Facing a formidable opponent in Wake Forest — led by Sam Hartman, one of the ACC’s premier quarterbacks — the Wolfpack defense arguably played one of its best games of the year. NC State held the Demon Deacons to just 21 points, tied for Wake Forest’s season low. The key was shutting down Wake Forest’s running game and placing all the pressure on Hartman to win.
Defensive Line
NC State’s defensive line had an incredible night, especially in run defense. Wake Forest had only 17 rushing yards for the entire game on 25 attempts. The Demon Deacons attempted to run their “slow mesh” offense, which allows the quarterback to choose whether to throw the ball or to hand it off after roughly 2.5 seconds.
With the time between when the ball was snapped and when the quarterback could hand it off, the Wolfpack defense was able to break through the offensive line and get to the running back. The defensive line led the charge in disrupting Wake Forest’s offense by taking on blockers and having multiple tackles for loss.
NC State’s defensive line stepped up, especially the younger guys. Freshman defensive lineman Brandon Cleveland and redshirt freshman defensive end Travali Price combined for a sack. Redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Joshua Harris had a pair of tackles. Sophomore defensive tackle Davin Vann also had a nice game with two tackles, including a stuffed run. Overall, their quality performances are encouraging for the future of NC State football.
Grade: A
Linebackers
NC State’s trio of starting linebackers led the defense once again, stuffing runs and disrupting the passing attack. Junior linebacker Drake Thomas wreaked havoc on the Wake Forest offense with four quarterback hurries, three tackles for loss and two sacks. All game, it seemed that Hartman was running for his life from Thomas — as he tried to avoid sacks, he was forced into a few costly throws. By pressuring Hartman, Thomas helped the secondary force three turnovers.
Graduate linebacker Isaiah Moore had one of the more impressive games of his career, leading the team with 10 total tackles. Flying around the field, Moore was always in a position to make a play. His best plays included 2.5 tackles for loss, a sack and a pass breakup. Roughly a year removed from tearing his ACL, Moore is playing his best football during the final stretch of the season.
Grade: A+
Secondary
Any time a defense gets three interceptions, it’s a quality performance. Thanks to the fierce pass rush that the defensive line and linebackers generated, the defensive backs had several opportunities to pick off the quarterback. The secondary capitalized on the opportunity, making three interceptions and cutting drives short to give the offense an advantage with good field position.
Sophomore cornerback Aydan White’s breakout season continued with another interception, his fourth of the year. By this point, White has emerged as one of the best players on the team. His interception in this game was especially impressive as he dove to catch an underthrown pass. With a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter, the play went a long way to help NC State secure the victory.
While White had a phenomenal game, the rest of the secondary performed well. Hartman was able to consistently find A.T. Perry, the 6-foot-5 star receiver for the Demon Deacons. However, the rest of Wake Forest’s receivers struggled to get open.
The Wolfpack had strong play from its safeties, which played a big role in the defensive success in pass coverage. Junior safety Jakeen Harris and graduate safety Cyrus Fagan both had interceptions, and they also had long returns of over 20 yards each. Between the pass rush and strong coverage, NC State forced Wake Forest into a few poor decisions that led to a decisive victory.
Grade: A
