Redshirt sophomore Devin Carter led NC State’s wide receivers in receptions (3) and receiving yards (30) in the Wolfpack’s 45-42 win over Wake Forest but it was the blocking from his position group that made the team’s offense so explosive Saturday.

The Pack ran for 270 yards in the season opener and scored four of its six touchdowns on the ground.

“That's a main focus every day, every week,” Carter said. “We know if we block, the O-Line is going to get their job done. So if we block, we can make explosive plays. We take great pride in that as a receiver group.”

Blocking wasn’t the only strong suit from the pass catcher’s performance in game one.

He was the only Wolfpack receiver to haul in a touchdown reception in the victory but it came from an unlikely suspect. Junior running back Ricky Person Jr. totaled three scores Saturday, two of which arrived from rushing attempts, but the third came from a goal-line jump pass to Carter to give the Pack a 28-21 lead early in the third quarter.

“We worked on that play all week,” Carter admitted. “I wouldn't say it was as stressful as it may have seemed. I was kind of calm during the play.”

Carter’s other two receptions, however, came from passes thrown by redshirt junior quarterback Bailey Hockman, who completed 16 of 23 passes for 191 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Hockman was the surprise starter in game one when the NC State football Twitter account announced he would get the nod just an hour before kickoff. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Devin Leary had been the presumed starter throughout the offseason but later fell victim to a 20-day quarantine through contact tracing protocol during the team’s 8-day pause that was the result of a COVID cluster within the athletic department.

Because Leary missed a lengthy period of time during a crucial stretch leading up to the season opener, NC State head coach Dave Doeren felt it was best for the team to go with Hockman in game one as Leary worked his way back from his extended absence.

“I feel like both guys share equal amounts of confidence and growth as leaders throughout the offseason and just the tough times in general,” Carter said. “Both of them have really stepped up and one took it. I'm glad I don't have to be the person to make the call on who is starting at quarterback. I'm comfortable with whoever's back there.”

Saturday’s win was also the first game in which the NC State offense was able to display its new system under new offensive coordinator Tim Beck.

One aspect of the new system gives the wide receivers greater flexibility in their assignments on each play as opposed to the traditional presets the route runners would typically be tasked with.

“We do a lot of reading and reacting to the coverages and techniques based on what the DBs are doing,” Carter said. “We always look to improve our technique every week and we really just focus on working towards attacking in the following weeks.

“Whether it's pass or run, we always work on our techniques and clean up on that.”

Along with the rest of the offense, the third-year wideout had a short time to get up to speed in Beck’s system.

Spring practice is normally a crucial time for new coaches to get familiar with the personnel and vice versa, but the offense lost a majority of that time due to the pandemic. Despite the consistent disruptions throughout the offseason at the hands of COVID-19, the reduced time on the field wasn’t necessarily as much of a set back as it may have seemed on the surface.

“We learned a lot,” Carter insisted. “Even though we were out after about five spring practices, we learned about all the different types of techniques to use versus a DB's certain techniques. We would have Zoom meetings, so I feel we didn't really lose a step as a group.

“In the spring it was new, I wouldn't really say challenging. I like it. It helps you make full speed decisions and play fast, that's really what you got to do.”

While the offense thrived, producing 463 total yards in the win over the Demon Deacons, NC State was tested mentally several times in a game that came down to the wire. The Wolfpack led by 14 on two separate occasions, one in each half, but Wake Forest punched back to tie the game both times and pushed the Pack to stay level-headed to secure the victory late in the fourth quarter.

“It didn't really affect us,” Carter said. “We went up 14-0 and they kind of made their way back into the game, even took the lead at one point, and I didn't really see it affect anybody. Usually, somebody gets affected, goes internal and slips up on one of their assignments.

“We've been through a lot of stuff throughout the offseason, we've been through adversity so we know how to get through it together. That's what I feel is the difference of this team this year versus last season. It comes with leadership and I feel like we're closer this year.”

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