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What Clemson’s Dabo Swinney had to say about NC State at his Weekly Press Conference

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Clemson Head Football Coach Dabo Swinney met with the media today for his weekly press conference. You can watch it above, or see what he had to say about the 10th ranked Wolfpack.

  • This is what a top-10 game should look like.
  • Very experienced team that we are getting to play in NC State.
  • Very well-coached. Dave Doeren has done an amazing job putting this group together.
  • Have a bunch of guys that have played a lot of ball, some of them seem like they’ve been there forever.
  • Got Linebacker Payton Wilson back on defense, he is one of the best players in the country. Think he’s outstanding.
  • Their offensive line has played a lot of football.
  • One of the best quarterbacks in the country. Devin Leary is special. He is a pro.
    • This league this year is unbelievable when it comes to quarterbacks and seems like we play every one of them.
    • Fans of the ACC need to enjoy watching these guys because a lot of them will be playing Sunday, and Leary is one of them. He really understands the game.
  • They have 2 hard-nosed backs that can flat-out tote the rock in
    • No. 0 (Demi Sumo-Karngbaye) and No. 3 (Jordan Houston).
    • No. 0 probably leads them explosive plays.
      • He made a couple plays against East Carolina where I think all 11 players hit him and somehow he kept going.
    • Physical in the run game. Will run a lot of counter, a lot of stretch, and then they’re going to take a million shots and will push the ball downfield.
  • Excellent receivers in Nos. 88 (Devin Carter), 5 (Thayer Thomas), 15 (Keyon Lesane), and 11 (Darryl Jones).
    • No. 5 is their guy as far as a guy they will script into all their touches, whether screens, handing it to him, and he’s even thrown it. He’s very savvy. Big RPO guy.
      • He’s tough. He is a true football player. Does a lot of things. Great returner. Great with the ball in his hands. Makes tough, competitive, contested catches over the middle. A lot of RPO stuff.
      • They’ll run him in behind the ‘backers, a lot of slants and things. Makes catches downfield. There’s really not anything he can’t do. He’s a reverse guy, a screen guy, he does it all.
      • One of the better players in this league.
  • Defensively, they’re complete. Very confident in their scheme. Very physical.
    • These three linebackers are outstanding…Nos. 32 (Drake Thomas ) and 1 (Isaiah Moore ) are all-conference guys, and now you throw No. 11 (Wilson ) back out there and unfortunately he couldn’t play in this game last year.
    • Very aggressive in how they fit the ‘backers in their scheme…always have 4 or 5 guys coming from somewhere.
    • Very disciplined in the back end.
    • Stingy group, just like last year. Not giving up many points.
    • A lot of zone. You have to be very patient (throwing the ball).
    • They will pressure you, and the biggest thing is identifying the pressure because with the way they play their front and their Nickel player in the middle, you have to be on the same page communication-wise and make sure you know where they’re coming from.
      • A lot of zone pressures where they’ve got guys dropping, drop ends, drop d-tackles, so understanding your throwing windows.
    • It’s not always as clean as when you play a bunch of man. This is a team that is a little bit more multiple in what they do coverage-wise.
      • They’ll give up some things underneath, but you have to be disciplined enough to put the drives together.
      • And first of all, you have be physical enough up front to hold up.
    • It’s a very physical group.

Matthew is Co-Owner of Pack Insider. He writes for all sports, with a focus on football and recruiting, and is in charge of business strategy. He is an NC State alum who majored in business. Matthew is also the lead pastor of The Point Church in Cary, NC.

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NC State Football

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

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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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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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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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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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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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