NC State football quick hits and notes from Syracuse loss
Here are quick hits and notes from then No. 13/15 NC State football’s 24-9 loss at No. 18 Syracuse. The game was played in front of an announced sell-out at the noisy JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, N.Y.
Column: NC State football will have to recalibrate during bye week
Depleted NC State Football Roster
The big news before the game was that fifth-year redshirt junior quarterback Devin Leary will miss the remainder of the season. He will have surgery on a partially torn pectoral muscle.
The rosier health picture painted earlier in the week also turned out to be not the case. Sophomore running back Demie Sumo-Karngbaye, fifth-year redshirt junior receiver Devin Carter and fifth-year redshirt junior tight end Trent Pennix were unavailable after some hope that they would all be back Saturday.
Pennix is cleared to return for the Virginia Tech game after the bye week
Other injured offensive reserves out included third-year sophomores receiver Anthony Smith and tight end Kam Walker.
By the end of the game, starting super senior left guard Chandler Zavala, starting super senior nose tackle Cory Durden, starting fourth-year junior defensive end Savion Jackson and key defensive reserves third-year sophomore safety/nickel Devan Boykin and fourth-year redshirt sophomore nose tackle Joshua Harris all left the contest.
Red Zone Woes
NC State’s defense gave up a season-high 7.2 yards per play and matched the most yards surrendered with 387.
Fortunately for the Pack, Syracuse was on the field for a season-low 24:54. time of possession.
Unfortunately for NC State, the offense could not take advantage of not committing a turnover, while the defense had 2 picks and maintained possession for 34:34.
NC State reached the red zone on four occasions and had zero touchdowns. Last week, after Leary left the game, the Wolfpack had 3 field goals in 3 red zone trips.
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Some of the wounds were self-inflicted.
NC State had second and two at the Syracuse 12 when trailing 10-3 early in the third quarter. Senior quarterback Jack Chambers and super senior center Grant Gibson miscommunicated on the snap, leading to a 12-yard loss. A false start on the next play backed up NC State 5 yards further.
Super senior receiver Thayer Thomas dropped a high but catchable pass in the back of the end zone on second and goal from the 8 with Syracuse leading 17-6 in the fourth quarter, and on the next play the Pack had another false start.
Mobile Quarterback Defensive Woes
In the four games that NC State football has played that have been the most competitive, all the opponents effectively used the quarterback run game:
• East Carolina’s leading rusher was Holton Ahlers, who ran 5 times for 57 yards
• Clemson’s leading rusher was DJ Uiagalelei, who ran 14 times for 73 yards and 2 scores
• Florida State’s leading rusher was Jordan Travis, who ran 7 times for 108 yards
• Syracuse’s Garrett Shrader did not lead the Orange in rushing. The ACC’s leading runner Sean Tucker did with 14 runs for 98 yards and a score. However, Shrader was not far behind with 16 carries for 81 yards.
NC State Football Freshman Watch
We will keep track of this list throughout the season to see who burns their redshirt from the 2022 recruiting class, although early indications are there may not be many, if any.
Players can play up to 4 games to preserve a redshirt.
• Wide receiver Terrell Timmons Jr. — 3 games (Connecticut, Florida State, Syracuse)
• Quarterback MJ Morris — 2 games (Charleston Southern, Syracuse)
• Running back Michael Allen — 1 game (Connecticut)
• Defensive lineman Nick Campbell — 1 game (Connecticut)
• Defensive lineman Brandon Cleveland — 1 game (Connecticut)
What The Loss Means
NC State football is 5-2 at the bye and 1-2 in the ACC, while Syracuse improves to 6-0 and 3-0.
NC State’s 3-game winning streak against the Orange is snapped, but the Wolfpack leads the all-time series 13-3. NC State is 6-2 all-time in games played in the dome.
