The NC State offensive line took its lack of rushing production to heart against Wake Forest on Nov. 8.
The group hopes to redeem itself at 12:20 p.m. today at Louisville. NCSU rushed for just 47 yards on 27 carries in the surprising 27-23 loss against Wake Forest, but should enjoy a bounce back effort against a struggling Louisville defense.
NC State offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford said it was simple things like getting to their land marks in the run game and getting back to basics with their fundamentals. Wake Forest’s defense seemed quicker than anticipated in chasing down the Wolfpack running backs. The group watched film of the loss last Sunday.
“I wasn’t surprised by that at all,” Ledford said. “That was a good football team that played extremely hard.
“We have to look on how we can get better from the previous weeks like we have done before earlier in the season We had to come back out here and have a great attitude and work ethic.”
Ledford has a vision for his “Band of Brothers” going into each game.
“We are working on that masterpiece,” Ledford said. “We are trying to get these guys to understand that every day they are coming out here working toward that. I like where the guys are and how they have come out this week.”
Louisville’s defense only has nine sacks on the season and haven’t been all that successful against the run. NC State has only allowed five sacks this season.
“We have to get back to us being us and playing fast,” Ledford said. “We have to be good with our hands and our fundamentals, and look forward to going out and playing another opponent.”
Ledford said from the beginning the goal has been to not allow anyone get close to sixth-year senior quarterback Ryan Finley.
“In this league with who you play, week-in and week-out, there are guys that can get to the football,” Ledford said. “They got good rushers. All these guys are fast, long and athletic. You have to go out and it is really personal pride.”
Ledford said his group is also motivated to have more success in the red zone with four field goals of 38 yards or shorter against the Demon Deacons.
“For us, we want to be able to say, lets put it on our back and be able to go out and convert those things,” Ledford said.
Part of what the Wolfpack coaches do is also an introspective view of what they’ve been doing and if any tendencies have developed. The lineman don’t want to tip off whether it’s a running play or passing play.
“We do that weekly after every game,” Ledford said. “If you feel like a guy was setting a certain way and wasn’t doing this properly, it’s going to come back to you.”
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