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Earlier this week ESPN picked 5 players on each side of the ball from the ACC as darkhorse candidates to win Player of the Year, and NC State Quarterback Jacoby Brissett and Safety Josh Jones made the lists.

ESPN’s ACC Offensive Player of the Year Outlook

ESPN already listed their Top-5 candidates to win this award back at the end of May: Pitt RB James Conner, FSU RB Dalvin Cook, FSU QB Everett Golson, GT QB Justin Thomas, & Clemson QB Deshaun Watson. Jacoby Brissett was listed this week as one of the Top-5 offensive darkhorses to win the Offensive Player of the Year Award. Here is the blurb they wrote about him:

Only four quarterbacks in the nation last season threw for at least 20 touchdowns and 2,500 yards and had five or fewer interceptions. Two were drafted by NFL teams (Marcus Mariota and Brett Hundley), another is a Heisman favorite for 2015 (Cody Kessler). The fourth is Brissett. There are questions about his receiving corps, and he needs to cut down on his fumbles this year, but Brissett had NC State’s offense clicking for much of last year, and there’s no reason to think he won’t get even better in 2015. (ESPN)

The other Offensive Player of the Year darkhorses were Louisville QB Reggie Bonnafon, Miami RB Gus Edwards, Boston College RB Jon Hilliman, VT WR Isaiah Ford.

ESPN’s ACC Defensive Player of the Year Outlook

ESPN’s Top-5 candidates to win the award are UVA Safety Quin Blanding, VT CB Kendall Fuller, Clemson DE Shaq Lawson, VT DE Dadi Nicolas, FSU DB Jalen Ramsey. Josh Jones was listed as one of the Top-5 defensive darkhorses to win the Defensive Player of the Year Award. Here is the blurb they wrote about him.

No one is predicting another ACC safety will put up numbers like Louisville’s Gerod Holliman did a year ago, but Jones could be this year’s breakthrough performer at the position. He finished with four picks last year, and his move to the starting lineup coincided with a major turnaround for the Wolfpack defense. If that trend continues, he’ll be a name ACC fans are familiar with by year’s end. (ESPN)

The other Defensive Player of the Year darkhorses were UNC DE Nazair Jones, Duke LB Kelby Brown, Clemson Safety Jayron Kearse, & FSU DE DeMarcus Walker.

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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 Football

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

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4 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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