North Carolina State University Athletics
Presbyterian Closes out Non-League Slate for Wolfpack
9/19/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 19, 2014
TV: ESPN3 | Radio: Wolfpack Sports Network | Live Stats
Game Notes | @PackFootball Twitter | Ask the Analyst
RALEIGH, N.C. - Before it plays eight straight ACC games, NC State (3-0) will close out the non-conference portion of its 2014 football schedule with a meeting against Presbyterian (2-1) Saturday night at Carter-Finley Stadium.
Game time is set for 6 p.m., and will be broadcast on ESPN3.
After taking baby steps in come-from-behind victories over Georgia Southern and Old Dominion, the Wolfpack seemingly took a giant leap forward with last week’s dominating 49-17 victory at South Florida. ‘Thorough’ doesn’t begin to describe the one-sided nature of the Pack’s trouncing of the Bulls. Along with running almost twice as many offensive plays as USF (86-47), NC State scored touchdowns on all six of its trips into the red zone, while also rushing for 315 yards. It had been 20 years since a Wolfpack team last ran for as many yards in one game.
And unlike the first two games of the season, the Pack started fast, scoring touchdowns on six of its seven first half possessions in building a 35-7 halftime lead.
Now the question is, can coach Dave Doeren’s team handle success the right way and be even better this week? With top-ranked Florida State coming to Raleigh next Saturday, the Wolfpack needs another strong performance to validate the belief that it is indeed a much improved football team.
“We’ve talked all offseason, summer and fall camp about closing the gap between the competition that we need to beat and what it takes to be relevant,” Doeren said. “This is one of those weeks when you can do that. It’s not a week where you look forward, but a week where you look inside.”
Among other things, Doeren emphasized becoming a better team in the fourth quarter this season, while also getting more physical and powerful at the line of scrimmage. So far, NC State has accomplished both of those goals. After dropping so many close games in the fourth quarter last season, the Wolfpack saved its best for last against both Georgia Southern and ODU, scoring touchdowns on all four of its fourth quarter possessions in those games.
Meanwhile, a stable offensive line, something few NC State teams have enjoyed in recent years, has paved the way for a stout running game that is producing an average of 243.3 yards through three games. Wolfpack running backs have been tackled behind the line of scrimmage just once in 88 attempts this season. On the flip side, quarterback Jacoby Brissett’s uniform has been relatively clean after three games, with the O-line yielding only three sacks to date.
“I feel like we’re playing with more confidence,” center Quinton Schooley said. “With Jacoby at quarterback, we obviously had the whole offseason to work with him. We’re clicking on all levels. Matt Dayes is running the ball well; Shad’s running [Thornton] the ball, Tony [Creecy] is running the ball well and Jacoby gets in there and picks defenses apart. I feel like we’re clicking on all levels.”
Over his last 10 quarters of action, Brissett has completed nearly 71 percent of his throws with seven touchdowns and zero interceptions. Since a second quarter interception in the opener against ODU, the steady Brissett has thrown 88 consecutive passes without a pick.
After having its share of difficulties the first two weeks of the season, the NC State defense got back on track in Tampa, holding South Florida to 159 total yards and just 2.6 yards per running play. Among other things, the Wolfpack produced 14 negative plays, including three sacks.
A veteran, deep defensive line that had underachieved versus Georgia Southern and Old Dominion was decidedly more disruptive last Saturday. Veteran defensive tackle Thomas Teal credits fellow tackle T.Y. McGill with lighting a fire under the defensive front last week. McGill stood up during a team meeting and talked about accountability.
“Basically, he said sign off on what you do because the eye in the sky doesn’t lie,” Teal said. “You represent your school and your family, and everything you put on tape you want to be proud of. His main message was to give 100 percent effort in everything you do.”
