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NC State Football

Previewing NC State’s Opponent: Marshall

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6 years ago

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NC State and Marshall will kickoff tonight up in West Virginia at 7pm, but before they do, let’s get to know the Thundering Herd.

Marshall is coming off of a 8-5 record in 2017, which ended in a 31-28 victory over Colorado State in the Gildan New Mexico Bowl. The Thundering Herd is off to a 2-0 start in 2018, with victories over Miami(OH) (35-28) and Eastern Kentucky (32-16).

Like the Wolfpack, the Herd had their Week 3 (South Carolina) game cancelled due to Hurricane Florence.

Wide Receiver Tyre Brady (6’3″) had a huge season last year as a Junior, with 62 catches for 945 yards and 8 touchdowns. All he did last season against NC State was set a single-game record for most receiving yards by an opponent in Carter-Finley Stadium, with 11 receptions for 248 yards and a touchdown. He’s off to a hot start again, posting 15 receptions for 182 yards and 3 touchdowns through 2 games. Wolfpack Junior Cornerback Nick McCloud will be given the task of chasing Brady all over the field tonight, as he has done with the opposing teams best receiver through the first two games (with much success).

Wolfpack Head Coach Dave Doeren mentioned this week that Marshall had more weapons this year than last year on offense, and one of the weapons he mentioned was Junior Wide Receiver Obi Obialo on the other side of Brady. Through 2 games, Obialo has 8 receptions for 107 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Last season Marshall’s Quarterback was Chase Litton, and he threw for 350 yards and 2 touchdowns (1 interception) against the Wolfpack in Carter-Finley Stadium. Litton decided to leave Marshall after his Junior season, and while he went undrafted, he is on the practice squad with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Now the reins have been handed over to Freshman Isaiah Green who has an impressive passing efficiency rating of 141.7 through 2 games. He’s completed 62 percent of his passes, and has 5 touchdown passes to 1 interception.

The Thundering Herd’s rushing attack hasn’t been noteworthy over the first two games, rushing for 260 yards, averaging 3.9 yards per carry. Marshall’s running game is really a two-headed monster of Senior Keion Davis and Sophomore Tyler King. Both running backs rushed for over 800+ yards in 2017. Davis was very efficient against the Wolfpack in Raleigh last year, rushing for 74 yards and averaging 9.3 yards per carry. Had the Herd not had to come from behind, he likely would have crossed the century mark. Davis has 28 carries through two games, compared to King’s 21, but King has averaged 4.7 yards per carry, compared to Davis’ 3.3.

The Offensive side of the ball has been Marshall’s strength through two games, averaging 33.5 points per game. They haven’t played a defense as good as NC State’s, but the Wolfpack haven’t played an offense like the Herd either. While the passing attack has been Marshall’s mojo thus far, expect them to try to establish the run, and keep the ball out of Ryan Finley’s hands.

The Marshall defense hasn’t been nearly as stingy as NC State, with the Herd giving up 22 points per game, compared to the Wolfpack’s 10.

The Miami (OH) quarterback put 357 yards on Marshall through the air in Week 1, accompanied by 3 passing touchdowns. This is the first week with NC State’s receiving corps is fully intact, and that doesn’t bode well for the Herd secondary. Stephen Louis is out of concussion protocol, Jakobi Meyers is back from an ankle injury, and Tight End Cary Angeline is eligible for the first time.

With that being said, the Wolfpack’s Band of Brothers will need to protect Finley, because Marshall is averaging 3.5 sacks per game. They will especially need pay close attention to Junior  Linebacker Chase Hancock who has 23 tackles and 2 tackles for loss, 3 pass breakups, 1 forced fumble, and 1 sack through 2 games.

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Matthew is Publisher and Co-Owner of Pack Insider. He is also the Lead Pastor of The Point Church in Cary, NC.

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NC State Football

Congrats to NC State Football’s Spring Graduates!

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2 days ago

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May 3, 2024

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Congratulations to the 7 NC State Football Players that just graduated this Spring.

