HONEST OPTICS: Wolferetti looks at NC State’s problems from the perspective of the fanbase

Man, that was a nice throwback to my college days. I forgot what it was like to cap off Valentine’s Day lying in bed with a broken heart.

NC State let a game that was just about clinched with a win slip away in the final seconds. And sure, I can go back and explain what happened play by play, but every other outlet is going to do that.

Instead, I’m going to give you my opinion. I’m not saying these things are factual, but after being on the phone all last night, after watching this team for an entire season, this is what it LOOKS LIKE to your average fan.

It doesn’t LOOK like there is any on-court leadership on this team.

Not from Q and not from Darrion. Quadir Copeland is a great hype man and an outstanding player, but he’s not the calm, collected leader that this team seems to really need. Q seems to be a roller coaster out there at times. The highs are high, and the lows are low. Wade has hinted at this, saying “You have to take the good with the bad from Q.” and “He’s good at giving guys confidence…at times you have to rein him in.” As the point guard goes, so goes the team, or so they say. If you look at NC State’s Jekyll and Hyde season, that would SEEM to jive.

Then there’s Darrion Williams. Maybe he is a leader behind the scenes, but I haven’t heard Wade say that or even hint at that, and from the fans’ perspective, it doesn’t outwardly LOOK like it. He’s taking quick, contested shots, he’s sometimes locked into the flow of the game, and other times he’s not. I’ve never seen him in anyone’s face demanding more, and while I love a positive person who is always there to cheer you up, smiling and laughing with your opponent when you’re supposed to be locked in battle is just not a good look. And someone needs to say it. It kind of feels like a slap in the face to the fans.

I know that’ll get people riled up. I’m not taking a shot at the guy for loving the game or for being happy. I’m not. I’m just telling you that the optics just aren’t good. I’ve felt this, and I’ve heard this feedback a TON of times since Maui. I haven’t wanted to include it in my pieces because I felt it might feel too personal to mention, and I’m not one to go there with someone I don’t know. But since Wade is talking identity, and I’m just commenting on optics here. This is how it’s being perceived, so I’m mentioning it. Let’s be honest, this isn’t breaking news to anyone who has watched this team all season.

This team is soft, and it LOOKS like it might be time for soft people to sit

This isn’t just my take. Wade commented on the soft play in his post-game presser last night. Toughness wins in college basketball, and this team just doesn’t show toughness consistently. It’s as if only outside influence can create it. Whether that be Wade going public with his ‘hostile takeover’ or a technical foul being called. Great teams don’t need this. Great players have a fire burning inside that can activate that toughness. They carry around a chip on their shoulder. Most of the guys on this team don’t seem to carry one until someone puts one there. Again, maybe that’s not the case, but that’s what it seems like.

But there is some toughness on that bench.

Scottie Ebube is a walking stick of dynamite over there. He’s a wrecking ball of physicality on a team that seems to be shying away from it. I get that Musa Sagnia has some promise, and he’s just a freshman. But we’re at the tail end of the season, and it LOOKED like he just wasn’t up to the task of playing with the type of physicality last night. Miami rolls out men in the paint and NC State LOOKED like boys. Remember when Wade talked about putting in Ebube and letting him ‘wreck things up’ for a few minutes. Let me tell you, the fan base wants to see that. If he comes in and fouls 3 times in 2 minutes, the fan base won’t hold it against Wade. They’ll applaud him for rewarding that type of play.

Look, NC State fans really care about winning and as Will Wade has said, he’s “paid to win”…”not necessarily to win the way he wants to win, but just to win.” I get that, but if NC State loses a game like this by 1 or 2 and Wade has to answer for why he played Ebube or Breed for their physicality and to put softer players on the bench, I don’t think he’ll hear one complaint from the base.

It LOOKS like this team is making way too many mental mistakes

I mean, just look at that final minute. You had Tre Hollowman being late to help cut off the baseline on Reneau’s drive that ended in an ‘And-1.’ But before that, you have Darrion overplaying a guy who isn’t going to shoot a contested 3, allowing him to get an angle and drive baseline. He was doing that all night. He had 20+ points doing that. They needed a bucket. Wouldn’t you expect it again?

You had Darrion Williams throw an inbounds pass to Lubin in the corner instead of calling a timeout. You had Lubin throwing it back to Williams in a panic, which ended in a turnover. You had Q not actively seeking out the ball. You had Darrion entering it to Holloman in the corner the next time, and him, in a panic, trying to get it to Q, who wasn’t actively coming to the basketball. You had Darrion Williams overplaying a throw-in on a possession where all you had to do was play sound defense against your guy. That allowed a free lane to the basket (to tie the game), and Holloman had to decide to sink in or stay home. He sank in, allowing a game-winning 3. Bad decision. And Williams actually went for the block, fouling the shooter. Another bad decision.

This was an absolute mess. It LOOKED awful, and it creates a lot of frustration for those watching. Fans can deal with a guy hitting a contested 3 with a hand in his face to win the game. They can deal with offensive players making plays against a solid, even overmatched, defense. But it’s hard to deal with these types of mental errors game after game from the same guys.

So just as I was saying on the physicality side of things. It LOOKS like it’s time to play the ‘no-mistake’ guys again. And by that I mean Alyn Breed. I know his metrics look bad in ACC play, but he defends, and he makes smart basketball plays. If Wade gave some extra minutes to guys like Breed, no one would bat an eye. In fact, most of the fanbase is wondering where Breed went. Everyone loved his minutes, and if he’s in the flow of the game, he’s the perfect guy to have in the game down the stretch when you need that consistent leadership and solid ball-handling.

It LOOKS like Will Wade is just about speechless about his team’s demeanor

This is our first taste of Will Wade, and personally, I’m a huge fan. I think this staff is way more advanced than anything we’ve seen. So I don’t want this frustration to get misplaced. It LOOKS like this staff had to piece together a roster pretty fast after the Wade hire and they made a few mistakes. Not on the talent side, but on the leadership, toughness, ‘fit’ side.

I think that’s pretty darn clear in Wade’s comments. He talked in his radio show about ‘not missing as much’ next season and about having more time to get guys that fit better into what he wants to do. He’s hinted about toughness all season. He’s saying there is no identity, and it LOOKS or FEELS like he’s just at the point of exhaustion with these things (with this group).

I’m not going to pretend to know what’s going on in that locker room. But optics are optics, and these are things that may not be written about much, but things that have been glaring all season long, Wade has been hinting at, and now I’m just vocalizing.

The overall vibe I’m getting is matching what I’m hearing from the fan base…

NC State has a ton of talent. They are likely going to make the NCAA Tournament. The pieces have been put together in a way that seems to work on some nights, but it LOOKS like there could be a few adjustments that may get you over the edge in these 1 or 2 possession games.

With the biggest game on the schedule coming up on Tuesday, Wolfpack fans wouldn’t mind seeing if some of the bench guys could spark a little fire under the starters and help to add some of those missing ingredients that could help NC State finally build a last-second identity.