North Carolina State University Athletics
Pack to Contend with Louisville's Top-ranked Defense
10/17/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 17, 2014
RALEIGH, N.C. - A few weeks ago, NC State encountered a stifling defense when it played at Clemson. On Saturday, the statistics suggest that the Wolfpack (4-3) will be facing an even better defensive unit when it travels to Louisville (5-2).
The Wolfpack and Cardinals square off at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium. Game time is set for 3:30 p.m. and will be broadcast by RSN.
“Louisville has a really good defense,” said NC State head coach Dave Doeren. “They’re going to pressure a lot, they mix their coverages, they have multiple fronts and their defensive coordinator is really good. It’s going to be a great challenge. I know our offensive coaches are excited about the challenge and our players will be too.”
Although Louisville lost seven defensive starters off last year’s team, coordinator Todd Grantham has done a masterful job of filling the holes. The Cardinals lead the nation in total defense (230.7), defense against the run (60.3), third down conversion defense (21%) and interceptions (14).
With pass rushers like linebacker Lorenzo Mauldin applying the heat, opposing quarterbacks have been rushing throws, allowing defensive backs like Gerod Holliman to jump routes in the secondary. Holliman, a safety, has seven of Louisville’s 14 picks through seven games.
For an NC State team that has struggled to keep quarterback Jacoby Brissett clean in back-to-back games against Clemson and Boston College, improved pass protection will be an essential element for success on Saturday.
“We have to give him more time back in the pocket so he can do what he does best,” said NC State tight end Benson Browne. “Even though he’s been great on his feet and making plays, that’s not our first option; we want him to get back there and be able to read things out.”
The correlation between the running game and pass protection was never more apparent than in NC State’s last two games. Over the first five weeks of the season, the Wolfpack was among the ACC’s top rushing teams, averaging better than 200 yards per contest. That success on the ground opened up play-action fakes that defenses had to honor, thus slowing down the pass rush, while also giving receivers a chance to get open behind linebackers who were sinking in to play the run.
But over its last two games, the Pack has averaged just 47 yards rushing. The end result has been much more pressure on Brissett and very little production out of the play-action passing game.
State has been at its best this year when there has been a fairly even split between run and pass, something Doeren and offensive coordinator Matt Canada have discussed this week. In last Saturday’s loss to Boston College, the Wolfpack averaged just 1.5 yards per carry on 28 rushing attempts. The Wolfpack tallied only 58 offensive plays against the blitz-happy Eagles, 30 of which were passes.
“In talking to Coach Canada, we both agreed that we should have run the ball more when things started going the other way,” Doeren said. “We thought we might bust one and get open, but we weren’t able to do it. If we could have run the ball and gotten them out of some of those coverages it would have been a different game.
“Our tailbacks are guys that can run the football and I believe in balance. You’ve got to be more balanced against those teams and if you run the ball into a blitz, you can pop one for a big gain. Then the play-action game opens up and you can get some chunks. Hopefully we can do that against a very good Louisville defense.”
Getting veteran left guard Joe Thuney back on the offensive line on Saturday will be a welcome sight for Doeren and his offensive coaches. With Thuney sidelined by illness the last four weeks, Alex Barr switched guard positions to fill the void, forcing true freshman Tony Adams into full-time duty on the other side. Thuney’s absence, in effect, had an impact on two positions. His return means NC State will again have the offensive line it started the season with in late August.
“He’s athletic, he gets good push and he and Rob Crisp have good chemistry with each other on the left side,” said Doeren. “He’s going to have to get back into game shape. He’s been running and lifting, but it’s different playing 80 plays with all the pushing and double-teaming you do. It’s fun having him back. He’s excited to be back on the field.”
At 5-2 overall, Louisville has dropped a pair of ACC games to Virginia and Clemson by a combined total of eight points. With the offense struggling, defense has carried the Cardinals through seven games. Coach Bobby Petrino has been searching for a consistent answer at quarterback, with Will Gardner and Reggie Bonnafon taking turns under center. Gardner is more of traditional pocket passer, while Bonnafon tends to do more damage with his athleticism. Either way, Petrino has not been pleased with an offense that currently averages 370 yards per game, a figure that ranks 13th in the ACC.