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2024 Football Spring Graduates

Linebacker Devon Betty (1 year of eligibility)

Defensive End Davin Vann (1 year of eligibility)

Cornerback Aydan White (1 year of eligibility)

Offensive Guard Anthony Carter Jr. (2 years of eligibility)

Offensive Lineman Matt McCabe (2 years of eligibility)

Offensive Tackle Patrick Matan (2 years of eligibility)

Offensive Lineman Brendan Lawson (no longer on the roster)

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NC State Football

Proposed Bill in the NC House Would Require NC State & UNC To Play One Another, as well as ECU, UNCC and App St.

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2 days ago

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May 3, 2024

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A bill has been proposed by members of the North Carolina House of Representatives that would force NC State and UNC to play one another, as well as East Carolina, UNC Charlotte and Appalachian State.

According to House Bill 965, which you can read here in full, NC State and UNC would be required to play one another annually in Football, Men’s Basketball and Women’s Basketball. The Wolfpack and the Tar Heels would also be forced to play a game annually in all three sports against either ECU, UNC-Charlotte or App St. Every six years, NC State and UNC would be required to have played a home and away game against each of the three school in all three sports.

Here’s the exact wording from the proposed bill:

Competition Required. – A high-enrollment institution shall do all of the following in each eligible sport: (1) Every academic year, play at least one home or one away game against (i) another high-enrollment institution and (ii) an eligible constituent institution that is not a high-enrollment institution. (2) Every six academic years, play at least one home and one away game against each eligible constituent institution that is not a high-enrollment institution. A high-enrollment institution shall alternate home and away games that are scheduled against the same eligible constituent institution that is not a high-enrollment institution.

For glossary of terms being referenced above:

For the purposes of this bill, “High-enrollment institutions” = NC State and UNC, while “Eligible constituent institutions” = East Carolina, UNC Charlotte and Appalachian State.

It’s worth noting that NC State already has games schedule against each of these teams home-and-away in Football between now and 2031.

2025 – East Carolina (H)

2025 – @ App St.

2026 – App St. (H)

2028 – @ East Carolina

2030 – Charlotte (H)

2031 – @ Charlotte

What are your thoughts?

For more details, check out this article at WRAL.

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NC State Football

Akron Safety Kerry Martin Jr. will Take an Official Visit at NC State Next Week

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3 days ago

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May 2, 2024

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Akron Safety Kerry Martin Jr. (6’1″/195) confirmed with me that he will be taking an Official Visit to NC State next week beginning on May 7th.

After receiving an offer from NC State yesterday, it didn’t take him long to set up the visit.

Martin Jr. is familiar with NC State, because he was recruited by Wolfpack Defensive Coordinator Tony Gibson before he left West Virginia to come to Raleigh. Even though he never coached him, a relationship was established.

Martin Jr.’s connections to NC State are deeper than that. Former NC State Cornerback Derrek Pitts, who is currently a member of the Tampa Bay Bucs, is his cousin.

This past year, Martin Jr. recorded 45 tackles, 2 interceptions and 6 pass breakups for Akron, starting in 9 of the 11 games he played in. His PFF Grade was 68.9.

In 2022, he had 53 tackles, 1 interception and 1 pass breakup, starting in 9 of the 11 games he played in. Martin Jr.’s PFF Grade was 60.9.

In 2019, as a Freshman for West Virginia, Martin Jr. earned PFF Freshman All-American honors, recording a grade of 70.6, with 50 tackles and 3 pass breakups.

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NC State Sits in the Top-20 in 247’s Post-Spring 2024 Preseason Poll

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3 days ago

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May 1, 2024

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247’s Brad Crawford released his Post-Spring 2024 Preseason College Football Top-25 recently, and NC State moved up 1 spot to #20.

ACC Teams in the Top-25

11. FSU

14. Miami

16. Clemson

20. NC State

24. Virginia Tech

25. Louisville

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