10/14/2020 football Edit

'Takeaway Bone' makes NC State's defense hungry for turnovers

Justin H. Williams • TheWolfpackCentral

Staff Writer

When the wolves are hungry, the wolves will eat.

NC State alumnus and American Aquarium frontman B.J. Barham's lyrics on the band's track, "Wolves", were inspired by former ACC Player of the Year Julius Hodge's infamous "when we hungry, we eat" quote following the Pack's basketball upset of No. 1 Duke in 2004.

Now the Wolfpack (3-1, 3-1 ACC) will face the Blue Devils on the gridiron this Saturday in Carter-Finley Stadium after a 38-21 road win at Virginia in which the Pack forced four takeaways, including three interceptions.

The turnovers, in part, were inspired by NC State's new "takeaway bone", an oversized rawhide replica spray-painted red that's awarded to Wolfpack defenders on the sideline after a forced turnover.

"It was something I feel like we needed as a team," said redshirt freshman defensive end Terrell Dawkins, who forced a fumble against the Cavaliers. "Coach [Tony] Gibson brought it to us, and it just brings us a lot of energy. As soon as he announced it in the meeting, everybody was hype and everybody was getting excited.

"It just makes us hungrier to get turnovers."

NC State Wolfpack football C.J. Clark and Cecil Powell — Redshirt freshman defensive tackle C.J. Clark (left) and sophomore corner Cecil Powell (right) celebrate the Wolfpack's defensive performance in the 38-21 win at Virginia. (Erin Edgerton/The Daily Progress)

"The dog bone got everybody turned up," redshirt sophomore corner Malik Dunlap added. "Coach told us going into that week we would have it. It made everybody like, 'I got to get it, I got to make a play.'"

NC State's appetite for turnovers on defense comes at a perfect time. Through five games, Duke has turned the ball over 19 times which is the most at the FBS level.

According to the players, the defensive coaching staff has been scheming up disguise packages in an effort to keep the Blue Devils' ball control woes going this Saturday.

"We got a good game plan going into this game against Duke," Dunlap said. "I think we're going to be okay. I feel like we'll be making a lot of turnovers, big plays."

Takeaways haven't been the only game-changers on defense. In back-to-back weeks, the Wolfpack has stopped its opponent on the one-yard line with its goal-line package which includes beefy linemen junior Alim McNeill, redshirt freshmen C.J. Clark and Joshua Harris and sophomore Savion Jackson.

"Every week we practice goal-line stands so we can do as good as we do in the games," Dawkins said. "The simple reason for why they’re not getting in is because we have Alim, Josh and Savion down there and they’re just clogging everything up. That’s over 1,000 pounds right there."

NC State's defense should be as close to full strength as it's been this Saturday. Junior nickel Tyler Baker-Williams is set to return after missing the past two games due to contact tracing protocol. The Pack will also get back junior safety and team captain Tanner Ingle, who was ejected in the second quarter for a targeting penalty last Saturday on a hit that knocked Virginia quarterback Brennan Armstrong out of the game.

In their absence, freshman nickel Joshua Pierre-Louis and freshman safety Devan Boykin played considerable snaps and should compete for more playing time based on their strong performances.

"We're all competing for our position and it makes everybody work harder," Dunlap said. "We get the best out of each other. Everybody is trying to play."

If the Wolfpack continues to create multiple turnovers in an encore performance this Saturday, it's safe to say the "takeaway bone" will become a mainstay under head coach Dave Doeren.