Football: New Offensive Identity

ESPN’s David M. Hale recently published an article talking about how NC State is searching for a new identity under new offensive coordinator Eli Drinkwitz. It brings forward some great points as Dave Doeren has done a good job at building the talent pool for the Pack, but has not seen any results in the form of wins against power 5 conferences. In the following excerpt Hale highlights this fact on how Doeren has yet to beat a power 5 conference team with a winning record…

The hype last offseason was perhaps a bit ahead of schedule. NC State had been the beneficiary of an easy schedule, and a few young players performed above their expectations as the Wolfpack finished with eight wins. All those “dark horse” predictions for 2015, however, quickly disappeared after NC State went just 3-6 against Power 5 competition, and to date, Doeren has yet to topple a Power 5 opponent with a winning record. What Doeren has accomplished, however, is stocking the roster with far more talent than he inherited. From Dayes and Jaylen Samuels to Jerod Fernandez and Kentavius Street, NC State has players capable of competing against the best of the ACC. The question is whether that potential will ever translate into signature wins. Last spring, the buzz was that NC State was on the verge of something special. This year, there’s a palpable sense that the window for Doeren could be closing — and that might actually be a good motivator for a team that probably needs a chip on its shoulder. ESPN

NC State must find a way to beat some quality opponents and win some ACC games. I agree with Hale that the window could be closing, the Pack have talent but some other areas may dictate how well that talent performs. The offensive line is that area that should be front and center. The Wolfpack lost Joe Thuney and Quinton Schooley both were three year starters, if State is going to have a dominate ground game they will need to create some hole for the tailbacks.

Obviously the QB battle will be the focal point this spring, but it might be the vacancies on the O-line that matter more. NC State’s offense will be built on the running game, where Dayes, Samuels, Reggie Gallaspy and redshirt freshmanJohnny Frasier form one of the more dynamic backfields in the ACC. But with established starters Joe Thuney and Quinton Schooley — both three-year starters — gone, job No. 1 for Drinkwitz and new O-line coach Dwayne Ledford will be finding the guys who can clear a path for that stable of backs. A strong run game can open a lot of options for NC State’s offense, but that success will start up front, and finding those answers begins now. ESPN

You can check out the full article in the link here. The Wolfpack have talent but they will need to bring it together quickly in order to improve upon last seasons results.