Monday morning quarterbacking: NC State 52, Louisville 10
NC State rolled to an easy 52-10 win at Louisville. It’s time for a final look at the contest with some Monday morning quarterbacking.
Key moment of the game:
The second half could not have started much better for NC State. Leading 17-3 at halftime, the Wolfpack kicked off to start the third quarter. A hard hit by freshman nickel Tanner Ingle forced a fumble by Louisville sophomore kick returner Russ Yeast that the Cards were able to recover.
Wolfpack redshirt junior defensive end James Smith-Williams knocked the ball loose three plays later while sacking Louisville redshirt freshman quarterback Malik Cunningham, and this time NC State jumped on it — with redshirt freshman linebacker Isaiah Moore recovering the fumble at the Louisville 22-yard line.
Senior running back Reggie Gallaspy Jr. broke through two players later almost untouched for an 18-yard score, and the start of a dominating second half was underway.
Three things that worked:
1. The third quarter
If NC State had opened the game like it played in the third quarter, the backups like redshirt freshman quarterback Matt McKay probably would have played more than one drive. NC State outgained Louisville 194-58 in total yards and had a 21-0 edge on the scoreboard in the third quarter. The Pack had 10 first downs and averaged 9.2 yards per play compared to Louisville’s two first downs and 3.6 yards a play.
2. Playing with discipline
NC State did not turn it over and committed just two penalties for 25 yards. Against an opponent like Louisville, the first key is don’t beat yourself. NC State avoided that and allowed the Cards to make the mistakes. Louisville had two turnovers and committed 12 penalties, including mind-numbing multiple 12-men on the field flags.
3. Fixing some issues
The Wake Forest loss a week before was mired by a poor rushing effort, a lack of red zone execution and the continuation of a season-long issue defending the pass. In fact, NC State entered the game the only team out of 130 in the Football Bowl Subdivision to allow teams to average more than 300 passing yards per game.
On Saturday, NC State rushed for 164 yards and averaged 4.6 yards per carry, scored touchdowns on six of seven red zone trips and held Louisville to 157 passing yards.
Three things that did not work:
1. Containing Cunningham’s runs
Cunningham is not Lamar Jackson, the former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback for Louisville, but Cunningham is still a pretty electric runner. He ran 14 times for 100 yards and a touchdown, and NC State was fortunate that a 22-yard scoring run in the first half was brought back by a holding penalty. That led the Cards to rush for 254 yards, the most given up by NC State in a game this year.
2. Putting the hammer down early
NC State had a potential big play on the first snap of the game, but junior wide receiver Kelvin Harmon appeared to drop a perfectly thrown pass from sixth-year senior quarterback Ryan Finley. That led to a three-and-out, and then the Cards responded with a field goal. NC State was in a competitive game for much of the first half before establishing total control.
3. Executing the trick plays
A bumbling, stumbling effort on one reverse flea flicker resulted in a 27-yard gain for redshirt sophomore tight end Dylan Autenrieth, but it should have been a touchdown. It was nearly a negative play but Gallaspy, in the nick of time, avoided being down before tossing the ball to redshirt junior receiver Jakobi Meyers. Then Autenrieth got tripped up by the turf and had to make the catch falling down instead of in stride for an easy score.
NC State tried a similar play later, but Finley was sacked on it.
Position-by-position battles
NC State’s offensive line vs. Louisville’s front seven
It took a little longer than probably expected, but eventually the Wolfpack offensive line asserted its dominance and was especially dominant in the second half.
Louisville’s offensive line vs. NC State’s front seven
Cunningham probably did better at helping out his offensive line than sophomore Juwan Pass could. Cunningham’s athleticism was difficult to contain, and thus NC State’s front did not do as well as some might have expected before the game.
NC State’s wide receivers vs. Louisville’s secondary
This was a complete mismatch. Louisville simply could not cover any of NC State’s top three receivers — Harmon, Meyers and sophomore Emeka Emezie.
Louisville’s wide receivers vs. NC State’s secondary
The Cards’ receivers were not helped by the quarterback play/accuracy, but this was one of NC State’s better games from its secondary.
Quarterbacks
The comparison between Finley and the Cunningham/Pass combination is not even close.
Running backs
Gallaspy ended up running fairly well after a slow start, finishing with 11 carries for 73 yards and two scores while adding a touchdown reception. Louisville fifth-year senior Jeremy Smith nearly matched him, however, carrying 10 times for 74 yards.
Tight ends/fullbacks
This may have been the most NC State has featured the tight end in the passing game all season. Autenrieth caught his first two passes of his career for 27 yards, and redshirt sophomore Cary Angeline caught a six-yard pass. They fared better than Louisville fifth-year senior Micky Crum, who caught a pair of passes for 13 yards.
Special teams
Louisville’s normally reliable redshirt junior kicker Blanton Creque missed a 35-yarder in the first half that was probably the beginning of the end for the Cards on this afternoon. NC State also held Louisville’s dangerous return game in check, and the Cards somehow got an illegal fair catch penalty on the kickoff. In other words, a win for the Pack’s special teams.
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