Saturday, September 2
Charlotte, NC
3 p.m.
NC State
vs
South Carolina
Wolfpack Opens 2017 Campaign Against South Carolina
9/1/2017 9:45:00 AM | Football
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RALEIGH, N.C. - The NC State football team will be facing its most challenging opening-day test of the coach Dave Doeren era on Saturday afternoon when it clashes with South Carolina at 3 p.m. from Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. But perhaps the timing couldn't be better given the fact that the 5th-year head coach of the Pack will field his most experienced, talented team in 2017.
This squad, he believes, is prepared both mentally and physically for such a difficult assignment in the first game of the 2017 campaign.
"I think the timing was right to play our best opening day opponent we've played since I've been here just because of the experience we have at most positions," Doeren said. "Any time you have a returning starter at quarterback, and a lot of your linemen back (on both sides of the ball), and a lot skill players back on offense, it gives you a good feeling. It's a long, agonizing wait to get to the kickoff of that first game just because you're so excited to see the guys play."
Doeren, in fact, has been excited to see this team perform since watching the Wolfpack piece together a strong finish last year. Winners of three of its last four, the Pack played its best football in the end of the season win at North Carolina and an impressive triumph over Vanderbilt in the Independence Bowl. A total of 18 starters return from last season, including 11 battle-tested seniors.
The NC State roster is comprised of 19 players who hail from the Charlotte area. The core members of that group were a part of Doeren's first full recruiting class, a haul that has built a solid foundation around which this team is constructed. Guard Tony Adams, center Garrett Bradbury, defensive tackle B.J. Hill, H-back Jaylen Samuels, corner Mike Stevens (injured) and back-up quarterback Jalan McClendon opened up a Charlotte-to-Raleigh pipeline that still exists today when the joined the Pack program in 2014.
Fullbacks and tight ends coach Eddie Faulkner demonstrated his eye for talent when he identified Hill and Samuels as ACC-caliber players at a time when neither was being heavily recruited by a lot of major schools.
"I think he's one of the best recruiters in the country at building relationships and identifying players that fit at State," Doeren said. "We had some connections [in Charlotte] when I was an assistant at Wisconsin. I recruited several linebackers from the Charlotte area, so I would come to Charlotte and visit those guys. I got to know the area and some of the coaches."
Doeren and the Wolfpack will be squaring off against a South Carolina coaching staff that would also like to generate some recruiting success in the Charlotte area. The Gamecocks are starting their second season under Will Muschamp, who spent four years at Florida before taking over in Columbia. Muschamp's first team finished 6-7 after falling to South Florida in the Birmingham Bowl last year.
The Gamecocks are hitching their hopes on an offense that returns 10 starters, including sophomore quarterback Jake Bentley and big-play receiver/return man Deebo Samuel. As a freshman in the defense-heavy SEC, Bentley completed nearly 66 percent of his throws for an average of 203 yards per game. Samuel averaged 13.1 yards per reception on 59 catches a year ago.
Bentley's success or failure on Saturday will likely hinge on South Carolina's ability to pass protect against NC State's senior-laden defensive line headed up by preseason All-American defensive end Bradley Chubb.
"You look at their front four and one of their backups, they have five draft picks," Muschamp said. "They're outstanding in their front seven."
The Gamecocks hope to see offensive line improvement after yielding 41 sacks in 2016. On the flip side, players who accounted for 91.9 percent of NC State's 37 sacks on defense a year ago will be on the field again for the Pack on Saturday.
In the absence of Stevens, a senior, the Wolfpack will be starting sophomore Nick McCloud and converted wide receiver Jonathan Alston at the corner spots.
"Pass rush is the defensive back's best friend, always has been and always will be, regardless of the talent." said Doeren. "It all ties together: the better the coverage, the better the rush and the better the rush, the better the coverage. We know they're going to spread us out at times and put everybody in a position where they've got to cover. All of those guys on the back end are going to have to perform well."
The Wolfpack Sports Network will begin pregame coverage on Saturday starting with the Matthews Motors Pregame Show at 1 p.m. In the second hour of the pregame, Gary Hahn, Johnny Evans and Tony Haynes take over from the booth. Once again this season, Evans, a former Wolfpack All-American, will take questions from fans about Pack football on 'Ask the Analyst.' Send Johnny questions on Twitter @packradio or click HERE to sumbit your question.
