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Vonwolf: NC State’s Win Also Buried the Bernard Loss

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2 years ago

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I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing in 2012, when Gio housed us with just seconds to go. I had stood up, hovering by the couch, waiting for regulation to end before grabbing another drink and snack for overtime.

Then…well…disaster.

Hunched over on the back of the couch, head down, murmuring under my breath, “What the hell just happened?…”

That moment has haunted many State fans. It’s included in every preview, highlight package and taunting over the last decade. Even watching Gio on the Bucs the other week, I got chills and felt nauseous.

State just doesn’t have many of those moments, certainly not for football. We’ve positioned ourselves for greatness and been close before, all for not. Maybe you could say the Florida State upset with Glennon, but it’s hard to find that “time” you point to.

Friday night changed so many things.

 

Roller Coaster of Emotions

I watched the whole game. There were folks that tuned out after the sad back-to-back screens with five minutes to go. Totally understandable, honestly. I’m a glutton for punishment. I was willing to let that knife dig into my back and watch UNC close it out with a nice *twist*.

After Grayson Atkins (Is it mandatory for Grayson’s to go to Duke or UNC? Seriously, is there a contract or something in place at birth?) hit a 50 yarder with 2:12, my hopes rapidly slipped. One score game, maybe. Two? Yikes.

So for State to drop an Emezie bomb for 64 yards seconds later, I was shook. Then when Dunn got the onside kick? I just figured that football gods were just laughing and slapping knees up above, “Look at these State fans! Let’s toy with them a little, make them believe! Hahaha!”

If we’re being honest? Penalties were iffy, but let’s face it, how many DPI’s were just not going to be called? Can we walk further into the trust circle? I thought we scored too early, haha.

 

Biggest Win, Against Biggest Rival

In the understatement of the century, that State win was huge.

State’s ACC Championship dreams stayed alive. They gain their 9th win, for the third time in five years (Doeren the only State coach that can say that). Recruits across the country just witnessed raw talent in front of a rabid crowd on a Friday night. And State. Beat. UNC.

We now can have that clip of Emezie winning the 50-50 ball. We can remind all our Tar Heel friends, families and enemies, “Remember when you choked away that game in 2021? What was it, two touchdowns in 26 seconds?”

ESPN had State’s chances of victory at sub .1% with two minutes remaining. Out of 452 teams that at some point this season found themselves down 9 with less than 2:12 remaining, only State won. 1-451. Insanity.

Emezie became even more of a legend. Leary now holds a State record on his own. And we State fans, now have clips to replay, promote and cherish.

It was a game I’ll never forget. #GoPack #GTHC

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Passionate State fan that just wants to win...something...like anything...

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Papajohn
Papajohn
2 years ago

That was the game I thought of as well. Everything changed in seconds.
I liked this one much better.

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NC State Football

Auburn Transfer Linebacker Cam Riley Decommits from NC State

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1 hour ago

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April 26, 2024

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Auburn Transfer Linebacker Cam Riley (6’5″/242) announced tonight that he is decommitting from NC State.

Back on February 26th, Riley verbally committed to NC State. Players out of the Transfer Portal don’t sign a National Letter of Intent like players out of high school, making it easier for them to change their mind.

247Sports and ESPN both ranked Riley as a Top-300 4-Star prospect in the 2020 recruiting class. 247Sports ranked him as the #229 overall player nationally in the 2020 class, the #14 Outside Linebacker, and the #10 player in the state of Alabama.

In 2020 and 2021, Riley played in 22 total games (2 starts), playing in 160 snaps, tallying 23 tackles. In 2022, Riley broke out, starting in 7 of the 11 games, ranking 2nd on the team in tackles, with 65.

This past season, Riley played in 13 games, but only started in 1. He had 32 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. His PFF grade of 66.7 was the highest of his career.

Over 4 seasons, Riley played in 46 games (10 starts) for Auburn, tallying 948 snaps.

In my mind, there was a good chance that Riley was going to earn the starting role at the SAM Linebacker position at NC State, with Sean Brown at the WILL and Caden Fordham at the MIKE.

Unless NC State grabs a Linebacker out of the Portal now, I would expect Redshirt Freshman Kelvon McBride to be at the starting SAM position at the beginning of Fall Camp.

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ON3: NC State’s Dave Doeren is 1 of the Top-25 Best Coaches in College Football

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8 hours ago

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April 25, 2024

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ON3’s Jesse Simonton ranked the Top-25 College Football Coaches heading into the 2024 season, and NC State’s Dave Doeren ranks 23rd.

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Here’s what Simonton had to say about Doeren:

23. Dave Doeren, NC State

Doeren became the Wolfpack’s all-time winningest head coach last season, overcoming all manors of offensive ineptitude to win eight games for the fourth straight season. He still hasn’t busted through the glass ceiling and taken NC State to an ACC Championship, but the Wolfpack have legitimate conference title hopes in 2024 with the offseason work Doeren has done via the portal (quarterback Grayson McCall, tailbacks Jordan Waters and Hollywood Smothers and receivers Noah Rogers and Wesley Grimes). 

In 11 seasons in Raleigh, Doeren’s program has been steadily consistent and has become a model for development (17 NFL Draft picks since 2018) and strength and conditioning. (ON3)

ACC Coaches in the Top-25

6. Dabo Swinney (Clemson)

7. Mike Norvell (FSU)

20. Jeff Brohm (Louisville)

23. Dave Doeren (NC State)

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NC State has Produced 19 1st Round NFL Draft Picks

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17 hours ago

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April 25, 2024

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The 1st round of the 2024 NFL Draft will begin this evening at 8pm on ABC, ESPN and NFL Network. NC State has had 19 players drafted in the 1st round.

NC State ranks 8th in ACC history in 1st Round Picks.

Three of the Wolfpack’s 1st Round Picks have come under Dave Doeren’s watch, which ranks 2nd all-time in school history. Chuck Amato had 5 players drafted in the 1st round, which is the most ever under a coach at NC State.

Chuck Amato – 5
Dave Doeren – 3
Mike O’Cain – 2
Dick Sheridan – 2
Bo Rein – 2
Earle Edwards – 2

While most projections don’t have Wolfpack Linebacker Payton Wilson going in the 1st round tonight, a few do. Wilson was invited to attend the NFL Draft, but he will be tuning in from his home in Hillsborough. We’ll have to tune in tonight to see if Wilson hears his name called on the 1st night of the 2024 NFL Draft.

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WATCH QB Grayson McCall’s Tape from the 2024 NC State Spring Game

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2 days ago

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April 24, 2024

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NC State will have a new Quarterback in 2024 in Coastal Carolina Transfer Grayson McCall. A few weeks back, McCall looked sharp in the 2024 Spring Game, completing 16 of his 20 pass attempts for 205 yards and a touchdown. McCall was accuracy and composure were evident in his first time playing in Carter-Finley Stadium.

Check out McCall’s tape from the Spring Game.

 

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