NC State safety Sean Brown’s targeting appeal denied, Wolfpack confident in position group
NC State will be without a key piece of its run defense for the first half against Marshall after redshirt sophomore safety Sean Brown’s targeting appeal was denied this week, Wolfpack defensive coordinator Tony Gibson said Wednesday.
Brown was flagged for targeting in the third quarter of NC State’s 13-10 loss as he was putting together one of his best performances of the season. He had eight tackles with two sacks before he was ejected from the contest.
NC State believed they had a case for his suspension to be relieved, but that wasn’t the case when the appeal was heard. Though he’ll miss the opening 30 minutes, Gibson thinks that Brown will provide a jolt to the defense when he’s allowed to play after halftime.
“I think Sean Brown is playing as well as anybody on our defense right now,” Gibson said. “He’s a smart kid, tough. Unfortunate that he has to sit the first half this week, but will give us a spark going into the second half.”
The Wolfpack played the entire fourth quarter without Brown on Friday night, which allowed graduate safety Rakeim Ashford to make two tackles, including 0.5 tackles for a loss. Junior safety Bishop Fitzgerald has also played a key role in the Wolfpack’s secondary with 15 tackles and two interceptions this season.
Fitzgerald started the year as a backup, but with injuries at the position, he’s had a chance to step up. And the former JUCO standout has risen to the challenge.
But as the Wolfpack prepare to be without Brown, a key part of the secondary, NC State will regain junior safety Devan Boykin, who was injured on the first defensive snap at Virginia. He missed last week’s game against Louisville, though he was a long shot to play in that one. Boykin is expected back this week.
A shorthanded secondary isn’t uncharted waters for the Wolfpack, who will be more than excited once halftime comes and goes and Brown is allowed back on the field.
Top 10
- 1Live
Historic upset
No. 1 Alabama falls to Vanderbilt
- 2New
Kirby Smart calls out fans
Georgia head coach unhappy with home crowd
- 3Trending
Vandy goalposts hit Broadway
Vanderbilt goalposts hit Broadway, go for swim
- 4
Michigan makes QB change
Alex Orji benched in favor Jack Tuttle
- 5
Blanketgate: Elko blames Drink
The Texas A&M coach didn't hold back at all
“We’re used to that around here,” Gibson said. “It’s been that way ever since I’ve been here. It seems like we lose a guy or two on the backend, but the next guy steps in. I think Bishop’s playing well right now. Rakeim Ashford’s a kid that we’ve counted on for a long time, and he continues to get better. They’re gelling back there.”
With NC State’s secondary returning to almost full strength this week, Gibson thought the entire defense has continued to meet his expectations.
The Wolfpack held Louisville, the ACC’s top rushing attack that averaged more than 230 yards a game, to just 20 yards on Friday night. NC State also pitched a shutout for the opening 30 minutes while it forced three turnovers on the night.
“It’s meeting my expectations these last few games,” Gibson said of NC State’s run defense. “Obviously the first game we gave up a couple explosive runs. I thought the kids did a tremendous job Friday shutting that run game down.”
As NC State gets set to play Marshall this weekend, Gibson thought the Wolfpack’s showing against the Cardinals was the most complete on the defensive side of the ball.
“We’ve got a lot of guys on defense that have played a lot of football, and they care, and they’re competitive, sometimes their emotions get the best of them and they want to try to make somebody else play,” Gibson said. “But Friday was the first time all year long that it met my expectation of what this defense should look like and what we should play like.”
