NC State football scouting report: UVA

NC State football kicks off its ACC schedule against UVA Friday after a shortened week of preparation. The Wolfpack dispatched VMI 45-7 last week in its first of 3 games against Virginia schools this fall.

Now, the program faces a more formidable test with a UVA team that is off to an 0-3 start and sits at the bottom of On3’s ACC power rankings. Over the first quarter of its season, head coach Tony Elliott and the Cavaliers lost to Tennessee, James Madison and Maryland.

Despite the winless record, this road matchup will still present the Pack with some problems.

5 UVA players to watch

Wide receiver Malachi Fields

UVA’s passing game is bolstered by a pair of playmaking wide receivers. Fields leads the team with 19 receptions and has racked up 207 yards. He is one of the highest rated members of Virginia’s offense on Pro Football Focus (PFF) and poses some mismatch issues for opposing defensive backs at 6-4.

NC State starts strong, physical cornerbacks with Shyheim Battle and Aydan White. They will take on Fields’ coverage assignment on the outside. With the way Battle started this year, allowing 0 receptions on 6 targets, the Pack should have some confidence here.

Wide receiver Malik Washington

Washington is an explosive, 5-8 slot receiver who paces the program at 16.1 yards per reception for 289 yards. Look for the Cavaliers to get the ball in his hands through screens and other short passes that give him an opportunity to makes plays in space.

Wolfpack nickel Robert Kennedy III will likely check Washington for most of the matchup. The graduate student already has a pick-6 on the year and has remained sound in coverage throughout the first 3 matchups. Opposing teams targeted Kennedy 7 times for 5 completions, but those receivers recorded an average of 7.2 yards per reception and gained 7 total yards after the catch.

Defensive end Kam Butler

UVA’s defensive line is the strength of its team, and Butler is a disruptive force who helps drives that unit. The sixth-year senior has already racked up 19 total tackles, 4 for loss and 2.5 sacks coming off of the edge. His matchup against NC State’s tackles will be really interesting to watch.

Hello Kam Butler! 📸
The Hoos are keeping it close with Tennessee through the first quarter. ⚔️@kbzzz__
pic.twitter.com/KkmY0qIBWj

— The Transfer Portal CFB (@TPortalCFB) September 2, 2023

Safety Jonas Sanker

Sanker leads UVA in both tackles with 28 and pass breakups with 4. The junior is a second-year starter and is steadily emerging as a star in the ACC. He primarily lines up in the box and will play a role in trying to stuff NC State’s rushing attack.

Cornerback Tayvonn Kyle

Kyle is off to a difficult start this season, allowing 13 receptions on 17 targets and giving up 11.5 yards per catch. His PFF tackling grade is well-below average at 38.4 as well. The cornerback, or ‘SPUR’ as he is listed on UVA’s depth chart, lines up in the slot for the overwhelming majority of his snaps. That means he will likely match up against Wolfpack freshman Kevin Concepcion, who is elusive and tough to tackle.

3 keys to the game

Can Brennan Armstrong continue to extend plays with his legs?

Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa created a lot of opportunities against Virginia with his legs. UVA, though, has the defensive front to consistently collapse a pocket. Against the Terrapins, Virginia did not even need to blitz that often to generate pressure.

Tagovailoa did a great job getting outside the pocket and extending plays long enough to either scramble or find an open receiver. NC State’s pass catchers should create separation against UVA’s defensive backs, but Brennan Armstrong will have to buy himself some time to find them.

This is another matchup where the quarterback could lead the team in rushing. Virginia’s defensive front is a challenging unit to run against.

NC State has a sizable special teams advantage

In its first 3 games, UVA gave up 31.8 yards per kick return and 24.6 per punt return. Those numbers should make returners Julian Gray and Jalen Coit very excited. They rank inside the top 10 nationally for average kick and punt return yards, respectively, and have an opportunity to break off another game-changing special teams play Friday.

UVA does not force turnovers, so do not give them any easy ones

Virginia forced 1 turnover in 3 games— a forced fumble during a blowout loss to Tennessee. The Cavaliers have not picked off a pass yet. This is not a ball-hawking defense so, if the Pack avoids making any critical mistakes, it should be able to keep its defense out of tough situations. NC State has a turnover differential of 0 so far this year after throwing 3 interceptions against Notre Dame.

2 important numbers for NC State vs. UVA

9,034: Armstrong’s career passing yards over 5 seasons with UVA. This will likely be an emotional return for the Pack signal-caller.

47-3: Opponents are outscoring UVA by that margin in the fourth quarter. The Cavaliers held an 11-point lead going into the final period against JMU and completely unraveled against Maryland as well.