After falling 55-3 at Northern Illinois in the season opener, Presbyterian has recovered to post back-to-back victories over Bluefield and Furman. In taking down the Paladins 10-7 a week ago, the Blue Hose knocked off a team that had been ranked 12th in the FCS. It was a milestone victory for Presbyterian, which had not beaten a team ranked that high since the school moved to the D-1 level in 2005.
“I’ll look back on the win after the season and it will probably put a smile on my face,” said sixth-year Presbyterian head coach Harold Nichols. “I had a smile on my face for about 24 hours, and then I started watching North Carolina State tape and I wasn’t smiling anymore.”
Different variations of the option game have allowed the Blue Hose to run the football early in the season. Tailback LaQua Mayes averaging 8.7 yards per carry, while his back-up, Darrell Bridges, is at just under five yards per attempt. Don’t expect Presbyterian to fill the air with footballs. Quarterback Heys McMath averages just 13 passes per game.
NC State will be trying to jump out to a 4-0 start for the first time since 2010.
“We always want to be better,” said Teal. “It’s a good start, but we’re never satisfied with how we played. We always look to improve as a unit.”
And with ACC play kicking off with the defending national champs next Saturday, the Pack will be looking for more improvement this weekend.
The Wolfpack Sports Network begins its coverage Saturday afternoon with the Matthews Motors Countdown to Kickoff at 4 p.m. In hour two of the pregame show shortly after five o’clock, former NC State All-American Johnny Evans fields your questions about Pack football on Farm Bureau’s ‘Ask the Analyst.’ Questions to Johnny can be sent on Twitter @packradio or by clicking here.
Coach Doeren will recap Saturday’s game on the Dave Doeren TV Show to be seen Sunday at 11:30 p.m. on WRAL TV-5 in Raleigh and WILM (CBS) in Wilmington. The show will also be posted on Gopack.com on Monday morning. For other viewing times for the Dave Doeren TV Show, go here.
Viewers can use the hashtag #CoachDTV on Twitter to send coach Doeren questions on his show.
Game 4: NC State Wolfpack (3-0) vs. Presbyterian Blue Hose (2-1)
September 20, 2014 • 6 p.m.
Raleigh, N.C. • Carter-Finley Stadium (57,583)
TV: ESPN3 | Radio: Wolfpack Sports Network | Live Stats
Game Notes | @PackFootball Twitter | Ask the Analyst
RALEIGH, N.C. - Before it plays eight straight ACC games, NC State (3-0) will close out the non-conference portion of its 2014 football schedule with a meeting against Presbyterian (2-1) Saturday night at Carter-Finley Stadium.
Game time is set for 6 p.m., and will be broadcast on ESPN3.
After taking baby steps in come-from-behind victories over Georgia Southern and Old Dominion, the Wolfpack seemingly took a giant leap forward with last week’s dominating 49-17 victory at South Florida. ‘Thorough’ doesn’t begin to describe the one-sided nature of the Pack’s trouncing of the Bulls. Along with running almost twice as many offensive plays as USF (86-47), NC State scored touchdowns on all six of its trips into the red zone, while also rushing for 315 yards. It had been 20 years since a Wolfpack team last ran for as many yards in one game.
And unlike the first two games of the season, the Pack started fast, scoring touchdowns on six of its seven first half possessions in building a 35-7 halftime lead.
Now the question is, can coach Dave Doeren’s team handle success the right way and be even better this week? With top-ranked Florida State coming to Raleigh next Saturday, the Wolfpack needs another strong performance to validate the belief that it is indeed a much improved football team.
“We’ve talked all offseason, summer and fall camp about closing the gap between the competition that we need to beat and what it takes to be relevant,” Doeren said. “This is one of those weeks when you can do that. It’s not a week where you look forward, but a week where you look inside.”
Among other things, Doeren emphasized becoming a better team in the fourth quarter this season, while also getting more physical and powerful at the line of scrimmage. So far, NC State has accomplished both of those goals. After dropping so many close games in the fourth quarter last season, the Wolfpack saved its best for last against both Georgia Southern and ODU, scoring touchdowns on all four of its fourth quarter possessions in those games.
