It didn’t take long for the feel-good memories of week one to wash away. Losing 45-24 at Virginia Tech will do that.

Remember that column I wrote Friday about reasons to be optimistic about the defense? File that one away as the writer’s version of a miss. They were gashed with too much ease by a Virginia Tech team that piled up an eye-popping 314 yards rushing.

The evidence was clear by halftime. Giving up 336 yards in a game would have been nice. Allowing that in the first half is disastrous. Virginia Tech averaged 9.6 yards per carry.

More problematic at the break however was the obvious shortcomings of NC State’s passing game. Redshirt junior starter Bailey Hockman was 1-of-7 passing going into the last drive of the first half. He had thrown for a meager four yards and had, for the second week in a row, a costly interception.

It left many fans and observers wondering if it was time for redshirt sophomore Devin Leary.

Truthfully, the only positive, a truly minor consolation when trailing 31-10 at the break, was that we have more confirmation that the kicking specialists are as ridiculously good as advertised after junior Christopher Dunn ended the first half with a 54-yard field goal.