Houston and Zavala share thoughts on 2022 NC State rushing attack
NC State lost a pair NFL-caliber running backs to the draft after last season, but two crucial members of the Wolfpack rushing attack are back. Offensive guard Chandler Zavala and running back Jordan Houston each return with plenty of experience and are ready to introduce a new ground attack in Raleigh.
They both spoke with the media Thursday afternoon.
Houston only played sparingly last season on offense but was a force on special teams, blocking a punt against North Carolina in 2021. Two years prior, Houston rushed for 526 yards and caught 15 passes as well. He is prepared to take on a role as NC State’s lead rusher in 2022.
“As the most experienced back, I feel like it’s kind of my role now to try to help lead, just try to lead by example, and minimize the mistakes now,” Houston said.
“No room for mistakes at all. That’s the way I see it.”
Ricky Person Jr. and Zonovan Knight combined for 175 carries and more than 1,400 rushing yards last year, while Houston finished third on the team with 20 carries. This obviously creates a need for someone to step up in the NC State backfield, and Houston is looking forward to the opportunity.
His playing time in 2019 should help make his transition into the spotlight easier.
“I feel like it was great for me because I was able to get that early experience, and experience goes a long way when it comes to playing college football,” Houston said. “So it really just got me accustomed to the game, the speed of the game.”
A committee of running backs join Houston in the backfield, including sophomore Demie Sumo-Karngbaye, who is emerging as a playmaker for the Wolfpack. Houston said the two are pretty similar stylistically, but the junior gave himself the slight edge on overall speed.
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One of the most important returning pieces of the NC State rushing attack is Zavala, who is back for another season on the offensive line after a lengthy eligibility process with the NCAA and a rehab process from a season-ending injury. Houston is especially happy to have him back.
“When it finally came out that he was returning, I was excited, ecstatic, actually,” Houston said.
In the final five games of the 2021 season, NC State only surpassed 100 yards rushing once— a 113-yard performance against UNC. In the first four games before Zavala’s injury against Louisiana Tech, the Wolfpack rushed for over 100 yards on three occasions. The lineman said he does not think anything changed during the season and instead credited his teammates for stepping up while he was out.
NC State could rely on the ability of quarterback Devin Leary in the passing game this year, but Zavala made it clear that that’s not the goal. In fact, the Wolfpack plan to be a very balanced team.
“We’re very big on our run game,” Zavala said. “We don’t want to be mainly passing, we want to be 50/50. Coach [John] Garrison is very enthusiastic about run game. And we don’t want to be a team where we’re very predictable just passing the ball.”
