This season for NC State football was one for the record books, quite literally. The Wolfpack broke and set a number of school records in 2018, many of them in the regular-season finale against East Carolina. Let’s take a look at some of the records that were broken and what they mean.
Records
Single-season total touchdowns: Senior running back Reggie Gallaspy Jr., 19
Who held it last: T.A. McLendon scored 18 total touchdowns in 2002.
Why it’s significant: Gallaspy waited three years for his chance to be NC State’s starting running back. He’s dealt with injuries both throughout his career and throughout this season, and worked his tail off to get to this point. Gallaspy’s five-touchdown game at UNC will be forever etched in NC State lore.
“It’s like he’s become the spirit of our team, with everything that he’s gone through,” head coach Dave Doeren said. “He’s so tough, and it’s been a special season.”
Gallaspy grabbed the bull by the horns as NC State’s feature back this season, running for 1,014 yards on 214 carries. He’s the third straight running back to go over 1,000 yards, following in the footsteps of Nyheim Hines and Matt Dayes before him. This is only the second time in school history NC State has had a 1,000-yard back in three straight seasons, which is a testament to the work of offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford and the “Band of Brothers” in the trenches, along with the talented, hard-working running backs that have come through.
Single-season receptions: Redshirt junior receiver Jakobi Meyers, 89
Who held it last: Torry Holt, who sits third in NC State history with 191 catches and first in receiving yards with 3,379, caught 88 passes in 1998.
Why it’s significant: Anytime you pass Torry Holt in the NC State record books, it’s a big deal. Holt is widely considered the best receiver in NC State history (Kelvin Harmon could have something to say about that) and went on to have a star NFL career with the St. Louis Rams.
Meyers broke Holt’s record in just 11 games, as he missed one due to injury. NC State’s slot man showed his ability to make routine catches, spectacular catches, juke out defenders in the open field and be a safety blanket on third down.
“It’s just disbelief,” Meyers said. “I can’t even put it into words. I just couldn’t believe it at first. I didn’t realize I was that first until somebody told me, and I was like, ‘wow.’ And then they told me told me who had the record before, and I was like ‘wow, that’s really crazy.’ It makes you feel good about yourself.”
Meyers finished the season with 89 catches for 1,028 yards and four touchdowns. He actually did not lead NC State in receiving yards, as Harmon had 1,186, giving NC State two 1,000-yard receivers in the same season for the first time in program history.
“When you have an inside target and an outside target and a run game, it’s challenging on defense,” Doeren said. “We face that with our defense when you face some of the offenses in our league. You can’t lean one way and get away with it… I think Kelvin and Jakobi really benefit from each other.”
Single-season field goals: Freshman kicker Chris Dunn, 21
Who held it last: Josh Czajkowski made 20 field goals in 2010, as did Marc Primanti in 1996.
Why it’s significant: It’s no secret NC State’s field-goal kickers have been an issue in recent years. NC State finished 124th out of 130 eligible teams in field-goal percentage in 2017, and 122nd in 2016. The Wolfpack struggled to make even routine field goals in those seasons, and in 2016, it cost the team at least two games.
Dunn came in as a freshman among all that talk about kicking woes (in a position that is largely mental) and made the kicks he needed to make, connecting on 21 of 24 field goal attempts.
“It’s an amazing moment,” Dunn said. “I’m still taking it all in, being able to hit that field goal to set the record and then be able to take it in with [senior punter A.J. Cole], [senior long snapper Tyler Griffiths] and the whole line, really. It was just amazing, but I’m still trying to develop and keep getting better.”
