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What we learned from the NC State Football Spring Game

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3 years ago

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The NC State Spring Game took place this past Saturday, but thanks to ACCN opting to show lacrosse, fans missed a huge chunk of the beginning and the end. If you want to watch the full game, we have it right here.

As with any spring game, it’s a time to get a lot of questions answered about the upcoming season. Here were some of our biggest questions coming in, and how we feel about it after watching the game.

Is Leary ready?

Any time a player has a serious injury, there are going to be questions about whether or not they’ll be able to fully recover.

Leary started off strong last season and looked like he was going to be the next great NC State quarterback. However, a fractured fibula derailed those plans. Leary has since has time to recover, but will he be the same guy he was at the start of 2020?

After watching the game, we’d have to answer ‘Yes.’ Leary looked great. You’d never know he was coming off such a serious injury. He looked mobile, he looked poised and he looked…himself.

The redshirt sophomore signal-caller was on point from the get-go and finished 12-23 for 175 yards and 2 TDs, including a 58-yard strike to Porter Rooks.

Now, it wasn’t perfect, he threw an INT and had some missed throws early in the game, but as he settled in, he looked great. His progressions, his understanding of the system and his big arm all showed, giving Pack fans some confidence that he’ll be able to get back to where he was when he got hurt last season.

 

What does the defensive depth look like?

With Payton Wilson and Drake Thomas sitting out, still somewhat recovering from offseason surgeries, who will step up?

Two of NC State’s best players on defense aren’t suiting up and that’s fine. We don’t need to rush anyone back for a Spring Game, but it did give us a chance to see who will step up.

Two guys you had to be pleased with was freshman 3-star LB Cayden Fordham who had a 14 yard INT return for a TD and Jordan Poole who was praised by Doeren after the game for his effort.

 

 

What about the running back depth?

It’s hard to imagine a situation where NC State is going to have depth problems at RB, but again, this is NC State.

With Ricky Person Jr and Bam Knight both sitting, we got to see what Delbert Mimms III and Demarcus Jones II could do. We also got to see Jordan Houston get a more featured role, and while Mimms and Jones didn’t really get it going, Houston did. The sophomore got a nice amount of run last season but is expected to see an uptick in usage this year. His 49 yards and TD led all RBs and should instill confidence that NC State will be well-manned in the backfield this season.

How did the backup QBs look?

With Hockman gone, Ben Finley is the new #2 and he looked decent. While his numbers won’t jump off the stat sheet, Finley went 10-20 for 154 yards, and did not throw a TD on the day, but he did look a lot more poised in the 2nd half.

Meanwhile, 4-star freshman Aaron McLaughlin didn’t see a ton of action, going 0-3 on the day.

Both of these guys have high ceilings, but need time to mature. If Leary can stay healthy, we won’t see too much of either guy this season, giving them the time they need to get ready when their number is called.

 

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Papajohn
Papajohn
3 years ago

Hard to take much from this one. Glad no one got hurt.

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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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1 hour 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.

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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1 day 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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2 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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NC State Football

NC State Ranks 8th in Players Selected in the NFL Draft in the ACC in the Last 10 Years

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4 days ago

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April 29, 2024

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The 2024 NFL Draft has come and gone, and NC State had two players drafted: Linebacker Payton Wilson in the 3rd round, and Center Dylan McMahon in the 6th round.

Over the past 10 years, NC State has produced 25 NFL Draft picks, and 3 1st round picks. The 25 Draft Picks ranks 8th in the ACC, and the 3 1st Round picks is tied for 7th.

NC State produced 18 NFL Draft Picks in the first 5 Draft’s of Dave Doeren’s tenure. Only 8 Wolfpack players have been selected in the past 5 NFL Drafts.

Players selected in the NFL Draft under Dave Doeren:

2024

Payton Wilson, LB – Pittsburgh – 3rd – 98th
Dylan McMahon, C – Philadelphia – 6th – 190th

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