NC State’s redshirt junior signal caller Jacoby Brissett has exceeded expectations in his first four games, having securely established himself as the alpha dog of the Wolfpack offense in the 2014 season. Brissett will face his biggest test yet Saturday, as the Pack plays host to the top ranked Seminoles.
Last year, Brissett was restricted to the sidelines per NCAA regulations, as his transfer from Florida forced him to redshirt. Wolfpack fans can now rejoice, as Brissett’s consistent performances have since faded the memories of Brandon Mitchell and Pete Thomas, last year’s unreliable quarterback tandem.
In his first four games under center, Brissett proved himself as the answer to what the offense had lacked in 2013. His debut against Georgia Southern comprised a shaky start in the first half, but a resounding fourth quarter comeback.
Brissett epitomized his reputation as a leader in the fourth quarter, after rallying his team to win the game in the final minutes. The late deficit gave the quarterback a chance to show off his ability to stay composed under pressure, as he added a pair of touchdown passes late in the game.
Since his one and only interception in the first half of the game, Brissett has thrown 108 consecutive passes without a pick, the second-longest active streak in the nation.
When facing the Golden Eagles, Brissett racked up 291 yards and completed 70 percent of his passes (28-40), while throwing for three touchdowns.
Brissett faced a similar scenario in his second outing, in which he faced Old Dominion. The Pack once again had its back against the wall in the first half, but the quarterback’s composure combined with a powerful dual-back running game held the Wolfpack offense together in coming out with the win.
Brissett developed a strong chemistry with each of his receivers in his performance against the Monarchs. The quarterback’s unpredictability in and out of the pocket caused the Old Dominion backfield to become overextended, as Brissett’s throwing intentions were unknowable since he looked to each route-runner.
Brissett finished the game by completing 21 of his 29 pass attempts for two touchdowns and 253 yards.
Brissett’s games against South Florida and Presbyterian were one-sided, as he scorched both teams until the coaches rotated him out.
The redshirt junior had a heyday in his home state, helping the Pack win 49-17. Brissett mirrored his prior performance, completing 20 of his 29 passes for 266 yards and two touchdowns.
Brissett handily swept Presbyterian in the next week’s 42-0 shutout. Before rotating out, he threw three touchdown passes, which included a 65-yard bomb to redshirt senior receiver Brian Underwood. Brissett concluded nonconference play by completing 66.7 percent of his passes for 195 yards.
As of now, the South Palm Beach, Florida native leads the ACC in total offense (280.8 yards per game), completion percentage (69.7 percent), passer rating (166.7) and passing touchdowns (10). Brissett also ranks third in passing yards (1,005), completions (83) and yards per completion (12.1).
It is hard to credit Brissett with his stellar performances without acknowledging the abilities of his elite receivers. Freshman receiver Bo Hines (16 rec, 209 yds), sophomore running back Matt Dayes (14 rec, 185 yds) and sophomore receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling (12 rec, 164 yds) caught the majority of NC States passes and have contributed in making huge plays in each game.
Now begins the second act of Brissett’s career at NC State. The Pack did away with the easy cupcakes to become 4-0, and the team now prepares to jump into the deep end of the pool, going head-to-head against last year’s national champions.
NC State will face off against the Florida State Seminoles on Saturday at 3:30 pm.
