NC State’s offense ‘in a really good spot’ during fall camp
Evolution. It’s a given in life. Species find ways to gain new traits to help them survive in nature. But it also is prevalent in football. NC State is very familiar with that after what its offense did a year ago.
Through the first seven weeks, the Wolfpack was seeking its identity. Following an open week, the unit found a way to improve — get wideout Kevin “KC” Concepcion the football as much as possible.
And the result was a five-game winning streak, capped by a 39-20 win over North Carolina.
After Pack offensive coordinator Robert Anae found ways to reinvent his offense around his ACC Rookie of the Year, the 36th-year coach is working with a new set of weapons this time around.
NC State revamped its offense through the transfer portal and its recruiting class entering the 2024 season. Anae would like his group to consistently improve week to week without an in-season overhaul.
So far, so good for the Wolfpack.
“We’re in a really good spot,” Anae said. “The guys are in great shape, and we’re looking to maintain that through fall camp. There seems to be more pieces to make plays out there. The emphasis is to spread the ball and do that kind of thing this year.”
Coastal Carolina transfer quarterback Grayson McCall has the keys to the offense, while Duke running back Jordan Waters, Ohio State wide receiver Noah Rogers, Wake Forest wideout Wesley Grimes and UConn tight end Justin Joly have injected a batch of elite talent into NC State’s offense.
Not a bad group of players for Anae to find ways to get the ball.
Of all the position groups, however, Anae spoke highly of NC State’s new-look running back room. This year it contains sophomore Kendrick Raphael, the incumbent of the group, with Oklahoma transfer Hollywood Smothers and freshmen Duke Scott and Isiah Jones among others.
The group is littered with talent and has a different feel about it.
“I think more than anything, that room has transformed its attitude,” Anae said. “The attitude of all the players is unselfish, and they’re all ready to contribute. That’s not common in running back rooms. This year, this group is different in that regard.”
“My job with great kids, great players, is to find formations to get more than one running back on the field,” Anae continued. “We started down that road. I am pushing that envelope to get more running backs on the field because of who those kids are.”
While the running back room is full of elite talent, Waters has been on a different level. Anae raved about the former Blue Devil once his name was brought up.
“Jordan is a catch-all guy,” Anae said. “He’s not just that ‘on’ type of player that when he comes on the field he’s only going to pass block, only run the ball. He is a guy that does it all.”
In addition to the running backs, Anae said McCall has “done a really good job of mastering the offense” to this point, while freshman wideout Keenan Jackson has stepped up when called upon in practice.
But when it comes to the offense, evolution is always a core principle for Anae. It takes time to do it, but the offensive coordinator pointed to the offense’s buy-in making that as successful as it has been.
“It’s player buy-in, it’s coach buy-in,” Anae said. “It starts with that. … We’ve got buy-in at a very high level. … There’s got to be tremendous buy-in, and that’s been my experience here.”
The entire year is a constant search for what works, according to Anae. That could change week to week, but he anticipates a positive outcome this fall.
“Football is a constant evolution, no matter what team, no matter what year,” Anae said. “It’s evolving the right way with the right results. We look forward to the right results.”
