North Carolina State University Athletics
North Carolina State Shuts Out Richmond, 42-0
9/4/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 4, 2004
By KEITH PARSONS
AP Sports Writer
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Jay Davis threw two touchdown passes in his first chance as Philip Rivers' replacement, leading North Carolina State past Division I-AA Richmond 42-0 Saturday night.
The Wolfpack blocked a punt for another TD and had two interceptions in a dominating performance, despite missing two of their best players. Tramain Hall and Brian Clark each caught scoring passes, and John Deraney kicked two field goals.
Davis finished 16 of 22 for 168 yards, almost matching his total from the previous two seasons (177).
The Wolfpack were without star tailback T.A. McLendon, who sat out with a strained hamstring. Rover Andre Maddox, the leading returning tackler a year ago, missed the game with the same injury.
They were hardly missed. The Spiders, 2-9 last season, managed only 167 total yards in their first game under new coach Dave Clawson and advanced past midfield only three times.
Rivers, now a quarterback for the San Diego Chargers, set an NCAA record with 51 career starts at N.C. State, leaving as the second-leading passer in NCAA history with 13,484 yards. He led his team to victory and was named MVP in all five bowl games in which he played, including the Senior Bowl.
Davis beat out Marcus Stone for the job in preseason practice and looked sharp on Saturday against the obviously less-talented Spiders. He completed six of his first seven passes, including an 11-yarder to Richard Washington on fourth-and-3 on the second possession.
Later in the first quarter, he threw a 14-yard pass to John Ritcher on third-and-7, then capped the drive with a 17-yard scoring toss to Hall.
Davis' second TD pass was a beauty. He lofted a perfect spiral toward the right sideline, hitting Clark in the corner of the end zone.
Stone took over in the second half and was 8 for 10 for 61 yards.
Richmond's best scoring opportunity came after Reggie Davis fumbled the kickoff to start the second half, and Stephen Howell recovered for the Spiders at the 31. After Stacy Tutt converted one fourth down with a quarterback sneak to keep the drive alive, Joseph Fore missed a 43-yard field goal, and Richmond never threatened again.
Tutt completed 10-of-26 passes for 63 yards.
