Heading into last Saturday’s prime-time showdown between NC State and Wake Forest, a lot of questions remained unanswered about what the Pack would look like for the remainder of the season.
NC State eradicated all of those doubts in its 30-21 victory over the Demon Deacons. Key performers on all sides of the ball were locked in high-gear, with a rejuvenated offense clicking consistently and rewarding the defense for making high-impact plays early and often.
‘HimJ’ Morris, QB1
If you weren’t convinced before, let me try again — MJ Morris is him.
We saw true freshman quarterback MJ Morris get the job done against a much-lesser opponent in Virginia Tech, but how would he handle the pressure of a heated rivalry game? To bring it down to one word: expertly. Remaining composed in the pocket throughout the night, Morris delivered a 210 yard, three-touchdown performance through the air to bury the Demon Deacons in a hole they couldn’t crawl out of.
The very few things he couldn’t manage with his arm, he took care of with his legs — rushing for 43 yards on 19 attempts. His versatility as a true dual-threat is an incredible breath of fresh air for NC State’s offense, even though offensive coordinator Tim Beck could do with sending him on fewer designed quarterback draws.
Morris brings a different level of energy to this offense that has infected players in all position groups. Wide receivers are running sharper routes, making incredible contested catches and selling out for the long ball. Running backs are picking up blocking assignments left-and-right with renewed passion. Players at all position groups on both offense and defense are simply sold on the prospect of Morris as QB1 moving forward, and the results have NC State in nirvana.
Linebacking 101
The Wolfpack had no problem dismantling Wake Forest’s unique slow-mesh offense, attacking Demon Deacon quarterback Sam Hartman in the backfield and stuffing the run all night. The slow-mesh thrives on the offensive line holding their blocks long enough for Hartman to see something worth throwing, but with one of the nations’ best linebacking corps running full speed through protection — Wake Forest’s signal caller never stood a chance.
Graduate linebacker Isaiah Moore was the star of the show, getting his name called to step up and deliver one of his best performances at NC State. In his fifth season with the Pack, Moore knows how many problems the Demon Deacons have posed to his team’s success in the past, and with 10 tackles, one sack, one QB hit, one pass breakup and 2.5 tackles for loss, he wasn’t going to let it happen again. Moore spent Saturday night flying around the field; clogging the middle, meeting running backs at the edge and making Hartman’s life a living nightmare.
Not to be outdone by his co-captain on defense, junior linebacker Drake Thomas ensured that Moore wouldn’t be the only NC State linebacker to keep Hartman in purgatory. Racking up nine tackles and team highs in sacks with two, tackles for loss with three and QB hits with four, Thomas continues to add to his All-American campaign.
Winning the turnover battle
A tale as old as football itself; owning the turnover margin is the most sure-fire way to a win. NC State’s defensive backs took that to heart, picking Hartman off three times on Saturday night.
Aydan White, Cyrus Fagan and Jakeen Harris all donned the turnover bone against the Demon Deacons, putting Morris and company in favorable positions to keep the game out of Wake Forest’s reach. With 14 interceptions to NC State’s name this season, the Pack is tied for third in the country in the category and has its depth at defensive back to thank.
Even though Hartman managed to fire off for 397 yards and Wake Forest wideout A.T. Perry looked unstoppable at times with 12 catches for 159 yards, Wolfpack pass coverage made the individual plays necessary to limit the impact of their stat lines. Those individual plays translated directly into offensive success, a trait that normally makes the difference between a winning football team and a losing one.
This defense has been legit all season, however, they’ve been made out to look worse by an offense that couldn’t capitalize on their success. With Morris turning the tide under center, this defense is bound to get the respect it deserves on a national level.