“We’re not happy about being 5-2,” said Petrino, who is in his second round as the Louisville coach. “You look back on it, we could be 7-0. That’s where we want to be and what we’re striving for. That’s just where I would rather be.”
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Mike Glennon stopped by NC State’s practice to say hello to some former teammates on Thursday morning. With the Bucs idle this weekend, the former Wolfpack quarterback decided to return to his old stomping grounds to offer encouragement. Perhaps Glennon was able to summon some memories from the last time NC State faced off against Louisville since it was in the 2011 Belk Bowl that he authored one of the best games of his career in the Pack’s 31-24 victory over the Cardinals. In capping his redshirt junior year, Glennon was named bowl MVP after throwing for 264 yards and three touchdowns.
Getting NC State back to a bowl is Doeren’s number one goal for this season. To make it happen, the Wolfpack must put the current three-game losing streak in the rear-view mirror and return to winning form quickly.
“We’re 4-3 and we’ve got a lot to play for,” Doeren said. “There are five games left and the reality is you have to win six to be bowl eligible. Our goal is to be a bowl eligible football team and to get 15 extra practices to help our young players and our older players. These guys have a lot to play for.”
The Wolfpack Sports Network gets its broadcast day started Saturday with the Matthews Motors Countdown to Kickoff beginning at 1:30 p.m. In hour two of the pregame show, color analyst and former Wolfpack All-American Johnny Evans takes questions from fans on Farm Bureau’s ‘Ask the Analyst.’ Johnny takes questions on Twitter @packradio or you can submit your questions here.
The Dave Doeren TV Show can be seen Sunday nights at 11:30 p.m. on WRAL TV-5 in Raleigh and WILM (CBS) in Wilmington. Online streaming of the show is also available Mondays on Gopack.com. For other viewing times and stations, go here.
Coach Doeren fields question about Pack football each week on his TV show. To forward a question, use hashtag #CoachDTV.
RSN Affiliates | Thursday Football Notebook
Game 8: NC State Wolfpack (4-3, 0-3) at Louisville Cardinals (5-2, 3-2)
October 18, 2014 • 3:30 p.m.
Louisville, Ky. • Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium (55,000)
Game Notes | @PackFootball Twitter | Ask the AnalystRALEIGH, N.C. - A few weeks ago, NC State encountered a stifling defense when it played at Clemson. On Saturday, the statistics suggest that the Wolfpack (4-3) will be facing an even better defensive unit when it travels to Louisville (5-2).
The Wolfpack and Cardinals square off at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium. Game time is set for 3:30 p.m. and will be broadcast by RSN.
“Louisville has a really good defense,” said NC State head coach Dave Doeren. “They’re going to pressure a lot, they mix their coverages, they have multiple fronts and their defensive coordinator is really good. It’s going to be a great challenge. I know our offensive coaches are excited about the challenge and our players will be too.”
Although Louisville lost seven defensive starters off last year’s team, coordinator Todd Grantham has done a masterful job of filling the holes. The Cardinals lead the nation in total defense (230.7), defense against the run (60.3), third down conversion defense (21%) and interceptions (14).
With pass rushers like linebacker Lorenzo Mauldin applying the heat, opposing quarterbacks have been rushing throws, allowing defensive backs like Gerod Holliman to jump routes in the secondary. Holliman, a safety, has seven of Louisville’s 14 picks through seven games.
For an NC State team that has struggled to keep quarterback Jacoby Brissett clean in back-to-back games against Clemson and Boston College, improved pass protection will be an essential element for success on Saturday.
“We have to give him more time back in the pocket so he can do what he does best,” said NC State tight end Benson Browne. “Even though he’s been great on his feet and making plays, that’s not our first option; we want him to get back there and be able to read things out.”
The correlation between the running game and pass protection was never more apparent than in NC State’s last two games. Over the first five weeks of the season, the Wolfpack was among the ACC’s top rushing teams, averaging better than 200 yards per contest. That success on the ground opened up play-action fakes that defenses had to honor, thus slowing down the pass rush, while also giving receivers a chance to get open behind linebackers who were sinking in to play the run.
But over its last two games, the Pack has averaged just 47 yards rushing. The end result has been much more pressure on Brissett and very little production out of the play-action passing game.
