The Wolfpack made a statement in its home opener against Charleston Southern with a dominant 55-3 victory. Holding the Buccaneers to three points, NC State’s defense showed why it was so highly touted all through the offseason. It was the least amount of points the Wolfpack had given up since last season’s home opener, which was a shutout.
Similar to last week, senior defensive back Tyler Baker-Williams had an outstanding game. Baker-Williams picked off a pass, forced a fumble during the team’s first sack of the year and displayed excellent coverage skills. Throughout the past two games, Baker-Williams has established himself as a key part of the defense.
Outside of Baker-Williams, plenty of other players stepped up. The linebackers had another impressive outing, shutting down the Buccaneers’ run game. The defensive line also improved but failed to record a sack for the second game in a row.
Defensive Line
Throughout the game, the Wolfpack defensive line did a good job of generating pressure, forcing Charleston Southern quarterback Ross Malmgren into making several poor throws. Junior defensive end Savion Jackson did a particularly great job of pressuring the quarterback. Unfortunately, the defensive line was unable to sack the quarterback as the Bucs made a clear effort to stick to quick throws to avoid the NC State pass rush. As a result, the defensive line rarely had time to infiltrate the backfield.
The defensive line remained stout against the run during Saturday’s game, holding Charleston Southern to 36 rushing yards on 15 attempts. By overwhelming the Buccaneer offensive line, NC State left Charleston Southern’s running backs with nowhere to run but right into the Pack’s linebackers.
Grade: B
Linebackers
As the defensive line left the Buccaneer running backs with nowhere to run, it was the linebacking unit who finished the job in terms of run stopping. Junior linebacker Drake Thomas had another impressive outing that included some highlight tackles and helping in pass defense, breaking up a pass and getting one quarterback hit.
With redshirt junior linebacker Payton Wilson out for the game, junior linebacker Jaylon Scott got plenty of playing time. Scott did not disappoint, making two tackles and nearly sacking Charleston Southern’s quarterback. Graduate linebacker Isaiah Moore also had plenty of playing time. While he had a statistically quiet day, Moore logged an impressive quarterback hurry.
With the game out of hand early, several younger players got snaps. Sophomore linebacker Devon Betty stood out with four tackles, one tackle for a loss and two quarterback hits. With multiple years of eligibility available to Betty after this season, the future appears bright for the NC State linebackers.
Grade: A-
Secondary
Down standout redshirt sophomore cornerback Shyheim Battle, the entire secondary stepped up in his absence. Clearly, Baker-Williams had a great game, but the players around him also stood out. Senior safety Tanner Ingle had a good performance, making five tackles and recording a quarterback hurry. Graduate safety Cyrus Fagan also had a standout performance with four tackles, one for a loss and a pass break up. The strong play at safety, in both the pass and run defense, was a major key to the defense’s success in this game.
Cornerback play was also a bright spot for the Wolfpack. In the absence of Battle, sophomore cornerback Aydan White was given the starting nod. He held his own against the Charleston Southern receivers, playing lockdown defense. Opposite of White, graduate cornerback Derrek Pitts Jr. led the team in tackles with eight. Seeing Pitts play well was a welcome sight for the Wolfpack after he struggled against ECU in the season opener.
Since the game quickly turned into a blowout, several less experienced players got to see the field during the second half. Redshirt freshman safety Jalen Frazier had his first career interception during the game. Redshirt junior cornerback Teshaun Smith also impressed after breaking up multiple passes. The experience these players gained during the game could prove to be valuable for the 2023 season and beyond.
Grade: A
