In a nationally televised game against a high-powered offense, the No. 20 NC State football team did not shy away from big plays and consistent pressure of the Louisville Cardinals in a 39-25 victory at Carter-Finley Stadium.
Here is how the position groups fared in the Pack’s third-straight ACC win:
Quarterback: A
Redshirt junior Ryan Finley bounced back from 186 yards passing against Syracuse to 367 Thursday night. Finley has taken care of the ball, throwing for a 70.9 completion percentage on the season and has the longest streak of passes without an interception in the FBS.
Despite having no interceptions this season, Finley recorded the first turnover for the Wolfpack since the season-opening loss to South Carolina with a fumble inside the red zone on the first drive of the game against the Cards. Finley bounced back nicely, having a touchdown pass and almost three receivers finishing the game with 100 yards.
Running Backs: A
Junior Nyheim Hines recorded his second-consecutive 100-yard rushing game with 102 yards against Louisville. On top of an average of 5.7 yards per carry and a 45-yard scamper in the third quarter, Hines found the end zone twice from 7 and 11 yards out. Junior Reggie Gallaspy had 31 rushing yards and punched the football in for a score.
Receivers: A+
Perhaps the biggest show of athleticism this game was seen in the receiving corps. After only catching for 33 yards in the last two games, sophomore wide receiver Kelvin Harmon torched the Cardinals secondary with 133 yards on six receptions. After a 48-yard touchdown catch that opened the scoring of the game, Harmon arguably made the play of the day with a spectacular over-the-defender 21-yard catch on third and six when the Wolfpack held only a six-point lead at the start of the fourth quarter, setting up a short-yardage rushing touchdown for NC State.
Also making significant contributions was senior all-purpose back Jaylen Samuels. With his first 100-yard receiving game, Samuels turned a short pass from Finley into a 79-yard pickup to set up a field goal in the second quarter. Junior wide receiver Stephen Louis was a yard short of a 100-yard performance against Louisville; however, he did average 33 yards on his three receptions setting up short-yardage situations near the red zone for the Wolfpack offense.
Offensive Line: A+
The unsung heroes for NC State during its five-game win streak could be the offensive line. Finley was only pressured once against Louisville and has not been sacked in the last three games. After a dismal start to the run game this season, the line has also paved a path for strong and long rushes. Giving Finley time in the pocket and opening holes for runners has been key to a 3-0 ACC start for the Wolfpack.
Defensive Line: A
Facing a tough matchup with the versatile, Heisman-winning quarterback Lamar Jackson, the defensive line stood up to the challenge and pressured Jackson all night. Junior defensive tackle Eurndraus Bryant tallied two of the Wolfpack’s four sacks. Senior defensive end Bradley Chubb, who is tied for third in the nation in sacks and second in tackles for loss, also made his presence known with a sack, two tackles for loss and a blocked extra point.
With five hurries, Jackson was flustered and flushed out of the pocket to create plays for himself. Against a former Heisman winner, the Pack D-line held its own and disrupted the Cardinals offensive game plan.
Linebackers: B+
Senior linebackers Airius Moore and Jerod Fernandez were second and third, respectively, in tackles on the night for NC State. Although steady tackles were made in the running and passing plays in the middle of the field, some missed opportunities were had when Jackson was running out of the pocket. The victory for the Pack was sealed when Jackson’s pass was tipped to junior Germaine Pratt who returned the interception 25 yards for a touchdown with less than three minutes left in the game.
Secondary: B
Knowing that they were facing a Heisman-winning quarterback and one of the top offensives in the country, the secondary stepped up their play and came in clutch in pressure situations. Sophomore safety Jarius Morehead led the team with 11 total tackles and one of the Wolfpack’s four passes defended. The game was sealed when Jackson’s pass was tipped by senior safety Shawn Boone who also recorded a sack and six tackles on the night.
Special Teams: B
Another week and another missed kick for graduate placekicker Carson Wise. Wise was unable to connect on a 35-yard attempt while drilling a 21-yarder and making all four extra points in the game. Hines also put a damper on special teams play with a fumble off a muffed punt catch in the first quarter that rolled out of bounds to keep NC State possession. Hines made up for the fumble with 105 kickoff return yards including a 48-yard return.
Coaching: A
Often not receiving the recognition they deserve, decisions from head coach Dave Doeren and play calling from offensive coordinator Eliah Drinkwitz and defensive coordinator Dave Huxtable proved to be a key to a successful game against Louisville.
On offense, the pass game was established in the first half with 268 yards from Finley. That opened up the box for run plays that were called to exploit the holes in the Louisville defense. The game plan for containing and pressuring Jackson on the defensive side of the ball also proved effective as Jackson was scrambling and forced to create his own plays.
On top of the strategies by the coordinators, calls from Doeren such as going for it on fourth down and a yard in the second quarter that resulted in a first down and the first touchdown drive of the game and going for a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter to go up by two touchdowns were both momentum-swinging calls.