State has been at its best this year when there has been a fairly even split between run and pass, something Doeren and offensive coordinator Matt Canada have discussed this week. In last Saturday’s loss to Boston College, the Wolfpack averaged just 1.5 yards per carry on 28 rushing attempts. The Wolfpack tallied only 58 offensive plays against the blitz-happy Eagles, 30 of which were passes.
“In talking to Coach Canada, we both agreed that we should have run the ball more when things started going the other way,” Doeren said. “We thought we might bust one and get open, but we weren’t able to do it. If we could have run the ball and gotten them out of some of those coverages it would have been a different game.
“Our tailbacks are guys that can run the football and I believe in balance. You’ve got to be more balanced against those teams and if you run the ball into a blitz, you can pop one for a big gain. Then the play-action game opens up and you can get some chunks. Hopefully we can do that against a very good Louisville defense.”
Getting veteran left guard Joe Thuney back on the offensive line on Saturday will be a welcome sight for Doeren and his offensive coaches. With Thuney sidelined by illness the last four weeks, Alex Barr switched guard positions to fill the void, forcing true freshman Tony Adams into full-time duty on the other side. Thuney’s absence, in effect, had an impact on two positions. His return means NC State will again have the offensive line it started the season with in late August.
“He’s athletic, he gets good push and he and Rob Crisp have good chemistry with each other on the left side,” said Doeren. “He’s going to have to get back into game shape. He’s been running and lifting, but it’s different playing 80 plays with all the pushing and double-teaming you do. It’s fun having him back. He’s excited to be back on the field.”
At 5-2 overall, Louisville has dropped a pair of ACC games to Virginia and Clemson by a combined total of eight points. With the offense struggling, defense has carried the Cardinals through seven games. Coach Bobby Petrino has been searching for a consistent answer at quarterback, with Will Gardner and Reggie Bonnafon taking turns under center. Gardner is more of traditional pocket passer, while Bonnafon tends to do more damage with his athleticism. Either way, Petrino has not been pleased with an offense that currently averages 370 yards per game, a figure that ranks 13th in the ACC.
“We’re not happy about being 5-2,” said Petrino, who is in his second round as the Louisville coach. “You look back on it, we could be 7-0. That’s where we want to be and what we’re striving for. That’s just where I would rather be.”
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Mike Glennon stopped by NC State’s practice to say hello to some former teammates on Thursday morning. With the Bucs idle this weekend, the former Wolfpack quarterback decided to return to his old stomping grounds to offer encouragement. Perhaps Glennon was able to summon some memories from the last time NC State faced off against Louisville since it was in the 2011 Belk Bowl that he authored one of the best games of his career in the Pack’s 31-24 victory over the Cardinals. In capping his redshirt junior year, Glennon was named bowl MVP after throwing for 264 yards and three touchdowns.
Getting NC State back to a bowl is Doeren’s number one goal for this season. To make it happen, the Wolfpack must put the current three-game losing streak in the rear-view mirror and return to winning form quickly.
“We’re 4-3 and we’ve got a lot to play for,” Doeren said. “There are five games left and the reality is you have to win six to be bowl eligible. Our goal is to be a bowl eligible football team and to get 15 extra practices to help our young players and our older players. These guys have a lot to play for.”
The Wolfpack Sports Network gets its broadcast day started Saturday with the Matthews Motors Countdown to Kickoff beginning at 1:30 p.m. In hour two of the pregame show, color analyst and former Wolfpack All-American Johnny Evans takes questions from fans on Farm Bureau’s ‘Ask the Analyst.’ Johnny takes questions on Twitter @packradio or you can submit your questions here.
The Dave Doeren TV Show can be seen Sunday nights at 11:30 p.m. on WRAL TV-5 in Raleigh and WILM (CBS) in Wilmington. Online streaming of the show is also available Mondays on Gopack.com. For other viewing times and stations, go here.
Coach Doeren fields question about Pack football each week on his TV show. To forward a question, use hashtag #CoachDTV.
Coach Doeren Signing Day Presser (Dec. 3rd)
Wednesday, December 03
FB Players Postgame Presser vs UNC
Sunday, November 30
Coach Doeren Postgame Presser vs UNC
Sunday, November 30
Coach Doeren Weekly Press Conference (Nov. 24)
Monday, November 24