NC State to finally face FSU quarterback Jordan Travis
Missed opportunities has been an early theme for NC State football this week, but so is putting the past behind them.
NC State suffered a difficult 30-20 defeat at Clemson last Saturday, and will now need some ACC help in the future. The Wolfpack also understand hosting Florida State is the task at hand. The 4-1 Seminoles are improved, but also gave up four unanswered touchdowns in falling 31-21 at home against Wake Forest on Saturday.
“We had some missed opportunities, the kids played their tail off and the we have to do a better job of coaching,” NC State defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Tony Gibson said. “You can see the passion they played with, but at times they have to play a little smarter.”
Gibson half-joked about one of the biggest plays when Clemson running back Will Shipley didn’t get called for a fumble at the NCSU one-yard line. Clemson scored to take a 13-10 halftime lead.
“I don’t get paid money to ref, but I know my opinion and we’ll just leave it at that,” Gibson said. “It was really close.”
Gibson said to the players Sunday that nobody will feel sorry for NC State.
“What we have to do is jump back on the horse and ride again,” Gibson said. “We are a little pissed off.”
Thirteen new transfers have helped bolster the Seminoles, but it is a previous transfer that has the attention of Gibson. Junior quarterback Jordan Travis had signed with Louisville in the class of 2018, but transferred back to the Sunshine State followings first year with the Cardinals.
The 6-foot-1, 201-pounder from West Palm Beach, Fla., has missed the last two meetings with NC State due to injury (2020) or Illness (2021). Travis has gone 83-of-126 passing for 1,226 yards and eight touchdowns, and just one interception.
“He is a very athletic kid and can run,” Gibson said. “We have to do a great job with our pass rush lanes and keep him in the pocket. He is a threat to get out and throw the ball down the field. He throws the ball really well on the run.”
NC State coach Dave Doeren and Gibson both praised Florida State for being much improved this season. The Seminoles rotate three different running backs, and Arizona State wide receiver transfer Johnny Wilson and Oregon wide receiver Mycah Pittman have spruced up the receiving group.
NC State has also been short-handed in the secondary with senior nickel Tyler Baker-Williams missing the last two games, senior safety Cyrus Fagan injured his back before Clemson’s big drive before the half, and then senior cornerback Derrek Pitts was ejected for targeting midway through the fourth quarter. Pitts will have to sit out the first half against Florida State. Sophomore backup nickel Joshua Pierre-Louis also didn’t play for the third-straight game.
“It got a little scary, that is for sure,” Gibson said. “We were an injury away from Coach [Brian] Mitchell or DeFo [safeties coach Joe DeForest] from going in or [nickel coach] Freddie [Lindsay-Aughtry]. We had to be careful of what we were doing. Our guys bounce back. They are great kids.”
Fagan, a Florida State transfer, played one of his best halves of the year before getting hurt.
“He was playing well and had a couple of huge tackles,” Gibson said. “The tackle down on the goal line against the quarterback was a big play for us to hold them to a field goal.”
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