NC State football scouting report: Virginia Tech

NC State football returns to the field following its bye week ranked No. 23 in the nation and ready to get back into the win column against Virginia Tech— the last-place team in the ACC Coastal Division. Sitting at 2-5 on the year, the Hokies present a great opportunity for the 5-2 Wolfpack to get back to its winning ways.

The game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN. Here is a full scouting report on Virginia Tech.

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Four Virginia Tech athletes to watch

1. Senior linebacker Dax Hollifield (No. 4)

Dax Hollifield, a Shelby (N.C.) High alumnus, was a top-200 recruit in the 2018 class and has developed into the best defensive player on the Hokies’ roster. He is 11th in the conference in total tackles with 52, averaging 7.4 per game as the leader in the middle of the defense.

The Hokies play plenty of underclassmen on that side of the ball, and Hollifield takes on a lot of responsibilities as the senior leader. He has also recorded 4.5 tackles for loss and a pair of forced fumbles during the first 7 games of the season.

2. Fifth-year senior defensive lineman Tyjuan Garbutt (No. 45)

Tyjuan Garbutt has been Virginia Tech’s best pass rusher, by-far, when healthy this season. He has a team-leading 7 tackles for loss through just 5 games, including 3.5 sacks. Six of those tackles for loss came in games against Miami and Boston College. He will be a challenging matchup on the edge for NC State’s offensive tackles as they look to protect Jack Chambers.

3. Sophomore running back lineman Malachi Thomas (No. 24)

The true sophomore running back missed the first 5 games of the season due to injury after emerging as the Hokies’ best running back during the 2021 season. In his 2 games since returning, Malachi Thomas looked impressive and versatile, racking up more than 80 all-purpose yards in both matchups and catching 11 total passes. He his already sixth on the team in receptions.

Redshirt junior Keshawn King, the team’s leading rusher, has created explosive plays for a team sorely lacking in that area this season. Slowing down this duo out of the backfield will be crucial to stopping the Hokies’ offense Thursday night.

4. Redshirt junior quarterback Grant Wells (No. 6)

Grant Wells is the quarterback for the ACC’s second-worst passing offense offense, throwing for 7 touchdowns and 7 interceptions through 7 games. He has accuracy issues that have led to turnovers and quite a few missed receivers.

NC State’s defense has taken advantage of errant-throw opportunities this year, leading the ACC with 11 interceptions, and it should have another great opportunity to make some plays Thursday night. Wells is also the team’s third-leading rusher, but, with a longest run of 18 yards, he is not explosive in that area compared to NC State’s recent opponents.

Three things to look out for from the Hokies

1. A running back-focused offense

Virginia Tech, like NC State, struggles to make plays in the passing game, and this game will likely be dominated by the running backs of both teams. Now that both King and Thomas are mostly healthy (the former is questionable for Thursday night), look for the Hokies to lean on their talented running backs to create scoring opportunities on the ground and through the air.

2. A ton of inexperience on both sides of the ball

NC State and Virginia Tech are polar opposites when it comes to experience. The Wolfpack start no underclassmen when healthy, while the Hokies list five freshmen and sophomores as starters on their depth chart, with plenty more listed as backups.

True freshman Mansoor Delane will get his first start of the season at cornerback after looking solid in the team’s previous contests. He recorded 10 tackles and 2 pass breakups in 4 games going into the bye week. Virginia Tech lists tight end Dae’Quan Wright, another true freshman, as fourth-string, but he is starting to take on a larger role in the offense. He has only appeared in 3 games this fall but is already fifth on the team in receptions with 12.

3. The worst red zone defense team in the conference

Out of 23 red zone possessions played by the Virginia Tech defense, 22 have resulted in points for the opposing team, ranking the Hokies last in the ACC. This is great news for an NC State offense that has not reached the end zone in almost 6 quarters of football.

On the other side of the ball, the Hokies have trouble even reaching the red zone. Virginia Tech is actually one of the more efficient teams once it reaches that area of the field, scoring touchdowns on 11 of 18 possessions, but it does not get there often.

Two keys to the game against Virginia Tech

1. Stop the run

Thomas and King are an impressive duo at running back and, if they both play, the Hokies could pick up some yards on the ground. If the Pack slows those two down, it will be extremely difficult for Virginia Tech to generate much offense.

NC State’s main weakness this year has been a mobile quarterback and, with that threat absent against the Hokies, the Wolfpack should be able to completely stifle its opposition.

2. Finish drives

NC State super senior kicker Christopher Dunn’s leg has been quite active over the past couple of games. The Wolfpack left points on the board a few times against Syracuse that could have changed the game. Completely removing the opponent from the equation, it is critical to see the Chambers-led offense find the end zone a couple of times this week.

Virginia Tech is the ACC’s No. 10 scoring defense and last in the red zone. If NC State can not put up points against this team, it does not bode well for the next four games of the regular season.

One number to keep in mind

1991

That was the most recent year NC State defeated Virginia Tech in Raleigh— a 7-0 win by the Wolfpack. NC State won the game on a touchdown pass from Terry Jordan to Shad Santee in the second quarter. The two programs have played 7 games since, with the Hokies winning 5, including the most recent contest in 2020.