NC State is ‘still evolving’ while it rides a 3-game winning streak

Ever since NC State emerged from its bye week following the “embarrassing” 24-3 loss at Duke, the Wolfpack have looked like an improved team. The red and white’s adjustments in its idle week paid off with a three-game winning streak afterwards. 

It has not been just one side of the ball, either. NC State’s offense has used new wrinkles — more motions and consistent huddles — to find a rhythm, while the defense has become even more stingy than it was before the bye. 

The offense’s huddling came through NC State coach Dave Doeren wanting the team to build more togetherness on the field, while it also serves as a competitive advantage, too. Before the Pack was huddling often on offense, the team would line up and look for the play signals from the sideline. 

That allowed opposing teams to see what the Wolfpack were going to do, and it gave them time to adjust. Now, the huddle takes some of that away, while pre-snap motions try to confuse defenses. 

On top of the two pre-snap adjustments, NC state has a better idea of its personnel and what it will use. 

“I think we were, and still are, evolving offensively,” Doeren said. “Just trying to get a ‘what are we?’ Trying to get that figured out as we go. I think the last three games, we’ve gotten better each game.”

It took seven weeks plus the bye week for offensive coordinator Robert Anae to craft a game plan around the Pack’s key contributors, but Doeren said that was foreshadowed during spring practice. 

“I think coach Anae said this when we were in spring ball, it’s going to take a while to figure this piece out,” Doeren said. “We didn’t have any guys that were just dominating the practice. Obviously KC has shown us that he’s a player, but he had to figure out the pieces. Who’s he going to get the ball to, how are we going to be able to use this guy or that guy?”

The Wolfpack have found unique ways to get the ball in freshman wide receiver Kevin Concepcion’s hands since the bye, including pop passes and using him as a running back at times. Concepcion is the team’s leading receiver with 50 receptions for 573 yards and six touchdowns, while he has the fifth-most rushing yards for the Pack — 198 on 18 carries.

NC State’s offensive line has improved each week to keep the Wolfpack’s quarterback on his feet, most recently graduate Brennan Armstrong. The Virginia transfer was only sacked three times in the Pack’s 26-6 win at Wake Forest this past weekend. 

On the other side of the ball, NC State has improved on defense since the bye week as well. The Wolfpack have allowed just 9.6 points per game over its three-game winning streak, which is down from the 23.5 points allowed in the first seven games. NC State also limited Miami without a touchdown in the team’s 20-6 win two weeks ago. 

The key to an even more stout defense before the bye week? Eliminating explosive plays for touchdowns. NC State conceded nine big plays — 15-plus yards on the ground or 20-plus through the air — for scores through its first seven weeks. 

NC State has not allowed a single one since then, which has been key in the team’s three-game winning streak. 

“That was an area that hurt us up until the bye week,” Doeren said of the explosive scores. “Duke had a couple of them, Notre Dame had a couple of them. When you give up a big play, that’s one thing. But when it’s points on the board, you can’t recover from that.”

The improvement in that area has been born through better coverage and tackling, Doeren said. 

“We’ve done a great job with that, and that’s contested coverage and tackling,” Doeren said. “Guys have done a really good job in those two areas. Our red zone defense has gotten better. You saw the goal-line stand, you see us deny a couple drives into the red zone. Hold people to field goals or less, that’s the goal.”

NC State has put a premium on its scoring defense and takeaways, both areas the team has thrived in since the bye week. The Wolfpack has a plus-5 turnover margin over the last three games. 

While the defense continues to improve and build off its previous performances, the offense is ever-changing — for the better. And for Doeren, that is a good sign this late in the season. 

“We’re still evolving,” Doeren said. “Dacari Collins stepped up and made some plays [at Wake Forest]. OK, so we can evolve more with that. We’re still growing, still getting better. Man, if you’re getting better in November, that’s a good thing.”