NC State safety Rakeim Ashford out for the season with injury

NC State head coach Dave Doeren announced on Monday that safety Rakeim Ashford is out for the year.

The senior had appeared in three games this season. He recorded 2 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss and a quarterback hurry, prior to going down with an injury on Saturday against Marshall.

“Unfortunately, Rakeim is out for the year,” Doeren said during his press conference on Monday. “Knee injury. Got flew into [on] the side of his leg. Can’t go into the specifics of it but it’s going to require surgery. Felt so bad for him. He’s been through a ton this year — obviously with the hit at UConn and now this. So football’s a great sport and it’s also a tough sport when it comes to injuries.”

Rakeim Ashford has been with the NC State program since 2020, after transferring in from Jones Community College in Mississippi.

As Doeren alluded to, Ashford has had tough injury luck throughout this season. He had to be carted off the field during the Wolfpack’s opener against UConn after getting injured on a kickoff.

Thankfully, Rakeim Ashford was able to bounce back from that and return to the field, but now his season is over.

Ashford was a key contributor to the Wolfpack’s special teams unit last season, playing on 145 special teams snaps. He entered the season as a backup free safety on defense.

Ashford is the second NC State safety to be lost for the year, joining fellow senior Jakeen Harris.

“That one hurts. It’s the second safety that we have now with Jakeen Harris being the other one that’s out for the season,” Doeren said. “That depth chart has really shrunk. What started as a really good three-deep has been reduced. So more on the other guys. But yea, prayers towards Rakeim, for sure.”

Payton Wilson asks NC State fans not to boo Brennan Armstrong after benching

Despite Ashford going out with an injury against Marshall, the Wolfpack were still able to hold on for the win.

NC State earned a 48-41 victory in the first start of the season for quarterback MJ Morris.

Morris took over for Virginia transfer Brennan Armstrong, who had a tough start to the year.

Star linebacker Payton Wilson understands fans are frustrated with Armstrong, but he also wants them to be supportive of the veteran QB.

“So, I love Wolfpack Nation to death. Do not get me wrong. I love them to death,” Payton Wilson said. “They are the best fans in the country, and I love MJ to death. He played some of the best ball from a quarterback that I’ve seen at this school today, but we’ve got to stop booing Brennan.”

At one point in the game against Marshall, Brennan Armstrong entered the game to a chorus of boos from fans. Wilson was extremely disappointed with the response.

“He is hard-nosed. He’s a great person. Doesn’t matter. Just imagine if that was your kid out there on that field in front of 70,000. Let’s get behind him Wolfpack Nation when he’s in there. He’s a good-hearted kid, loves God, does nothing but pat everybody on the back and play hard for us every single day,” Wilson said. “So, continue to uplift him Wolfpack Nation. I love y’all.”