Behind the numbers: Inside NC State’s changes to the starting defense, the impact that came with them

By Noah Fleischman

There was a clear message on NC State’s defensive practice field this past week: Every rep was an opportunity to compete for playing time against Northern Illinois. 

Coach Dave Doeren wasn’t happy with his defense’s toughness or its physicality at Clemson, so this was a chance for every defender to make an impact. Those that rose to the occasion were going to be rewarded on Saturday.

Doeren, the Pack’s 12th-year coach, alluded to redshirt freshman Isaiah Shirley getting more playing time due to his effort alone in end-of-game action against Tennessee and Clemson. 

“He’s a guy that has shown that he’ll compete no matter what,” Doeren said of Shirley earlier this week. He’s a guy that’s going to get more playing time because of that. It’s obvious when you watch those two games. I thought he was very competitive when he went in there.”

Not only was Shirley awarded more playing time, but he made his first career start against the Huskies. And he wasn’t alone. 

Redshirt freshman defensive back Tamarcus Cooley and graduate safety KJ Martin also slotted into the Pack’s first 11 on defense during the Wolfpack’s 24-17 win over the Huskies on Saturday afternoon. 

Cooley started at nickel for the second time this season, while Martin made his starting debut at strong safety. The two defensive backs were able to not only trot out onto the field with the first-stringers, but they elevated their own play with their most consistent action through the first four games. 

That was exactly what Doeren was looking for when he inserted the three new defensive starters.

“I think competition brings out the best in you,” Doeren said postgame. “It’s not a situation where you win a job in fall camp and you keep it for 12 games regardless of how you play. You have to go out there and perform at a certain level. We felt like those positions needed to perform well, and we gave them an opportunity to do so.”

For NC State redshirt junior linebacker Caden Fordham, who is responsible for running the defense as the Mike linebacker, the trio of new starters were ready for the moment. 

“It’s a next-man up mentality,” Fordham said. “I believe in every guy on this team when their name’s called, they’ll come out and do their job. We’re going to have to continue to trust in guys, and I believe everyone’s ready to play when their name’s called.”

Here’s a deeper look at how each new starter played in their bigger roles in the Wolfpack’s win.

Defensive end Isaiah Shirley

Shirley was the key example of effort leading to increased playing time on NC State’s defensive line. While it was assumed that his role would expand with the departure of pass rush specialist Red Hibbler after the first four games, Shirley’s starting nod was unexpected.

But he had an impact almost immediately. 

The Boone, N.C., native teamed up with junior nose tackle Brandon Cleveland for a 5-yard loss on the Huskies’ first drive of the afternoon. He was also key in helping stop the run, limiting Northern Illinois running back Antario Brown to a 4-yard gain at the end of the first half and a 3-yard rush toward the end of the third quarter. 

Shirley left the game banged up in the third quarter, but he returned to action shortly after. He logged 3 total tackles in the win, while playing a career-high 36 defensive snaps. 

The 6-foot-3, 273-pound defensive end earned a 65.6 defensive grade from Pro Football Focus, which included an above-average tackling mark of 74.6. Shirley was not credited for a missed tackle in the victory and two of his three were logged as a “stop,” which is a tackle that constitutes a failure for the offense. 

Nickel Tamarcus Cooley

After starting in the season opener at nickel in place of an injured Ja’Had Carter against Western Carolina, Cooley saw his role dwindle to less than 20 snaps in each of the following three games. But as he continued to impress in practice, Cooley appeared to surpass Carter. 

The Maryland transfer played a career-best 74 defensive snaps in the win over the Huskies, all at nickel as one of just three Pack defenders to play every snap. He had a key role in NC State’s ability to set the edge in run defense, while also rising to an elite level in pass coverage. 

Cooley was targeted five times in the slot, and he allowed just one reception — a 21-yard gain by tight end Brock Lampe. The Knightdale, N.C., native posted a career-best 3 pass breakups and a game-sealing interception on the other four targets. 

The 5-foot-11, 205-pound defensive back was not afraid of the moment in his first true run as a collegiate defender. Cooley recorded 2 total tackles, including a solo, one of which was defined as a “stop,” according to PFF. His solo tackle was in run defense on fourth-and-1, limiting Northern Illinois to just a 3-yard gain with a stacked box. 

Cooley earned a season-best 74.9 defensive grade from PFF, an above-average mark, while logging a 77.8 tackling mark and a 75.2 coverage score for his effort. 

Cooley rose to the occasion in a game where he was tested in both coverage and run support. Keep an eye on him as the season progresses at nickel. 

Safety KJ Martin

NC State elected to make a change at strong safety against Northern Illinois’ stong rushing attack paced by Brown. Martin, a physical defensive back, was picked to be the Wolfpack’s final line of defense in run support. 

And did he ever deliver. 

Martin consistently found ways to limit Brown’s rushes and minimized their impact with his open-field tackling. He was fourth on the team in total tackles with 7, including 1 for a loss, to go along with a pass breakup in coverage. 

The Akron transfer was the Pack’s leading defensive back in run support, a key part of NC State’s ability to nearly eliminate the Huskies’ offense in the second half with just 3 points. Martin played 51 total snaps, his most at NC State since arriving in the offseason. 

Martin was targeted three times, and he allowed just 2 receptions for a meager 8 yards. He earned a near-elite 82.4 coverage mark from PFF, the second-highest of the day for the Wolfpack (free safety DK Kaufman recorded an 86.5 score). 

Moving forward

NC State’s new defensive starters all made significant impacts on the game. The Wolfpack’s defense had a unique sense of swagger and urgency for all four quarters against Northern Illinois, something the team lacked in the first four weeks.

New blood in the starting lineup appeared to raise the Wolfpack defense’s playing level, and that will need to continue for the team to build off the solid effort. Kaufman, one of the team’s leaders on the defensive side of the ball, noted that NC State cannot relax moving forward. 

“We have to come back and do the same thing, but amplify it by 10 next week,” Kaufman said postgame. “We’ve got a little momentum, but we got to keep it. That can be hard sometimes. People like to relax, but we can’t relax. … This is not the time to relax. We’re nowhere near done for what we’re trying to get.”

The increased competition in practice seemed to pay dividends on Saturday. The Pack will try to keep that competitive spirit up going into its Week 6 game against Wake Forest inside Carter-Finley Stadium.