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NC State Football had a Rough Week, Three Reasons Not to Panic

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3 years ago

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Let’s be honest, a week ago we were all thinking that State was going to prove themselves in Starkville. We were going to beat a SEC team and truly make this season special.

Then State lost the game…

Then they lost Wilson and Fagan…

And, collectively, WPN lost their minds…

But the double-edged sword of sports is, you always get your hopes up again. Here’s some reasons we shouldn’t be panicking yet.

 

1) Depth beyond Wilson and Fagan

The news earlier in the week was a complete sucker punch. While it didn’t look good with Wilson in an air cast Saturday night, by no means did it seem he was done for the year. The same could be said for Fagan.

They are both huge losses, don’t get me wrong, but I’m also in love with this secondary and LB crew, as a whole. There’s a reason Isaiah Moore has worn the coveted 1 jersey for back-to-back seasons. And if there is anybody that could go from great to absolute monster, it’s sophomore Drake Thomas. The direct replacement is Jaylon Scott and I really think he takes advantage of increased minutes, as he did towards the end of last season.

Out of the two, I actually think Fagan was the bigger loss. He looked awesome and the secondary room is slightly smaller than the LB core. But that’s not to say that Tanner Ingle is going to slowdown AT ALL. Jakeen Harris is going to have to play next level and a group of young guys have to take it up a notch.

In short, the losses hurt…but this most certainly isn’t the end of the world with the depth that State has in those positional groups.

 

2) As long as State doesn’t lose to…State

I brought it up once and I’ll bring it up again; NC State was the reason for the loss in Starkville, not Miss State being the better team. Everybody, to a man, would say that the Wolfpack’s speed and size matched up more than equally to SEC’s Miss State. Redzone struggles, unimaginative play calling and sloppy preparation is what was the nail(s) in the Pack coffin.

Leary looked lost under the road lights, but maybe home cooking will do him well. The running game is going to get a whole lotta carries to get back in stride. Plus, you know the defense is ready to handle the pressure. This isn’t a team that’s in search of an identity, they just need to accept they are a straightforward, meat and potatoes group that needs to play all out, downhill football.

 

2B) Schedule

As a continuation of sorts; Things could be worse in the schedule department.

Furman should be a win…LA Tech is solid but State should take care of that game too. Can we steal one away from Clemson? BC just lost their stud QB. I don’t think it’s crazy to think about State, in the very near future, getting back on track. Hopefully they threw away whatever the hell they were trying to do in Starkville and gets back to Wolfpack football.

The ACC is more than suspect this year and the home/road balance is nice for State. Take these three straight games at Carter-Finley and make them count.

 

3) Coaching Mindset Change

Can’t wait for a fired up WPN to have their eyeballs pop out due to extreme eyerolling when I say this…

I think Miss State game was a serious wakeup call for this coaching staff. Their career year just flashed before their eyes and there seemed to be a sense of “boy, did we f*ck that up” in many of the press conferences. Doeren said the normal “shooting themselves in the foot talk,” but I thought came back with a different tone later in the week.

Doeren is going to get this team ready. Beck is going to get more creative. This team is going to change from “we can do this” to “we need to do this”. There is a next man up feeling in the air, that is elevated by players knowing mediocrity is no longer acceptable.

I just think the Miss State was needed to reach this next level…which is sad, but true.

 

Let’s get rolling again. #GoPack

 

 

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Passionate State fan that just wants to win...something...like anything...

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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 hours 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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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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