Brennan Armstrong explains why he's entering first season at NC State with a chip on his shoulder

Brennan Armstrong transferred to North Carolina State shortly after the end of the 2022 season. Since joining the Wolfpack ahead of their spring ball workouts, Armstrong has been eagerly doing his best to get acclimated to the NC State system, coaching, and playbook. And while he is excited to hit the field with his new teammates in 2023, he also has an axe to grind. During a recent press conference, Armstrong explained why he has had a chip on his shoulder during spring practice and why it will remain for next season.

“Yeah, I mean, I just feel like I have something to prove. I really want to put two great years together, and there’s just a chip on my shoulder, and I think this place has been the best place for me to approve that,” said Armstrong. “There’s a lot of opportunity here. I think the guys, especially on the offensive side, are itching just to be better. I feel like they didn’t do their part last year. So, we’re all in this together. We’re all ready to hit the field, and I just think that eagerness on offense is a big deal of why we can be special on offense this year.”

Armstrong wasn’t much of a force during his first two years at Virginia, throwing just 25 passes total in 2018 and 2019. However, he would earn the starting nod in the COVID shortened 2020 season and throw for 2117 yards and 18 touchdowns in nine games. Although it was a short season, Armstrong’s performance made opposing defenses take notice.

He followed up that campaign with an even better 2021, throwing for 4449 yards and 31 touchdowns on his way to the Dudley Award, which is given to the best player from the state of Virginia. Last season, Armstrong had a few growing pains and dealt with a few injuries under Virginia’s first-year head coach Tony Elliott. He would finish the year with 2210 yards while completing 185 of his 338 pass attempts but had seven touchdowns to 12 interceptions.

After the way last season ended, Armstrong has every right to have a chip on his shoulder. But now that he’s with a new team in a new situation, the Shelby, OH, native has an opportunity to make some real noise in the ACC. And Armstrong will also get the opportunity to take some of that animosity out on his former team when NC State travels to Virginia on Sept 22.