissett last season, and can see them/him taking more risks, so it can happen again.
• Johnny Evans passed and rushed for 100 yards against Clemson 39 years ago, and no one else has done it sense.  Brissett was 34 passing yards away from doing it against UNC last season, and 23 rushing yards short against Georgia Tech.  This would be a monster of a milestone for Brissett to accomplish.