Quarterback
Grade: C
Jacoby Brissett didn’t exactly take huge steps forward with his play in 2015. In fact, his stats are basically the same as — if not slightly worse than — they were in 2014. He threw for about 50 more yards than a season ago but threw three fewer touchdown passes and one more interception. Brissett’s QB rating dropped from 136.7 in 2014 to 130.3 in 2015, and while he still showed the ability to make big plays out of nothing, they weren’t as common in 2015 as defenses began to figure out how to stop him. That is evidenced by the fact that he wasn’t nearly as effective of a rusher in 2015 (ran for 159 fewer yards in more attempts) as he was last season.
Running Backs
Grade: A-
NC State running backs began the season on fire as the Wolfpack boasted one of the nation’s top rushing attacks. Senior Shadrach Thornton looked solid in his first two games after suspension, before being dismissed from the team before the first ACC contest. Junior Matt Dayes was exceptional and emerged as one of the top running backs in the country, at one point leading the nation in rushing touchdowns, before a foot injury ended his season prematurely. Sophomore Dakwa Nichols and freshmen Reggie Gallaspy II and Nyheim Hines performed admirably in the absence of Thornton and Dayes, but there was an expected drop-off in production. Despite the loss of its top two rushers, the Pack finished 32nd in the nation in rushing yards per game.
Receivers/Tight Ends
Grade: C
Other than sophomore Jaylen Samuels, this position group was inconsistent and struggled throughout the season. Samuels led the Wolfpack receiving corps in receptions (65), yards (597) and touchdowns (7) despite rarely lining up as a wide receiver. No other player reached the 500-yards receiving mark, with junior Jumichael Ramos coming the closest with 457 yards as the Pack’s top wideout. Junior tight end David Grinnage, who declared for the NFL draft, was underutilized in the offense considering his hulking 6-foot-5, 267-pound frame, speed and athleticism. Ultimately, Samuels’ great year makes this grade better than it really should be.
Offensive Line
Grade: B+
The offensive line proved to be one of the Wolfpack’s strengths this season despite several injuries. The big uglies led the way for a successful Wolfpack rushing attack that put up more than 200 yards a game on the ground. While the group did give up 39 sacks — only a few teams in the country gave up more — many of those can be attributed to having a scrambling quarterback who refuses to give up on a play. Few of those were because of bad protection, but rather coverage sacks as receivers weren’t open down the field. Senior Joe Thuney was named a first-team All-American by USA Today, becoming the first NC State offensive lineman since Jim Richter in 1979 to earn All-American honors. Offensive line coach Mike Uremovich’s work with his players didn’t go unnoticed, as he was recently hired as the offensive coordinator at Northern Illinois University.
