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We continue to examine this week’s matchup with Louisville with an in depth examination of the Cardinals impact defensive players.  In case you missed it, be sure to check our Louisville skill position preview.

Defensive Line

  • Defensive End Sheldon Rankins 6’2″/303 lbs (28 tackles, 3 TFL, 3 Sacks)
  • Nose Tackle DeAngelo Brown 6’1″/308 lbs (17 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 1 Sack)
  • Defensive End Pio Vatuvei 6’2″/296 lbs (11 tackles)

To run a 3-4 defense effectively, the defensive line has to be able to occupy a lot of space, and create a significant push.  This unit does just that.  Rankins is the unquestioned headliner of the group.  Pro Football Focus listed him as the 8th best returning prospect in all of college football.  Rankins will start the game lined up at end, but will routinely shift to the interior throughout the game.  Vatuvei and Brown are talented players in their own right, but do not present the type of challenge that Rankins does.

Keys to Containment

Every snap, Sheldon Rankins is going to have to be accounted for.  The line will need to adjust to him on a play-by-play basis.  Rankins has more of an interior lineman skill set, which is a good match up for NCState Left Tackle Joe Thuney.  The Pack’s offensive line will need to generate an early push for the run game and set the tone early.  Also due to the nature of Louisville’s defense I would not be surprised to see Offensive Coordinator Matt Canada run some interesting plays with unbalanced lines.

Linebackers

  • Outside Linebacker Keith Brown 6’1″/237 lbs (20 tackles, 1 TFL)
  • Inside Linebacker Keith Kelsey 6’1″/236 lbs (40 tackles, 4 TFL, 2 Sacks)
  • Inside Linebacker James Burgess 6’0″/229 lbs (34 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 1 INT)
  • Outside Linebacker DeVonte Fields 6’4″/245 lbs (20 tackles, 4 TFL)

This is a versatile set of linebackers.  They all do a lot of things well.  It’s an athletic group, with pretty much all of them having the speed to get sideline-to-sideline.  This a bit of concern, as NC State likes to run sweeps and counters outside.  Kelsey is a future NFL player who flies to the ball and always makes plays.  You will hear his name called a lot on Saturday.  Burgess is a Senior who is dependable.  Fields may actually be the cream of the crop.  He is a tenacious pass rusher, and has elite size for the position.  Fields was the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year as a Freshman at TCU in 2012.

Keys to containment

Expect the unexpected.  All four linebackers are interchangeable, and they will all be blitzing at some point.  Tight Ends and Fullbacks are going to have to block well.  Whether it is Running Back Matt Dayes picking up a free rusher in pass pro, or Tight End Cole Cook sealing the edge, they are going to have to be on point.  I would expect them to continue to utilize misdirection plays in this match-up.  The Linebackers are aggressive, so if NC State can get them to commit one way and run the other, BIG lanes will open up.

The Secondary

  • Cornerback Trumaine Washington 5’10″/183 lbs (18 tackles, 2 INT, 1 FF)
  • Cornerback Shaq Wiggins  5’10″/171 lbs (11 tackles, 1 INT)
  • Safety Josh Harvey-Clemons 6’5/ 230 lbs (38 tackles, 2 INT)
  • Safety Chucky Williams 6’2″/204 lbs (16 tackles, 1 TFL, 2 INT)

This secondary has some of the best ball skills in the nation.  They are also aggressive, and can sometimes sell out for the big play.  Washington and Wiggins lack ideal size, but are good athletes.  The safeties are what stick out to me about this group.  Both have good size, and are extremely versatile.  Chucky Williams is no slouch, but Harvey-Williams is a stud.  He is huge for a Safety, but still moves well.  He was a five-star kid coming out of high school, and has lived up to the hype.

Keys to containment

Aggressive is the key word for this defense, and it continues in the secondary.  The Pack’s wideouts will have to make some plays.  Wide Receiver Jumichael Ramos could have a big game if he gets man coverage against one of their CBs.  If NC State’s Wide Receivers get separation it is imperative that they are sure handed.  Easy plays will not happen to often against this unit.

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NC State Football

Colorado DT Transfer Chazz Wallace is Taking an Official Visit to NC State Tomorrow

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11 hours ago

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May 6, 2024

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NC State has offered Colorado Defensive Tackle Transfer Chazz Wallace (6’2″/295), and he confirmed with me that he will be taking an Official Visit to Raleigh tomorrow.

Wallace played in 10 games for Coach Prime this past season, starting in 4. He finished with 11 tackles and 1.5 sacks. His PFF Grade was 56.4.

Prior to Colorado, Wallace spent his first three years at Old Dominion.

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NC State Football

NC State Offers FCS DT Brandon Lane

Published

21 hours ago

on

May 6, 2024

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NC State offered Stephen F. Austin (FCS) Transfer Defensive Tackle Brandon Lane (6’3″/300) yesterday.

Lane started in 6 of the 11 games he played in for Stephen F. Austin this past season. He finished the year with 44 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. His PFF Grade was 74.6, which ranked 4th on the Lumberjacks Defense. His 79.9 Run Defense Grade ranked 3rd on the team. In 2022, Lane played 7 games as a reserve for Stephen F. Austin, recording 11 tackles 2.5 tackles for loss and 1 sack.

Lane spent his first two collegiate seasons at South Dakota State (2000-21). In 2000, he played in 1 game. In 2021, he played in 3 games as a reserve for the Jackrabbits. The 2000 season was the Covid Year, and the 2021 season was his redshirt year. As a result, Lane still has two years of eligibility remaining.

Around a week-and-a-half ago, Lane committed to Michigan St., but then he decommitted from the Spartans on May 2nd.

I don’t think Michigan St. is necessarily off the table, and he has visited Washington and West Virginia.

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NC State Football

Congrats to NC State Football’s Spring Graduates!

Published

4 days ago

on

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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4 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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