With a hamstrung offense, the Wolfpack needed a strong day from its defense against the Orange. Instead, the defense struggled by missing tackles, failing to pressure the quarterback and allowing the Orange to run the ball effectively. While a pair of interceptions from the secondary kept the game close for a while, the defense was unable to carry the team to a road victory against Syracuse.
Defensive Line
For most of this season, NC State’s defensive line has been strong against the run and struggled against the pass. Against Syracuse, NC State struggled to do both. Syracuse’s star running back Sean Tucker had a tremendous game, rushing for 98 yards and a touchdown. More concerning for the Pack is that Tucker averaged seven yards per carry. While Tucker may be the best running back NC State faces this season, the Wolfpack cannot allow this to become a weekly occurrence.
NC State also allowed Syracuse quarterback Garrett Shrader to run for 81 yards. A concerning trend is that the Pack has struggled to contain dual-threat quarterbacks. In each of NC State’s conference games this season, opposing quarterbacks have rushed for at least 70 yards in each game. If NC State wants to remain competitive in ACC play, it will be crucial to stop opposing quarterbacks from finding success with their legs.
One way for the Pack to stop opposing quarterbacks from running would be to create a successful pass rush. Unfortunately, the defensive line couldn’t get a sack and redshirt freshman defensive end Travali Price came up with the unit’s only quarterback hurry. This type of performance allows the quarterback plenty of time to pick apart the defense, putting enormous pressure on the secondary. With little help from the defensive line, the rest of the defense was unable to stop the Orange.
Grade: F
Linebackers
Against Syracuse, NC State’s linebackers were concerningly quiet. Most noticeably, junior linebacker Drake Thomas’ impact was hard to find in this game. With only four tackles, Thomas uncharacteristically looked absent in many plays. His output is crucial for the NC State defense, so getting him back on track is a must.
Graduate linebacker Isaiah Moore had a better game than Thomas, but it still wasn’t great. He led the team in total tackles with nine. While he could’ve made a few more plays, especially to stop the quarterback run, he had a solid performance. Unfortunately, with the rest of the defense struggling, it wasn’t enough.
Grade: C
Secondary
With little help from the pass rushers, NC State’s secondary had an uphill battle. A pair of interceptions kept the game close, but there were also several frustrating busts in coverage. Senior safety Tanner Ingle’s game epitomized the whole secondary’s day. He made a critical interception in the first half to keep the Orange out of the endzone, but also gave up a touchdown after getting beat by Syracuse receiver Oronde Gadsden II late in the third quarter. Gadsden II torched NC State’s secondary all game, putting up 141 yards and a couple touchdowns.
One positive take away was sophomore cornerback Aydan White’s sustained ability to make big plays. As Syracuse took a shot down the sideline, White got in perfect position to win a jump ball with the receiver. Finishing the play with a tough catch, White tacked on his third interception of the season. In addition to the pick, White had six total tackles, including one for a six-yard loss.
Grade: B-
