Improving Defense Faces Challenge on Saturday
10/4/2016 8:39:00 AM | Football
RALEIGH, N.C. - Maybe going unnoticed the last couple of games has been the improvement of the Wolfpack's defense. But that same improving group will be put to the test over the next month of the season, starting this Saturday when Notre Dame visits Carter-Finley Stadium for the first-ever regular season meeting between the two schools.
The Fighting Irish will bring to Raleigh one of the top offenses in the nation, a common trend NC State will be facing over the next few weeks with back-to-back road games at No. 3 Clemson and then No. 7 Louisville looming for NC State as October football gets underway.
"They (Notre Dame) have probably the best offensive line we will see all season," said NC State head coach Dave Doeren. "They are big, they do a lot of good things.
"They have players at wide receiver to go along with a very good quarterback who is playing his very, very best football right now. If they want to run, the have big backs."
The Irish rank 23rd in total offense nationally, doing most of their damage through the air averaging 327.8 yards per game (15th in the NCAA) while recording 14 TD passes (13th in the NCAA).
"They have a lot of really good personnel on offense," said Doeren. "They are scoring a ton of points, putting up almost 40 points and 500 yards of offense per game. They have weapons, and they can score fast. It's a tough matchup, despite the progress we've made."
That progress is evident in the two wins since NC State fell at East Carolina in the second week of the season.
In the last two wins over Old Dominion and Wake Forest, the Pack defense has allowed just 19.0 points per game in those home wins. NC State held the Monarchs and Demon Deacons to 336.5 yards of total offense, including just 93.0 yards on the ground, and registered a total of nine sacks, after recording just two total in the first two games of 2016.
A fast start will surely help the Pack's efforts in defeating Notre Dame. In those last two wins, the Pack outscored ODU and Wake a combined 24-0 in the first quarter, as the defense limited the two teams to a combined 87 yards of total offense, just 16 on the ground, in the opening 15 minutes.
"We have definitely gotten better, we have learned from our mistakes," said linebacker Airius Moore. "The Wake Forest game showed our growth, now we need to continue to improve."
Entering its fifth game of the season, NC State ranks 13th nationally in rushing defense, holding opponents to 99.0 yards per game on the ground. Both William & Mary (62) and Wake Forest (69) were held to less then 70 yards on the ground.
Overall, NC State will try to stop the Irish attack with the No. 21 ranked defense nationally, one that allows just 321.5 yards per game. And while the Irish are averaging almost three TD passes a contest, the NC State defense has surrendered just five total through he first four games.
"We pride ourselves on stopping the run," said Moore. "That makes offenses we face more one-dimensional when they have to rely on the pass. When we do have to cover, we have to stay on the wide receivers."
One key weapon on the Wolfpack defense will be unable to play in the first half on Saturday. Starting strong safety Shawn Boone will miss the first two quarters of the Notre Dame contest, after he was called for targeting in the second half of the Wake Forest win. While he provided deep support in the passing game in coverage, Boone is also one of the Pack's surest tacklers. According to PPF College Football, Boone did not miss a tackle in his 163 snaps played prior to the Wake Forest game, best of any ACC safety.
In his place, NC State will have to rely on a pair of younger players who have seen time extensively on special teams during their Wolfpack careers, combining for a total of just 33 career snaps in 18 games played - redshirt freshman Jarius Morehead and redshirt sophomore Dexter Wright.
"(Jarius) Morehead has played a lot more lately, (I'm) glad he has gotten those reps on defense the last two games," said Doeren. "Dexter (Wright) is back and fully healthy, and we will have to train him to play both (safety) spots.
Morehead has played all of the 33 snaps on defense between the two, but 27 have come over the last two weeks. Wright missed the first three games of the season due to injury, but returned to play on special teams against Wake Forest.
"They (Notre Dame) have a ton of formations, and do a lot of moving, so we have to be ready," said Doeren. "We have to go make plays on the ball, win some one-on-one battles. We have to really matchup with them, and play with good fundamentals."
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The Fighting Irish will bring to Raleigh one of the top offenses in the nation, a common trend NC State will be facing over the next few weeks with back-to-back road games at No. 3 Clemson and then No. 7 Louisville looming for NC State as October football gets underway.
"They (Notre Dame) have probably the best offensive line we will see all season," said NC State head coach Dave Doeren. "They are big, they do a lot of good things.
"They have players at wide receiver to go along with a very good quarterback who is playing his very, very best football right now. If they want to run, the have big backs."
The Irish rank 23rd in total offense nationally, doing most of their damage through the air averaging 327.8 yards per game (15th in the NCAA) while recording 14 TD passes (13th in the NCAA).
"They have a lot of really good personnel on offense," said Doeren. "They are scoring a ton of points, putting up almost 40 points and 500 yards of offense per game. They have weapons, and they can score fast. It's a tough matchup, despite the progress we've made."
That progress is evident in the two wins since NC State fell at East Carolina in the second week of the season.
In the last two wins over Old Dominion and Wake Forest, the Pack defense has allowed just 19.0 points per game in those home wins. NC State held the Monarchs and Demon Deacons to 336.5 yards of total offense, including just 93.0 yards on the ground, and registered a total of nine sacks, after recording just two total in the first two games of 2016.
A fast start will surely help the Pack's efforts in defeating Notre Dame. In those last two wins, the Pack outscored ODU and Wake a combined 24-0 in the first quarter, as the defense limited the two teams to a combined 87 yards of total offense, just 16 on the ground, in the opening 15 minutes.
"We have definitely gotten better, we have learned from our mistakes," said linebacker Airius Moore. "The Wake Forest game showed our growth, now we need to continue to improve."
Entering its fifth game of the season, NC State ranks 13th nationally in rushing defense, holding opponents to 99.0 yards per game on the ground. Both William & Mary (62) and Wake Forest (69) were held to less then 70 yards on the ground.
Overall, NC State will try to stop the Irish attack with the No. 21 ranked defense nationally, one that allows just 321.5 yards per game. And while the Irish are averaging almost three TD passes a contest, the NC State defense has surrendered just five total through he first four games.
"We pride ourselves on stopping the run," said Moore. "That makes offenses we face more one-dimensional when they have to rely on the pass. When we do have to cover, we have to stay on the wide receivers."
One key weapon on the Wolfpack defense will be unable to play in the first half on Saturday. Starting strong safety Shawn Boone will miss the first two quarters of the Notre Dame contest, after he was called for targeting in the second half of the Wake Forest win. While he provided deep support in the passing game in coverage, Boone is also one of the Pack's surest tacklers. According to PPF College Football, Boone did not miss a tackle in his 163 snaps played prior to the Wake Forest game, best of any ACC safety.
In his place, NC State will have to rely on a pair of younger players who have seen time extensively on special teams during their Wolfpack careers, combining for a total of just 33 career snaps in 18 games played - redshirt freshman Jarius Morehead and redshirt sophomore Dexter Wright.
"(Jarius) Morehead has played a lot more lately, (I'm) glad he has gotten those reps on defense the last two games," said Doeren. "Dexter (Wright) is back and fully healthy, and we will have to train him to play both (safety) spots.
Morehead has played all of the 33 snaps on defense between the two, but 27 have come over the last two weeks. Wright missed the first three games of the season due to injury, but returned to play on special teams against Wake Forest.
"They (Notre Dame) have a ton of formations, and do a lot of moving, so we have to be ready," said Doeren. "We have to go make plays on the ball, win some one-on-one battles. We have to really matchup with them, and play with good fundamentals."
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