In head coach Dave Doeren’s pregame press conference on Friday, Doeren revisited the “meat on the bone” his squad left last season. But instead of dwelling on 2024’s missed chances, he struck a more optimistic tone heading into Thursday’s opener.
“Situational football has been massively talked about and overemphasized with this team,” Doeren said. “I feel great about where we’re at. Obviously, you’ve got to go do it under the lights now, you know, but the training has been excellent.”
The Wolfpack backed that up against East Carolina, slamming the door with a redzone fourth-and-one stop in the final minute to escape with a 24-17 win.
“I’m really proud of the guys finding a way to win,” Doeren said. “I love the way that the defense battled there at the end. It’s great to have a goal line stand like that to win a football game. Being 1-0 with a lot of things that we can get better at, it’s a good place to be.”
NC State (1-0) carried a 24-7 lead into the fourth quarter, only to watch the Pirates (0-1) storm back with three-straight red zone trips. Senior quarterback Katin Houser threw for 366 yards to fuel the rally, but ECU couldn’t finish the comeback.
Just eight months removed from an emotion-filled Military Bowl loss, the Wolfpack renewed its rivalry with the Pirates in Carter-Finley Stadium, delivering a relatively clean performance compared to December.
“I felt like we tarnished our reputation,” Doeren said. “It was embarrassing. This game wasn’t about ECU. This game was about us playing the game the way it’s supposed to be played and respecting the game, respecting each other, respecting the university that we play for … this game was about getting our identity back and playing hard, tough, together football.”
That identity starts with sophomore quarterback CJ Bailey, who delivered the best game of his young career, throwing for 318 yards, a touchdown and an interception, along with an 11-yard rushing score.
“He’s just very poised,” Doeren said. “Last year, coming off the bench as a backup and not knowing if you’re even going to play as a true freshman, you don’t have that chemistry, not only with your skill guys, but the o-line. … He was more of a survivor, just in there, fighting as hard as he could fight, but he didn’t have the guys around him like he does now, pulling hard for him and wanting to protect.”
Unlike the Pack’s opener against Western Carolina in 2024, Bailey and the offense exploded from the opening possession, scoring 17 unanswered points and holding the ball for more than 14 of the first 19 minutes. Bailey started 14 of 16 for 155 yards and two scores during that span.
Senior wide receiver Wesley Grimes finished with a career-high 121 yards, including a pair of catches over 45 yards. Newly hired offensive coordinator Kurt Roper’s trust in Grimes — and the payoff that followed — opens the door for the Wake Forest transfer to take hold of the No. 1 receiver role.
“We all knew he had it in him,” Bailey said. “This offseason showed me a lot from Wesley. He grinded. He worked hard, especially when it came to our time throwing in the off season, he worked really hard to do what he did today.”
First-year defensive coordinator DJ Eliot’s unit held ECU to just 30 rushing yards on 29 carries after allowing 326 yards in the Military Bowl.
“The preparation was amazing,” Fordham said. “He’s been in the NFL before, so he kind of has a different knowledge of the defensive scenarios and situations and play calls. … It’s so cool to continue to learn from him. He does a great job.”
Despite the win, Doeren voiced frustration over the “boneheaded” blunders that kept ECU in the game.
“There’s a lot to get better at,” Doeren said. “I thought we stalled out in the red zone several times with penalties and tackles for losses. We went backwards. We’d have an explosive play to get down there, and then all of a sudden we’d be going backwards … and we had two missed field goals, which hurt us. That’s an area we gotta get better at as well.”
With their eighth-straight season-opening win, the Wolfpack turns its focus to Virginia next Saturday. Kickoff is set for noon.
