Behind the numbers: A look at RB Hollywood Smothers, TE Justin Joly’s usage in NC State's Military Bowl loss to ECU

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Dec 28, 2024; Annapolis, MD, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack tight end Justin Joly (15) catches a pass for a touchdown as East Carolina Pirates defensive back Dontavius Nash (6) looks on during the second half of the Go Bowling Military Bowl at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

NC State coach Dave Doeren seemed a tad perplexed at the question following the Wolfpack’s 26-21 loss to East Carolina in the Military Bowl on Sunday evening. Was redshirt freshman running back Hollywood Smothers injured in the first half, requiring more treatment in the third quarter? “He was not hurt,” Doeren said, “so I’m not sure why you thought he was.” Well, if Smothers wasn’t hurt, he appeared to be cordoned off to the Wolfpack bench after he logged more than 80 yards in the first half. NC State, which struggled to finish drives, left its most consistent player in the game — he averaged 8.1 yards per carry in the first two quarters alone — without a touch for the entire third quarter. While Smothers, who finished with a team-best 181 yards of total offense, went an entire period without having the ball in his hands, he wasn’t alone. The Wolfpack had a sustained stretch where it didn’t even target junior tight end Justin Joly, the team’s leading receiver entering the bowl. Here’s a look at how NC State used Smothers and Joly in its Military Bowl defeat to ECU.