NC State opens fall camp Wednesday with an open practice to media, followed by availability with head coach Dave Doeren and select players.
The Wolfpack enters the 2021 season off of an 8-4 campaign last year that included a program-record seven wins. The Pack was picked to finish second in the ACC's official preseason projected order of finish poll.
NC State will begin the 2021 season by hosting South Florida in Carter-Finley Stadium on Thursday, Sept. 2.
The Wolfpacker pre-camp projected depth chart: Offense
The Wolfpacker pre-camp projected depth chart: Defense
Here are three things to watch entering the Wolfpack's fall camp:
Who is taking reps with the first team on the offensive line?
Typically the main takeaway from the first open practice of fall camp is the first look at the depth chart. Of course, things can always change between Wednesday and the opener against South Florida, but the beginning of fall camp will at least present an idea of what the lineup would look like if the season was to start now.
The most interesting position group battle on offense this offseason is upfront, specifically at right guard. We'll learn Wednesday who is best positioned to replace former starting right guard Joe Sculthorpe this fall.
The two most likely starters are redshirt junior center Grant Gibson and sophomore left tackle Ikem Ekwonu. Redshirt freshman Dylan McMahon is the favorite to start at left guard, and redshirt junior Bryson Speas will most likely be the first-team right tackle.
The biggest uncertainty is at right guard. Redshirt sophomore Derrick Eason earned the start at right guard in the spring game, and Doeren mentioned him as a player that stood out in the spring, but that was before graduate transfer Chandler Zavala arrived on campus.
Zavala transferred to NC State this offseason from Fairmont State, where he formerly earned Division II All-American honors. Has he picked up the offense quickly enough to earn first-team reps? It would be surprising to see anyone else but Eason or Zavala at right guard Wednesday.
Speas at starting right tackle is also not necessarily a certainty. Seventh-year senior Tyrone Riley is healthy after struggling through injuries throughout his career and could compete for a starting role if he's able to impress this fall. If Riley did get the nod at right tackle, that could then create competition between Speas and McMahon at left guard.
What does the two-deep look like at corner?
The offensive line has the most interesting offseason competition of the offensive position groups, and corner is the one to watch on defense.
What was considered a youthful group that could have been a weakness one year ago has blossomed into a unit with plenty of options.
Redshirt freshman Shyheim Battle was the most consistent starter throughout last season, and sophomore Cecil Powell became a mainstay in the starting lineup towards the end of the year. Freshman Aydan White also showed flashes towards the end of the campaign, particularly for a player one year removed from high school football.
Graduate transfer Derrek Pitts of Marshall is a new addition to the position group that shined in the spring game and will likely contend for a starting role.
There's also strong depth in the group, which returns multiple players from injury, most notably senior Chris Ingram and junior Teshaun Smith.
Considering there are six viable options to start, the completion will be fierce during fall camp for roles in the two-deep.
Has the team reached the 85 percent vaccination rate?
Doeren noted during the ACC Kickoff two weeks ago that the team had reached a vaccination rate of roughly 80 percent. Has that number improved since?
The goal is 85 percent, which is the threshold set by the ACC that allows teams to return to complete normalcy within the locker room.
If the team was around 80 percent, it's possible the roster has exceeded the 85 percent threshold over the past two weeks.
The other variable is that the ACC has yet to announce its official COVID protocols for 2021. In other words, what will happen if a team is unable to compete due to positive COVID tests? And how often will unvaccinated (or vaccinated) players be tested?
For the most part, leagues were flexible with teams last year with an "all-hands-on-deck" approach to getting through a college football season in the middle of a pandemic. But now that vaccines are widely available, expect leagues to crack down on teams that are unable to compete due to positive cases within the program.
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