The NC State football team beat the Marshall Thundering Herd 37-20 Saturday in the first home game of the season. The Pack returns home against Furman this weekend, but first we look back on last week’s win and grade the position groups.
Quarterback: A-
After a less than ideal first-quarter performance due to a couple of questionable passes, graduate transfer Ryan Finley came roaring back to help lead the offense to score 20 points in the second quarter. Against the Herd, Finley went 29 for 36, threw for 341 yards and three touchdowns. Saturday’s game was Finley’s second consecutive game throwing for over 300 yards, making him the first NC State quarterback to do so in back to back games to start a season since Philip Rivers in 2003. Finley also had a 46-yard run, which was the longest from a quarterback since Jacoby Brissett at UNC-Chapel Hill in 2014.
Running Backs: C
Juniors Reggie Gallaspy II and Nyheim Hines didn’t contribute as much this week after Hines seemed to lead the running back charge against the Gamecocks. Gallaspy had 12 rushes for 61 yards and two touchdowns against Marshall, which tied his career-high. Hines did not seem to do much for the Pack, only rushing for 29 yards and averaging 2.2 yards per carry.
Wide Receivers: A
After a big fumble last weekend against South Carolina, redshirt junior Stephen Louis had 73 yards and a touchdown in the win against the Thundering Herd. Sophomore Jakobi Meyers and freshman Emeka Emezie both had multiple catches to contribute to the Pack’s offense but nothing outstanding. Redshirt freshman C.J. Riley showed his potential with a 45-yard catch and run on third down. Sophomore Kelvin Harmon once again showed he is a huge factor in the Wolfpack’s offensive successes as he had his second week of 100-plus receiving yards on nine catches, along with a touchdown.
Tight Ends: B-
Senior Jaylen Samuels had a SportsCenter Top 10 catch, 60 receiving yards and a long touchdown off a flea flicker in his contribution to the Pack. Graduate student Cole Cook was not a target for this game but did what he could to enrich the offense. Overall, not an outstanding performance from the tight ends but decent work.
Offensive Line: C+
The offensive line is an area in which head coach Dave Doeren said the team could struggle and that seems to be the case so far this season. The struggles on offense in the first quarter could have been a result of a collapsing pocket resulting in pressure on Finley and two sacks over the entire game. The line still seems to be struggling some to open up holes to allow Hines and Gallaspy to run up the middle. Redshirt junior Will Richardson is due to return this week after serving a two-game suspension, which could help tremendously with experience on the line.
Defensive Line: C
The defensive line had the majority of the hype surrounding the Wolfpack this season, but it still did not have a huge contribution against Marshall. Senior Bradley Chubb with no surprise had the team’s only sack and tallied three of the Pack’s four tackles for a loss. Senior Justin Jones also had a fumble recovery. The Pack will be looking to the defensive line to step up its play for the upcoming weeks when ACC play begins.
Linebackers: B-
Senior Arius Moore had a broken-up pass in the end zone and an interception to keep the Thundering Herd scoreless in the second half. Redshirt senior Jerod Fernandez forced a fumble and also helped with a tackle for a loss. Overall, not a bad performance from the linebackers as they were responsible for both turnovers.
Secondary: D+
After coming off a good start at cornerback against South Carolina, redshirt senior Johnathan Alston struggled in his second game at the position. The majority of Thundering Herd wideout Tyre Brady’s 248 receiving yards, a Carter-Finley Stadium record, came while Alston was guarding him. Senior Mike Stevens could return this week which will give the Pack secondary a much-needed boost.
Special Teams: D+
A missed extra point from graduate transfer Carson Wise is keeping people holding their breath during kicking attempts for the Pack. The kickoff team is struggling with its gameplay and will be looking to improve in the coming weeks or it could pose more serious issues when ACC play rolls around.
