NC State's 'heartbroken' locker room reaction to Clemson loss

NC State’s offense faltered Saturday night, and the defense let up big plays in critical moments during the 30-20 loss to Clemson. The Tigers out-gained the Pack 354-279 in the contest, and Clemson’s defensive line continuously wrecked the offense’s momentum. 

After the game, head coach Dave Doeren, linebacker Isaiah Moore and quarterback Devin Leary all spoke with the media, addressing the loss and where NC State goes from here.

NC State is heartbroken following the loss

Leary finished the game with 245 passing yards, but a fumbled snap and a costly interception deflected off the hands of Christopher Toudle were two moments that contributed to the Wolfpack loss. The quarterback explained the frustrated mood in the locker room after the game.

“Honestly, a little bit heartbroken, a little bit of pissed off, just because we walked off that field knowing that we didn’t play to our best ability,” Leary said. “We had very high aspirations, we had very high expectations going into this game, and we thought we prepared well, but we didn’t execute well.”

The quarterback said that, while the team is disappointed to leave Clemson with a loss, the Wolfpack athletes were walking around the locker room saying the team will bounce back.

“We know we’re a better team than that, we know we can display a lot better football,” Leary said. “For us, it’s just getting back into film room, learning from our mistakes and taking it personally.”

Moore echoed that sentiment, saying the loss hurt, but the team is ready to study the tape and improve before taking on Florida State back at Carter-Finley Stadium next weekend.

“We’re definitely pissed off, but we can either get bitter or get better,” Moore said. “We’ve got to get back to Raleigh, watch the film, put the game to bed and get back to work.”

The end of the first half was critical

NC State took a 10-6 lead in the first half with less than two minutes to go, and all of the momentum was on the Pack’s side. Clemson responded with an 8 play, 75-yard drive that took just 1:20 and ended in a touchdown.

“I feel like we gave him a touchdown going into the half,” Doeren said. “I really feel that way, not to discredit Clemson, they made a nice throw and catch. We’re in a three-deep with two hard corners, and they run a flat route, the corners should be all over that.”

That play led to a 26-yard completion from DJ Uiagalelei to running back Will Shipley, setting up for a rushing TD by the quarterback one play later. Clemson’s scored again on its first drive of the second half, and NC State spent the rest of the game playing from behind.

“You don’t have to be perfect, but you’ve got to play the defenses and offenses and execute and make your layups and not turn the football over,” Doeren said. “We didn’t do that well enough.”

NC State lost the turnover battle, which it could not afford to do

After taking care of the ball well in the first half, NC State turned it over on an interception, and then the game was essentially sealed once Leary and center Grant Gibson mishandled a snap on a fourth-down play in the fourth quarter.

“It was just a miscommunication with me and Grant,” Leary said. “We go on the clap a lot. I think something was heard or something, a certain indicator to where you kind of snap the ball. But, I mean, it’s on me, whether I did call for the ball or not, to get on top of it.”

Devan Boykin had a chance at a diving interception, and Aydan White had a pick bounce off his hands during the loss. NC State finished the game -2 in the turnover margin. NC State was able to get pressure on Uiagalelei and force some errant throws at times, but the Wolfpack was not able to capitalize and did not slow the quarterback down enough during his three-touchdown performance.

“Overall, I feel like we did a decent job but not good enough,” Moore said.