The NC State football team has boasted a prolific offense this season, averaging just below 40 points per game. This is in no small part due to the talented receiving corps that the offense has to work with.
After losing its two leading receivers from a year ago to graduation, the Pack was in desperate need for playmakers in the passing game. Rashard Smith led the Pack last season with three receiving touchdowns, 49 receptions and 530 yards receiving, and left his role of number one target up for grabs. The Pack has since decided to fill that missing link with a variety of talented, young receivers.
The Pack has shown a lot of balance on the attack this season under new offensive coordinator Matt Canada, posting 243 yards rushing and 273 yards passing per game. Junior quarterback Jacoby Brissett has found his weapons early on in the passing game this season, leaning on sophomore Marquez Valdes-Scantling, sophomore Bra’Lon Cherry and freshman newcomer Bo Hines.
Valdes-Scantling has become the big target, which every quarterback needs in their arsenal. Coming off of a solid freshman season where he hauled in 22 passes for 281 yards, the Pack’s tallest receiver is showing that he is ready to become a featured piece of the offensive puzzle, catching eight passes and gaining over 100 yards thus far in the season. Also, Valdes-Scantling is averaging 13.6 yards per catch, proving to opposing defenses that he is a downfield threat.
Cherry has shown early on in the season that he has a nose for the end zone. He currently leads the Pack in receiving touchdowns, always threatening to take it all the way when the ball is in his hands. The New Bern native has not snagged as many catches as the other top targets in the receiving corps, but he has caught the most amount of passes thrown to him. Cherry currently has nine receptions, three of which he ran for touchdowns. He currently has more catches, yards and touchdowns than he did throughout his freshman year. Cherry has proven to be a reliable and consistent target for his new quarterback, a reason why State fans should prepare to see Cherry get the ball more often.
“He catches the ball,” head coach Dave Doeren said. “He is very dependable, whoever is open is going to get the ball, and Bra’Lon has been open a lot.”
Cherry’s emergence on the field has come to no surprise to most around the NC State program.
“He’s just playing with a lot of confidence,” Doeren said. “You started to see it last year with punt returns. He’s a good runner, we’re just trying to get him some touches.”
Another integral part of State’s aerial attack is Bo Hines. The talented Charlotte native has shown a knack for getting open and making tough catches in traffic. Hines enrolled early to get a leg up on the competition and get better acquainted with his new quarterback. His decision to start prematurely worked out perfectly, as Hines currently leads the team in receptions and receiving yards. While he has yet to find the end zone, Hines has certainly played a huge rule in a lot of the Pack’s scoring drives. Hines has been mainly used in the slot receiver role and has shown the ability to make plays and move the chains.
The Pack faces off against the Presbyterian Blue Hose in its next contest and it will look to continue its dominant air attack led by its talented trio of receivers to improve its overall record to 4-0.
