NC State Football
That was an Offensive Nightmare…This Offense is a Nightmare
NC State’s offensive performance against Louisville tonight was a nightmare.
The Wolfpack had 13 drives, and 6 of them were 3-and-outs. They averaged 15 yards per drive.
Brennan Armstrong completed 13 of his 25 passes for 112 yards. He had 0 touchdowns, 2 interceptions and a lost fumble. His passing efficiency rating was 73.6, which is his lowest rating in his collegiate career as a starting quarterback.
The Offensive Line was a mess. There was nowhere for running backs to run, and Armstrong was continually under fire. Wide Receivers weren’t creating enough separation. Brennan Armstrong looked like he didn’t belong on a college football field. The offensive play calling was predictable and painful to watch.
What makes tonight’s performance concerning is the fact that they weren’t facing a lockdown Louisville defense. The Cardinal’s defense is average at best. They gave up 28 points and 427 yards of offense to Boston College. They gave up 34 points and 488 yards of offense to Georgia Tech.
Let’s be honest, tonights performance simply brought to light just how bad the Wolfpack offense has been through 4 games.
Offensive Coordinator Robert Anae was supposed to be an offensive genie. As it currently stands, he’s not making any wishes come true.
Here’s the truth. This is the worst NC State’s offense has looked under Dave Doeren.
The Wolfpack is averaging 345.2 yards of total offense through 5 games. That’s the lowest mark through the first 5 games since Doeren took the job in 2013. Yes, that includes the 2013 season and the 2019 season.
Armstrong’s passing efficiency rating through 5 games is 112.54. I know it’s not fair, because there are more games to play, and he can improve that number, but here’s how bad that number is. Pete Thomas and Brandon Mitchell both posted better passing efficiency rating numbers in 2013 in Doeren’s first year when NC State went 3-9.
Unless personnel changes are made on offense, and unless Anae goes back to the drawing board, this isn’t going to be an NC State team that even makes a bowl game.
CBS Sports released their Top-25 Power 4 Coaches in College Football, and NC State’s Dave Doeren came in at #16. Heading into last season, he went into the season ranked #25.
16) Dave Doeren: The NC State coach finally gets some overdue credit. He’s always hovered around the bottom of our top 25 or just outside it, and now he finds himself firmly entrenched in it thanks to all the changes at the top. Coaches who take mid-tier programs and overachieve never get enough credit, in my estimation, and the consistency Doeren has established at NC State — where he spent most of his time in a division with Clemson and Florida State — is one of the most impressive things any coach in the country has done. I’m glad to see Doeren getting closer to the top 15. 2023 rank: 25 (+9) (CBS Sports)
Numerous CBS Sports’ analysts voted in the poll, and Tom Fornelli actually ranked Doeren #8.
ACC Coaches that made the Top-25
3. Dabo Swinney (Clemson)
8. Mike Norvell (FSU)
16. Dave Doeren (NC State)
19. Jeff Brohm (Louisville)
Kickoff time and TV Channel details have been revealed for NC State and Tennessee’s game in the Duke Mayo Classic in Week 2 of next season.
The game will be a primetime game on Saturday 7th, at 7:30pm on ABC.
This game has the makings to be a Top-25 matchup.
Here’s a look at some of the Way-Too-Early Preseason rankings for the Wolfpack and the Volunteers:
Action Network: NC State #24/Tennessee #17
ON3: NC State #22/Tennessee #15
247: NC State #21/Tennessee #11
ESPN: NC State #17/Tennessee #15
DraftKings released their way-too-early odds for the game, and Tennessee is currently a 5.5-point favorite.
Here’s the deal, as NC State fans, if we want to be a big time Football program, NC State fans need to gobble up tickets to this game. Let’s do our part and make sure that Bank of America Stadium is painted RED. Buy Tickets HERE.
NC State announced this morning that the Wolfpack and UVA will play in a home-and-home non-conference series, with the game in 2025 being in Raleigh, and the game in 2026 being in Charlottesville.
To reiterate, despite the fact that both teams are in the ACC, these games are considered non-conference games, and won’t count toward conference records. This is similar to what UNC and Wake Forest did a few years back.
Here’s what’s interesting about the addition of these games in 2025 and 2026. Prior to the announcement, NC State already had 4 non-conference games scheduled for both years.
It would be my assumption that one of the previously scheduled non-conference games for each season will not take place now.
Here’s a look at NC State’s 2024 Transfer Class Rankings after the commitment of Ohio St. Safety Transfer Ja’Had Carter yesterday.
The Wolfpack’s class. is still ranked 7th nationally by ON3.
Over at 247Sports, NC State’s 2024 class stayed put at #18, but over at Rivals the class jumped up 4 spots, landing at #24.
NC State’s 2024 Transfer Class
Ohio St. S Ja’Had Carter
Akron S Kerry Martin Jr.
Colorado NT Chazz Wallace
Auburn S Donovan Kaufman
Oklahoma RB Daylan Smothers
Villanova CB Devon Marshall
Ohio State WR Noah Rogers
Duke RB Jordan Waters
Maryland DB Tamarcus Cooley
Maryland CB Corey Coley Jr.
UCONN TE Justin Joly
Coastal Carolina QB Grayson McCall
Wake Forest WR Wesley Grimes
Notre Dame C Zeke Correll
Missouri OL Valen Erickson
#17 NC State Walks It Off in 14-3 Mercy Rule Win Over #8 Wake Forest in Series Opener
CBS Sports Ranks Dave Doeren as 1 of the Top-20 Coaches in College Football
Previewing #17 NC State vs. #8 Wake Forest
Former NC State Punter Trenton Gill Signs with Denver
A Bracketology Update Prior to the Start of the #17 NC State vs. #8 Wake Forest Series Tonight
NC State’s Current 2024 Football Scholarship Breakdown
The Roster for the NC State Men’s Basketball Team is all but Set Heading into 2024-25
Proposed Bill in the NC House Would Require NC State & UNC To Play One Another, as well as ECU, UNCC and App St.
NC State Makes Top-4 for Georgia Transfer Center Frank Anselem-Ibe, Decision Coming Tuesday
Georgia Center Transfer Frank Anselem-Ibe Visited NC State this Week
2024 NC State Commit Trey Parker Finishes 2nd in OTE Dunk Contest
VIDEO BREAKDOWN: Was BYU 3 point barrage unstoppable, or was NC State’s defense to blame? You decide.
VIDEO: Terquavion Smith GOES OFF in G-League Debut with 37 points & 8 Boards
NC State lands combo guard DJ Horne from the portal
That’s a very honest/objective take. Beyond awful. And in last week’s press confrence DD had the audacity to say “you should be happy we’re 3-1”; totally dismissing these concerns. I wish I knew how many games I’ve seen the Pack start games going 3 and out due to incredibly conservative play calling. I do not know if this is a DD issue (he meddles to much in the offensive game plan) or a Tim Beck/Anae plus QB thing. Armstrong/Anae have been good elsewhere…and Leary seems to be doing well this year at UK, when he was struggling last year. Why… Read more »
MJ Morris please. Armstrong is getting worse – decision making and inaccurate throws are so painful to watch.
Brennan has made some good, on the mark throws this year but he’s also been inaccurate and missed a good number that THIS team cannot afford. Even the radio guys seemed flabbergasted after the series where he threw 2 deep balls out of bounds and not catchable. Johnny commented that “you have to give your guys a chance to make a play.”