The NC State Wolfpack looks to rebound from a loss to ACC head honcho Clemson as it continues conference play against the Syracuse Orange on Oct. 27. The Orange has been a relatively dominant force within the ACC, with a tightly contested game against the aforementioned Tigers, but tend to collapse at random intervals. The Pack needs to dominate this game at all facets to reinstate hope for the players, coaches and fans alike.
Quarterback vs. Secondary
Graduate quarterback Ryan Finley had the worst showing of the season against Clemson, with only 156 yards on 62 percent completion and two interceptions. Finley needs to reinstate confidence in this team and make plays that will spark the rest of the offense, primarily the receiving core.
Finley had a hard time putting the ball in the receivers’ hands, and when he did, the ball was dropped. Finley needs to make better decisions, and not throw as much into tight coverage against an Orange secondary that can challenge Finley to make uncomfortable throws in pressure. Each defensive back has veteran talent that can provide great leadership for the Orange defense.
“I know having [Antwan Cordy] back for them in the secondary is a veteran guy; he’s a leader,” said head coach Dave Doeren. “They’ve had some injuries at corner, but I thought their backup came in the game and really played well.”
Wide Receivers vs. Secondary
While Finley does his part of placing the ball for the receivers, the receivers need to capitalize on the moment. Both junior Kelvin Harmon and sophomore Emeka Emezie had drops that could have been avoided against Clemson. They need to show that they are capable of distancing themselves from the Syracuse secondary that has recorded 177 tackles so far this season.
This game can definitely come down to the wire, and the Pack needs many of those plays if they want to win. This will also be a redemption game for a receiving corps that only recorded 193 yards and did not record a touchdown against Clemson.
“I don’t know if there’s any one thing; I just don’t think we got in a rhythm,” Doeren said. “Ryan, he made a really good throw to Kelvin on the one drop, and that was probably a momentum play that could have helped us in the game. I think as a team, when we got behind, one thing I think we’ve been really good at is just doing our job, playing with fundamentals and playing hard.”
Running Backs vs. Defensive Line and Linebackers
Against the Tigers, the run game was the best part of the Pack offense for the first time this season, and it needs to keep that electricity moving forward. Senior Reggie Gallaspy and freshman Ricky Person Jr. will carry the brunt of the workload, as they combined for 113 yards on 21 attempts and one touchdown in the Clemson game. With graduate Brady Bodine receiving minimal snaps and freshman Trent Pennix continuing to deal with injury, Gallaspy and Person need to break through the D-line and avoid tackles from the linebackers in order to generate offensive electricity.
Offensive Line vs. Defensive Line
The offensive line was another bright point in the game against Clemson, only allowing one sack. They provided the space that Finley and the running backs will need to be replicated against a strong Orange defensive front. The Orange defensive front has 16.5 sacks through seven games and will challenge the Pack O-line.
“Defensively, I think their D-line is really, really talented,” Doeren said. “Their two ends are exceptional players. They’ve created a lot of plays in the backfield. Between them, 17 tackles for loss and 13 sacks. Defensive tackle [Chris Slayton] is a redshirt senior. He’s a big guy, 309-pound kid that makes a lot of plays. 4.5 TFLs.”
Joining Slayton on the Syracuse D-line are Alton Robinson, McKinley Williams and Kendall Coleman, who have all combined for 54 tackles. Defending Finley so that he can make accurate passes will be crucial for a bounce-back game.
Tight Ends vs. Defensive Line
Redshirt sophomores Cary Angeline and Dylan Autenrieth had mediocre games against the Tigers after relatively strong performances during the rest of the season. If the receivers are not making plays on the ball, the tight ends should also be targeted for quick yardage gains whenever possible while also helping to block in the run game.
Matchup to Watch:
Offensive line versus defensive line. It will be interesting to see how much pressure the O-line allows on Finley to one of the best D-line units in the ACC.
Offensive MVP:
Finley. Finley has a great opportunity to erase doubt from anyone’s minds about last week’s performance and the offense as a whole will try to capitalize on that opportunity.