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| NC State (0-0) vs. South Carolina (0-0) | |
| Date | Saturday, Sept. 2 |
| Time | 3 p.m. |
| Location | Charlotte, N.C. |
| Stadium | Bank of America Stadium |
| TV | ESPN |
| Radio in NC | Wolfpack Sports Network |
| National Radio | Tunein, Sirius 380, XM 967 |
| Live Stats | GoPack.com |
| Social Media | @PackFootball, PackFootball |
RALEIGH, N.C. - The NC State football team will be facing its most challenging opening-day test of the coach Dave Doeren era on Saturday afternoon when it clashes with South Carolina at 3 p.m. from Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. But perhaps the timing couldn't be better given the fact that the 5th-year head coach of the Pack will field his most experienced, talented team in 2017.
This squad, he believes, is prepared both mentally and physically for such a difficult assignment in the first game of the 2017 campaign.
"I think the timing was right to play our best opening day opponent we've played since I've been here just because of the experience we have at most positions," Doeren said. "Any time you have a returning starter at quarterback, and a lot of your linemen back (on both sides of the ball), and a lot skill players back on offense, it gives you a good feeling. It's a long, agonizing wait to get to the kickoff of that first game just because you're so excited to see the guys play."
Doeren, in fact, has been excited to see this team perform since watching the Wolfpack piece together a strong finish last year. Winners of three of its last four, the Pack played its best football in the end of the season win at North Carolina and an impressive triumph over Vanderbilt in the Independence Bowl. A total of 18 starters return from last season, including 11 battle-tested seniors.
The NC State roster is comprised of 19 players who hail from the Charlotte area. The core members of that group were a part of Doeren's first full recruiting class, a haul that has built a solid foundation around which this team is constructed. Guard Tony Adams, center Garrett Bradbury, defensive tackle B.J. Hill, H-back Jaylen Samuels, corner Mike Stevens (injured) and back-up quarterback Jalan McClendon opened up a Charlotte-to-Raleigh pipeline that still exists today when the joined the Pack program in 2014.
Fullbacks and tight ends coach Eddie Faulkner demonstrated his eye for talent when he identified Hill and Samuels as ACC-caliber players at a time when neither was being heavily recruited by a lot of major schools.
"I think he's one of the best recruiters in the country at building relationships and identifying players that fit at State," Doeren said. "We had some connections [in Charlotte] when I was an assistant at Wisconsin. I recruited several linebackers from the Charlotte area, so I would come to Charlotte and visit those guys. I got to know the area and some of the coaches."
Doeren and the Wolfpack will be squaring off against a South Carolina coaching staff that would also like to generate some recruiting success in the Charlotte area. The Gamecocks are starting their second season under Will Muschamp, who spent four years at Florida before taking over in Columbia. Muschamp's first team finished 6-7 after falling to South Florida in the Birmingham Bowl last year.
The Gamecocks are hitching their hopes on an offense that returns 10 starters, including sophomore quarterback Jake Bentley and big-play receiver/return man Deebo Samuel. As a freshman in the defense-heavy SEC, Bentley completed nearly 66 percent of his throws for an average of 203 yards per game. Samuel averaged 13.1 yards per reception on 59 catches a year ago.
Bentley's success or failure on Saturday will likely hinge on South Carolina's ability to pass protect against NC State's senior-laden defensive line headed up by preseason All-American defensive end Bradley Chubb.
"You look at their front four and one of their backups, they have five draft picks," Muschamp said. "They're outstanding in their front seven."
The Gamecocks hope to see offensive line improvement after yielding 41 sacks in 2016. On the flip side, players who accounted for 91.9 percent of NC State's 37 sacks on defense a year ago will be on the field again for the Pack on Saturday.
In the absence of Stevens, a senior, the Wolfpack will be starting sophomore Nick McCloud and converted wide receiver Jonathan Alston at the corner spots.
"Pass rush is the defensive back's best friend, always has been and always will be, regardless of the talent." said Doeren. "It all ties together: the better the coverage, the better the rush and the better the rush, the better the coverage. We know they're going to spread us out at times and put everybody in a position where they've got to cover. All of those guys on the back end are going to have to perform well."
The Wolfpack Sports Network will begin pregame coverage on Saturday starting with the Matthews Motors Pregame Show at 1 p.m. In the second hour of the pregame, Gary Hahn, Johnny Evans and Tony Haynes take over from the booth. Once again this season, Evans, a former Wolfpack All-American, will take questions from fans about Pack football on 'Ask the Analyst.' Send Johnny questions on Twitter @packradio or click HERE to sumbit your question.
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Players Mentioned
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CB
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