NC State will soon be starting fall camp and gearing up for the season opener at Connecticut at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 31.
The Wolfpack Central will start taking a look at the position groups going into fall camp and summarize where NC State stands. Today, the quarterback position takes center stage.
Quarterback
NC State has a new offensive coordinator and new offense, but have a quarterback who has played in the new offense.
Sprinkle in a past quarterbacks coach making the move back to the position and NC State is going through some massive change.
The new includes offensive coordinator Robert Anae, who will also coach the tight ends and slot receivers, and he is reunited with sixth-year senior quarterback Brennan Armstrong from Virginia. The two worked together up until 2021, when Anae took over the offense at Syracuse.
Armstrong went through a difficult 2022 campaign with the 3-7 Cavaliers. He went 185-of-338 passing for 2,210 yards and seven touchdowns, plus 12 interceptions. The 6-foot-2, 210-pounder also rushed 123 times for 371 yards and six touchdowns.
Armstrong was adjusting to a new offense at UVA, with a rebuilt offensive line, and the loss of his star tight end and wide receiver Billy Kemp missed over half the season. He only threw for over 300 yards once last year, tossing for 313 yards in a 34-17 loss vs. Louisville on Oct. 8.
With Anae, an experience group of offensive linemen and receivers/tight ends, he flourished in 2021. He completed 65.2 percent of his passes for 4,449 yards, 31 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, and rushed 98 times for 251 yards and nine scores.
Projected starter: Sixth-year senior Brennan Armstrong.
Projected backup: Sophomore MJ Morris.
Comments: NC State doesn’t have much depth at the position. Senior Devin Leary transferred to Kentucky and redshirt sophomore Ben Finley transferred to California.
Sophomore quarterback MJ Morris played extensively in three games last year, including the big 30-21 win over Wake Forest on Nov. 5. He went 18 of 28 passing for 210 yards and three interceptions, and added 19 carries for 43 yards. He suffered a season-ending knee injury and his last game was the stunning 21-20 loss vs. Boston College the next week.
The 6-2, 210-pound Morris finished his freshman going 52-of-86 passing for 648 yards, seven touchdowns and one interception. He also rushed 49 times for 88 yards and a touchdown.
Incoming freshman quarterback Lex Thomas was a Rivals.com three-star prospect out of Wake Forest (N.C.) Heritage. His senior season concluded after three games when he suffered a shoulder injury against Raleigh Broughton High on Sept. 1.
The 5-11, 190-pounder is the younger brother of former NC State standouts Thayer Thomas, a wide receiver and punt returner, and linebacker Drake Thomas.
Redshirt freshman walk-on Ethan Rhodes of Maiden, N.C., rounds out the quarterback room.
Positional previews
Quarterbacks | Running backs | Wide receivers | Tight ends | Offensive line
Defensive line | Linebackers | Cornerbacks | Safeties/nickel | Special teams
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