NC State football struggled against then-No.10 Notre Dame on Saturday, Sept. 9 — losing 45-24 — as the offense proved to be sluggish against a defensive onslaught from the Fighting Irish. Following a long storm delay after the first quarter, the Wolfpack was unable to establish a consistent offense, but showed flashes of potential for the future.
Quarterbacks
Graduate quarterback Brennan Armstrong showed he is still getting used to the new offensive scheme, completing 22 of his 47 passes for 260 yards, two touchdowns, three interceptions and a rushing touchdown. Though one of the interceptions came off a tipped ball off the hands of freshman wide receiver Kevin Concepcion, Armstrong must make better decisions with his passes.
However, there were a few bright spots to his otherwise lackluster performance. Armstrong showed great pocket presence and was able to scramble out of many potential sacks throughout the game — a talent not many NCAA quarterbacks possess.
Grade: C
Running backs
Senior running back Jordan Houston and Armstrong led the team in rushing, with both tallying 26 yards each, while the remaining rushers combined for 11 attempts and 32 yards. The Notre Dame defense proved to just be too strong for the Wolfpack. As NC State fell further and further behind, it began to rely heavily on the pass, rendering the team’s run game useless. Moving forward, the running core will have to aim for more consistency and bigger plays to help ease the pressure on the passing game.
Grade: D+
Pass catchers
Freshman tight end Juice Vereen led all Wolfpack pass catchers with four receptions for 65 yards and began to become a major facet of the offense. With his 6-foot-4 frame, Vereen is able to use his size to his advantage and make catches that shorter defenders can’t guard.
Senior wide receiver Keyon Lesane also had a solid outing. While he only had two catches, he was able to rack up 53 yards, 38 of which came off an impressive catch on a sideline heave from Armstrong. Graduate wide receivers Bradley Rozner and redshirt sophomore wideout Dacari Collins were the recipients of Armstrong’s two touchdown passes. Finally, Concepcion finished with five catches for 24 yards. Overall, the receivers are improving, but need to find ways to create more space to assist Armstrong.
Grade: B
Offensive line
Although it faced a strong Fighting Irish defensive line, the Wolfpack’s offensive line kept a mostly clean pocket for Armstrong, allowing just one sack through 60 minutes of play. Although unable to support the run game, the unit stayed strong in pass protection. This, combined with Armstrong’s elusiveness, helped keep many drives alive and seemed to be the biggest factor in keeping the offense moving.
Grade: B+
