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Junior Matt Dayes will be starting at running back for the Wolfpack against Troy.  When people think about NC State’s offense, they often think of Jacoby Brissett and Shadrach Thornton, but it was Dayes who won the Torry Holt Award for the best Offensive Player on the team last year.  Dayes led the Wolfpack with 13 touchdowns in 2014, which was also good for 3rd in the ACC.  He also led the team with 1,278 all purpose yards.  In fact, Dayes was one of just three players nationally with more than 300 yards rushing, receiving and by return.  He is the only player to reach those marks and also boast 5 or more touchdowns rushing and receiving.
Everyone has been talking about the arrival of True Freshman Reggie Gallaspy & Johnny Frasier, and no one is talking about RS Sophomore Dawka Nichols, who sits second on the depth chart for the Troy game ahead of Gallaspy.  Nichols only had 11 carries as a Freshman, but he racked up 66 yards in the small sample size.  Last season the Wolfpack also used Nichols to return kicks at the end of the season, and have lined him up as a slot receiver in camp.  He brings a lot of versatility to the position.
True Freshman Reggie Gallaspy enrolled early and took full advantage of it.  He rushed for 131 yards in the Kay Yow Spring Game in April, averaging 9.2 yards per carry.  As a Senior at South Guilford last year (4-star recruit), he led the state of North Carolina with 3,318 yards (9.5 ypc) and 52 touchdowns.  Gallaspy heads into the Troy game as the 3rd string running back.
Jacoby Brissett had one of the best single seasons of any quarterback in NC State history.  He had 2,606 passing yards (10th), 23 touchdowns (7th), and a 136.7 passing efficiency rating (5th).  Brissett is one of 8 quarterbacks in the past 5 years to pass for 2,000+ yards, rush for 300+ yards, throw 20+ touchdowns and 5 or less interceptions in a season.  What no one really talks about because he is a Senior, is that he did all of that as a first year full-time starter.
Jalan McClendon is entering his redshirt freshman season at quarterback. He was a 4-star prospect out of West Mecklenburg High School (Charlotte, NC), and the 248th overall player in the 2014 recruiting class according to Scout.com.  Doeren has spoken highly of McClendon’s improvement since the Spring, and how much more confident they are entering this season having depth at the quarterback position.
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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

FAU Transfer Defensive Tackle Decarius Hawthorne is Taking an Official Visit to NC State Next Week

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10 hours ago

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May 4, 2024

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FAU Defensive Tackle Transfer Decarius Hawthorne (6’2″/295) confirmed with me that he is taking an Official Visit to NC State next week, beginning on Tuesday. Arkansas is expected to host him on Sunday.

Hawthorne entered the Portal on April 26th.

This past season, Hawthorne had 18 tackles, 7 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks in 12 games for the Owls. All of those numbers were career highs for Hawthorne.

ON3 ranks Hawthorne as a 3-Star prospect in the Transfer Portal, and the #46 Defensive Lineman in the Portal.

NC State is in desperate need for depth at Nose Tackle. They return Junior Brandon Cleveland and Redshirt Sophomore DJ Jackson, and True Freshman Justin Terrell will arrive in the Fall.

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NC State Football

Congrats to NC State Football’s Spring Graduates!

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1 day 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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1 day 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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2 days ago

on

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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