In its game against Wake Forest on Saturday, NC State football started out with a commanding 21-0 first half lead and found a home in the rushing attack. The Wolfpack offense struggled to find the endzone in the second half but still put forth some impressive numbers by the end of the game.
Quarterback
Following the shocking news that sophomore quarterback MJ Morris will sit the rest of the season and take a redshirt year, graduate quarterback Brennan Armstrong reclaimed the starting job.
Despite Armstrong having his first start in four games, he looked comfortable running the show. The graduate led the rushing attack through several designed quarterback runs with 96 yards on 15 carries and averaged 6.4 yards per rush. He also threw for 111 yards, completing 70% of his passes. Armstrong kept the offense on the field and consistently extended drives, earning him a 98 QBR that was the ACC’s highest of the week.
Grade: A+
Running backs
It is not uncommon for Armstrong to be the Pack’s leading rusher, but this week there was a collective effort in carrying the rock. Both freshman running back Kendrick Raphael and redshirt junior Delbert Mimms III combined for 87 yards on 28 carries. Mimms III also accounted for the red-and-white’s third touchdown of the game, rushing it in from a yard out.
The rushing attack gained 266 yards on 50 carries and was NC State’s best game on the ground since it posted 234 yards against VMI back in September.
Grade: A
Pass catchers
Freshman wide receiver Kevin “KC” Concepcion continues to be a problem for opposing defenses, especially from the backfield. Concepcion was the Pack’s second-leading rusher and catapulted a successful first drive with a 65-yard rush on a jet motion sweep.
Redshirt sophomore Julian Gray ended the first Wolfpack drive with a 20-yard touchdown in tight coverage thanks to beautiful ball placement by Armstrong. Five receivers caught passes for eight or more yards, most likely because the Pack’s success on the ground put less strain on the passing game.
Grade: B+
Offensive line
While the offensive line still has a lot of work to do in the passing game, the focus this week should be on the success the line had in providing a lethal running attack. The line tricked defenses well enough on delayed quarterback runs to allow Armstrong to make positive gains, and it provided big enough gaps for the running backs to get to the second defense.
Overall, the line helped the red-and-white tremendously in boasting 40 minutes of possession time and a respectable 5.3 yards a carry. The Wolfpack should continue to buy into the running game as well as owning the possession time if it wants to be competitive in its next two games.
Grade: B-
