Seven games into the 2023 season, NC State football is no longer a mystery. Over halfway through the season, it’s clear what this year’s Wolfpack is: a strong defense with a toothless offense. Fresh off of a three-touchdown loss to Duke, the red-and-white is fighting for bowl eligibility with no layups left on the schedule. Many fans are left wondering when things went wrong offensively for a team that won at least eight games in each of the last three seasons.
The Wolfpack opened the year with graduate quarterback Brennan Armstrong as the signal caller, a move that brought an intriguing upside before the season. However, the Armstrong experiment lasted just five games, in which he threw for 971 yards, five touchdowns and six interceptions. While Armstrong struggled as a quarterback, he is the Wolfpack’s best runner, with a team-high 281 rushing yards.
After dropping a 13-10 loss to Louisville, the Wolfpack changed starting quarterbacks, opting for sophomore MJ Morris. While Morris has been a slight upgrade, he hasn’t jump-started the Wolfpack offense. With 458 passing yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions during his two starts, Morris has struggled to protect the football and posted a worse completion percentage than Armstrong.
While the Pack has struggled at quarterback this season, some of the shortcomings can be attributed to the surrounding cast. Both Morris and Armstrong are doomed to struggle with NC State’s lack of playmakers. Freshman receiver Kevin Concepcion is a budding star for the Pack, with 37 receptions and 410 yards already. However, aside from the freshman, no receiver has proven to be a reliable option, leading to a revolving door at the position.
When looking to find productive playmakers, experienced players are often the best bets. But the red-and-white’s veteran receivers have fallen flat this season. Senior wideout Keyon Lesane entered the year as a team captain and the top returning wideout. However, Lesane has failed to get going with just 108 yards through 7 games and is struggling to get separation from defensive backs.
Lesane has not been the only disappointment for the Pack. Junior receiver Porter Rooks — a former blue chip prospect — has not lived up to his potential, managing just 10 catches all season. For Rooks, the issue has been dropping passes, a theme that has plagued the entire receiving core. While not every highly rated high school prospect works out, missing on Rooks has been a significant blow for the Wolfpack.
NC State also attempted to strengthen its receivers in the transfer portal this offseason, adding graduate receiver Bradley Rozner and redshirt sophomore receiver Dacari Collins. While Rozner produced at his previous school, Rice, he has not settled into a rhythm, failing to record more than 50 yards in an individual game. Meanwhile, Collins has been a nonfactor this year.
The misses at receiver are arguably the most disappointing aspect of this offense. From dropped passes to lack of separation, the unit has not looked like an ACC-caliber receiving core. Without multiple serviceable receivers, both Armstrong and Morris are set up to fail.
NC State’s receivers have not been the only offensive issue in Raleigh — the line play has also been subpar. The Wolfpack lost guard Chandler Zavala and center Grant Gibson last offseason, creating a void in the interior of the offensive line. Unfortunately for the red-and-white, Zavala and Gibson’s replacements have struggled, turning one of last season’s strengths into a weakness.
One of the biggest issues for the offensive line has been lack of discipline and penalties. The Pack is tied for second worst in the conference with 49 penalties this season. On the line, false starts have been a significant issue. In its latest performance, a game at Duke where the Blue Devils do not enjoy a major home field advantage, the offensive line committed four false starts in the first quarter alone. Simple mistakes like these are adding up and costing the offense.
Additionally, the unit has failed to clear sufficient holes for the running backs. Against conference foes, the Wolfpack has only averaged 3.5 yards per carry — 11th in the conference. The Pack has especially struggled to run the ball into the endzone, only earning two rushing touchdowns against ACC competition. With the struggles in the passing game, NC State’s inability to run the ball has compounded issues for the offense.
With the entire offense struggling, the Wolfpack offense has too many holes to fully fix midseason. Despite making a change at quarterback, the one card available to save an offense in-season, the Pack’s offense remains pedestrian. In ACC play, the Wolfpack is second to last in scoring offense and yardage, averaging 12.3 points and 275 yards. Unless the red-and-white shows significant offensive improvement out of its bye week, the 2023 season appears to be a lost cause.
