NC State coach Dave Doeren opens up about MJ Morris’ decision to redshirt, Brennan Armstrong to start 

NC State coach Dave Doeren, in his weekly media availability Thursday afternoon, confirmed sophomore quarterback MJ Morris will redshirt the final three games of the season. Graduate signal-caller Brennan Armstrong will be the Wolfpack’s starting quarterback moving forward.

TheWolfpacker.com reported the news Tuesday, but NC State did not comment on the matter until Doeren’s opening statement Thursday. The 11th-year coach said he did not announce it in his Monday press conference to maintain a “competitive advantage” against Wake Forest. 

But the news broke, and he opened up about it in his final pregame availability before the Wolfpack travel to Winston-Salem. 

The original plan this season was to redshirt Morris, but after the first five games, NC State needed a “spark” and Doeren talked with the young quarterback and asked if he wanted to play. Morris decided that he wanted to, and he led NC State to a 48-41 win over Marshall in his first start of the season. 

But as the games went on, Morris approached Doeren and said that he was still thinking about preserving his redshirt. He was not sure at the time, but it was a discussion among him and his family. 

“I was surprised by that because he was our starter, and I didn’t expect that for a starting player to want to sit back down,” Doeren said. “… After the fourth game, he was very decisive in telling me that it was important to him and his family to preserve his redshirt. We’re honoring that decision.”

Morris has practiced with the scout team this week, while Armstrong has returned to the starting lineup for the first time since he was benched after the Wolfpack’s Week 5 loss to Louisville, 13-10. 

Doeren said this is Armstrong’s team now and he has earned “a ton of respect” from his teammates with how he has handled the past five weeks. 

“Our team has embraced him in this role, and we’re rallying around him,” Doeren said. “Super excited to see what he does with this opportunity in his finish. He’s handled this, as Aydan [White] said yesterday, like a grown-ass man. It couldn’t have been said any better.”

Armstrong was the team’s starter coming out of fall camp, and played in the first five games at quarterback. He was 94-of-160 passing for 971 yards with 5 touchdowns and 6 interceptions.

NC State’s offense has evolved since Armstrong was benched. The Wolfpack have incorporated a heavy dose of pop passes and run plays with freshman wide receiver Kevin Concepcion. 

Not only has offensive coordinator Robert Anae made it a mission to get the ball in Concepcion’s hands, but NC State’s offensive line has held up over the past two weeks since redshirt freshman Jacarrius Peak was inserted at right tackle. The offense has also huddled the past two weeks, which has led to the team’s success with wins over Clemson and Miami. 

Shortly after Doeren told Armstrong, either on Sunday or Monday, that he was the starting quarterback, the sixth-year quarterback approached the coach about the new-look offense.

“He knows what we’re doing, he understands,” Doeren said. “He’s also in a very good mental space. I think that break for him was good, it was. It was time for him to reset, reevaluate what he was doing, watch what’s happening, put his head down and work.”

While Armstrong was not the team’s starting quarterback, he was still used as a runner. He logged 12 carries over three games, including 8 for 51 yards as the team’s leading rusher in its 20-6 win over Miami this past weekend. 

Having him still involved in the game plan is something that Doeren thought would help “a lot” as Armstrong returns to his natural quarterback position. 

“Just to build him back up confidence-wise, and let him be a part of what’s going on, he deserved that,” Doeren said. “He’s a competitive guy that works hard. There’s a lot more to him than a runner, a lot more, so I’m glad he’s going to get an opportunity to show that, too.”

Armstrong will start this weekend at Wake Forest, a place NC State has not had recent success at with only one win there in its last 10 trips, but Doeren is confident in his quarterback. 

And though the backup quarterback situation has not been disclosed following Morris’ decision — it is likely walk-on Ethan Rhodes or true freshman Lex Thomas — Doeren is not going to limit Armstrong from being his physical self. 

“I want Brennan to be Brennan,” Doeren said. “I want him to go and play ball. To go play ball and play ball the way No. 5 plays ball. Cut it loose and play hard.”

Armstrong might have a new appreciation for football after he was on the sideline for most of the past four games. Through this process, Doeren said he has seen Armstrong grow with his perspective on the game. 

“Just understanding that these might be his last however-many games, and he said it to me the other day, ‘Coach, I just want to go have fun. I just want to enjoy playing this game,’” Doeren said. “And you could see it in his eyes. He was really excited to play.”

Doeren seemed excited for Armstrong’s new opportunity to lead NC State through its final three regular-season games — at Wake Forest, at Virginia Tech and home against North Carolina. 

The Wolfpack still have everything to play for. NC State’s goal is to be the best team in the ACC in its final five games with an outside shot at the league title game. So far, the Wolfpack is 2-0 through that stretch, and it is now Armstrong’s team. 

Doeren is not worried about placing a burden on Armstrong. He just wants the quarterback to go do what he is capable of on the field: play with fight and a passion. 

“I think he came in with some pressure on him,” Doeren said of Armstrong. “There’s no pressure on him right now. Just go play football.”