North Carolina State University Athletics
Wolfpack Find Positives Despite Loss
10/31/2015 9:36:00 PM | Football
RALEIGH, N.C. - You don't have to buy into the argument that NC State's football team, one year after losing 41-0 at Clemson, should be overly enthused that it came back 55 weeks later and managed to put up 41 points of its own against a Tiger defense that was ranked third in the nation.
But there was a sense of accomplishment, if not satisfaction, following Saturday's 56-41 loss to the No. 3 Tigers, in a game that matched the most points ever scored at 49-year-old Carter-Finley Stadium.
Even without leading rusher Matthew Dayes in the second half, the Wolfpack stayed within striking distance the entire game, coming up short despite taking multiple chances with onside kicks and continued attacks on Clemson's defense.
"I'm proud of the way we fought," head coach Dave Doeren said. "We didn't make enough plays, obviously, to win the game, but our offense kept pushing.
"It was a good back-and-forth game. I'm proud of the guys for continuing to fight and make plays."
And, as much as anything, he was happy to find a few additional go-to people on offense.
Freshman Nyheim Hines returned a kickoff a school-record-matching 100 yards in the first quarter. Tight end/fullback Jaylen Samuels showed that he could carry a load as well as score touchdowns. And junior tight end David J. Grinnage had two more catches in the game than he had in the previous seven games combined.
For Hines, the early return help stem the disappointment of Clemson's quick answer to the Wolfpack's opening-drive touchdown, in what turned out to be a wild first five minutes in which the teams each scored two touchdowns and each had an extra point blocked.
It was the third 100-yard kickoff return in school history, and the fourth kickoff return of more than 95 yards by a Wolfpack specialist against Clemson. Darrell Blackman had a 99-yarder in 2007, Howard Turner had a 98-yarder in 1946 and Dick Christy had a 97-yarder in 1957.
"That was a huge play for our offense," said senior quarterback Jacoby Brissett. "He's getting better and better every week."
Samuels has always had the ability to get into the end zone and he added his 10th and 11th touchdowns of the season on a 40-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter and a 1-yard run in the third. He also took over as the primary back when Dayes went down with an injury just before halftime.
He unleashed a 66-yard run in the third quarter that was not only the longest of his career, but surpassed any game total he had in his first two seasons with the Pack. He finished the game with a team-high eight catches for 74 receiving yards and 65 rushing yards on six carries.
Grinnage also helped the offense by filling in for Samuels once Dayes went down. He had seven catches in the contest for a team high 82 yards and his first touchdown of the year, a 14-yard fourth-quarter strike from Brissett.
"We had 15 catches from our tight ends tonight," Doeren said. "It was a pretty special night at that position."
No one in the Wolfpack locker room was satisfied with good statistics, but those numbers did show glimpses of what can happen on offense during the stretch run, as the calendar turns to November.
"Last year, we never gave ourselves a chance to win the game down at Clemson," Doeren said. "Tonight, we played a four-quarter game against one of the best teams in the country. There were a lot of great plays on both sides of the football.
"A lot of things were better."
But there was a sense of accomplishment, if not satisfaction, following Saturday's 56-41 loss to the No. 3 Tigers, in a game that matched the most points ever scored at 49-year-old Carter-Finley Stadium.
Even without leading rusher Matthew Dayes in the second half, the Wolfpack stayed within striking distance the entire game, coming up short despite taking multiple chances with onside kicks and continued attacks on Clemson's defense.
"I'm proud of the way we fought," head coach Dave Doeren said. "We didn't make enough plays, obviously, to win the game, but our offense kept pushing.
"It was a good back-and-forth game. I'm proud of the guys for continuing to fight and make plays."
And, as much as anything, he was happy to find a few additional go-to people on offense.
Freshman Nyheim Hines returned a kickoff a school-record-matching 100 yards in the first quarter. Tight end/fullback Jaylen Samuels showed that he could carry a load as well as score touchdowns. And junior tight end David J. Grinnage had two more catches in the game than he had in the previous seven games combined.
For Hines, the early return help stem the disappointment of Clemson's quick answer to the Wolfpack's opening-drive touchdown, in what turned out to be a wild first five minutes in which the teams each scored two touchdowns and each had an extra point blocked.
It was the third 100-yard kickoff return in school history, and the fourth kickoff return of more than 95 yards by a Wolfpack specialist against Clemson. Darrell Blackman had a 99-yarder in 2007, Howard Turner had a 98-yarder in 1946 and Dick Christy had a 97-yarder in 1957.
"That was a huge play for our offense," said senior quarterback Jacoby Brissett. "He's getting better and better every week."
Samuels has always had the ability to get into the end zone and he added his 10th and 11th touchdowns of the season on a 40-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter and a 1-yard run in the third. He also took over as the primary back when Dayes went down with an injury just before halftime.
He unleashed a 66-yard run in the third quarter that was not only the longest of his career, but surpassed any game total he had in his first two seasons with the Pack. He finished the game with a team-high eight catches for 74 receiving yards and 65 rushing yards on six carries.
Grinnage also helped the offense by filling in for Samuels once Dayes went down. He had seven catches in the contest for a team high 82 yards and his first touchdown of the year, a 14-yard fourth-quarter strike from Brissett.
"We had 15 catches from our tight ends tonight," Doeren said. "It was a pretty special night at that position."
No one in the Wolfpack locker room was satisfied with good statistics, but those numbers did show glimpses of what can happen on offense during the stretch run, as the calendar turns to November.
"Last year, we never gave ourselves a chance to win the game down at Clemson," Doeren said. "Tonight, we played a four-quarter game against one of the best teams in the country. There were a lot of great plays on both sides of the football.
"A lot of things were better."
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