Meanwhile, a stable offensive line, something few NC State teams have enjoyed in recent years, has paved the way for a stout running game that is producing an average of 243.3 yards through three games. Wolfpack running backs have been tackled behind the line of scrimmage just once in 88 attempts this season. On the flip side, quarterback Jacoby Brissett’s uniform has been relatively clean after three games, with the O-line yielding only three sacks to date.
“I feel like we’re playing with more confidence,” center Quinton Schooley said. “With Jacoby at quarterback, we obviously had the whole offseason to work with him. We’re clicking on all levels. Matt Dayes is running the ball well; Shad’s running [Thornton] the ball, Tony [Creecy] is running the ball well and Jacoby gets in there and picks defenses apart. I feel like we’re clicking on all levels.”
Over his last 10 quarters of action, Brissett has completed nearly 71 percent of his throws with seven touchdowns and zero interceptions. Since a second quarter interception in the opener against ODU, the steady Brissett has thrown 88 consecutive passes without a pick.
After having its share of difficulties the first two weeks of the season, the NC State defense got back on track in Tampa, holding South Florida to 159 total yards and just 2.6 yards per running play. Among other things, the Wolfpack produced 14 negative plays, including three sacks.
A veteran, deep defensive line that had underachieved versus Georgia Southern and Old Dominion was decidedly more disruptive last Saturday. Veteran defensive tackle Thomas Teal credits fellow tackle T.Y. McGill with lighting a fire under the defensive front last week. McGill stood up during a team meeting and talked about accountability.
“Basically, he said sign off on what you do because the eye in the sky doesn’t lie,” Teal said. “You represent your school and your family, and everything you put on tape you want to be proud of. His main message was to give 100 percent effort in everything you do.”
After falling 55-3 at Northern Illinois in the season opener, Presbyterian has recovered to post back-to-back victories over Bluefield and Furman. In taking down the Paladins 10-7 a week ago, the Blue Hose knocked off a team that had been ranked 12th in the FCS. It was a milestone victory for Presbyterian, which had not beaten a team ranked that high since the school moved to the D-1 level in 2005.
“I’ll look back on the win after the season and it will probably put a smile on my face,” said sixth-year Presbyterian head coach Harold Nichols. “I had a smile on my face for about 24 hours, and then I started watching North Carolina State tape and I wasn’t smiling anymore.”
Different variations of the option game have allowed the Blue Hose to run the football early in the season. Tailback LaQua Mayes averaging 8.7 yards per carry, while his back-up, Darrell Bridges, is at just under five yards per attempt. Don’t expect Presbyterian to fill the air with footballs. Quarterback Heys McMath averages just 13 passes per game.
NC State will be trying to jump out to a 4-0 start for the first time since 2010.
“We always want to be better,” said Teal. “It’s a good start, but we’re never satisfied with how we played. We always look to improve as a unit.”
And with ACC play kicking off with the defending national champs next Saturday, the Pack will be looking for more improvement this weekend.
The Wolfpack Sports Network begins its coverage Saturday afternoon with the Matthews Motors Countdown to Kickoff at 4 p.m. In hour two of the pregame show shortly after five o’clock, former NC State All-American Johnny Evans fields your questions about Pack football on Farm Bureau’s ‘Ask the Analyst.’ Questions to Johnny can be sent on Twitter @packradio or by clicking here.
Coach Doeren will recap Saturday’s game on the Dave Doeren TV Show to be seen Sunday at 11:30 p.m. on WRAL TV-5 in Raleigh and WILM (CBS) in Wilmington. The show will also be posted on Gopack.com on Monday morning. For other viewing times for the Dave Doeren TV Show, go here.
Viewers can use the hashtag #CoachDTV on Twitter to send coach Doeren questions on his show.
Players Mentioned
QB
/ FootballCoach 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