Wake Forest has an explosive passing offense, but NC State will have to prove once again it has a stingy rush defense.
Boston College gashed NC State for 60 carries for 429 yards and five rushing touchdowns in its 45-24 win Oct. 19. That type of success will definitely draw the attention of the WFU coaches, who run the ball enough to keep a defense honest.
The Demon Deacons have rushed 323 times this season and have passed the ball 267. Senior Cade Carney leads the way with 89 carries for 351 yards and three touchdowns, and freshman Kenneth Walker III has chipped in 38 carries for 327 yards and three scores.
The 5-11, 215-pound Carney rushed for 68 yards in last year’s 27-23 win at NC State. WFU won the war in the trenches on both sides of the ball in the victory.
“There are so many things we have to do better than we did from that game,” NCSU coach Dave Doeren said. “Defensive football, the run defense starts with leverage, guys being gap sound and guys tackling.”
NC State was able to get an extended look at massive freshman nose tackle Joshua Harris for the first time against Boston College. The 6-foot-4, 344-pounder from Roxboro, N.C., had three tackles in 26 plays. He had injured his foot in fall camp, but Doeren knows he has the ability to “eat up space” and attract double teams inside.
“He is getting better, and Josh has done a good job,” Doeren said. “He was in a position where he got here and needed to lose weight. He has dropped 25 pounds. He still needs to get lighter, but he played well with his hands. We want him to be in the 320s probably with him.
“He has gotten better each week since he came back from injury.”
With NC State starting two new cornerbacks in sophomore De’Von Graves and redshirt freshman Malik Dunlap. NCSU also moved freshman Cecil Powell from wide receiver back to cornerback. He was recruited to play safety for the Wolfpack.
Doeren called it “pretty crazy” that the Wolfpack still have cornerbacks that are talented in the two deep considering four are out with injuries.
“This is remarkably not difficult for him,” said Doeren on Powell’s recent change to cornerback. “He played both ways in high school, so he’s used to being on both sides of the football.”
Getting a chance to defeat an in-state rival is another important aspect of Saturday’s game. Doeren said he tries not to get the team too amped up because past history has shown that is counter productive, but playing the Demon Deacons isn’t another game.
“That is the longest standing in-state rival from a consecutive games standpoint, so we are aware of that,” Doeren said. “Even with UNC week, we have to be our best us. If I spent all my time talking about the rivalry, rivalry and rivalry — it’s about how we are going to play in this game is what matters.”
Doeren mentioned that being undefeated in the state is still on the line. NCSU has wins over East Carolina and Western Carolina, and face Wake Forest and North Carolina.
“That is something we can control right now,” Doeren said.
NC State redshirt freshman quarterback Devin Leary will get the chance to experience the two remaining rivalry games. Doeren said he is making sure Leary’s head isn’t swimming with too much to handle.
“I think opening up the playbook is the wrong thing to do,” Doeren said. “We have to be about executing the playbook. We have to catch passes, we have to protect the quarterback and we have to see the run lanes. We have to finish blocks.”
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