Sophomore running back Demie Sumo-Karngbaye has looked nothing short of fantastic four games into the 2022 season for No. 10 NC State football, and most NC State fans are probably wondering where this kid came from and why they didn’t know about him sooner.
Sumo-Karngbaye is from New Jersey where he attended high school. The 6-foot, 190-pound running back was a three-star recruit coming out of high school and the No. 1,161-ranked player according to 247 Sports. Watching him so far this season, one would be shocked if they were told Sumo-Karngbaye was just a three-star coming out of high school.
Unfortunately for Sumo-Karngbaye, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he only played three games his senior season of high school, which significantly affected his recruiting stock. However, he was offered by NC State Dec. 4, 2019 and committed July 1, 2020.
Anyone that has watched the Wolfpack this season would probably list Sumo-Karngbaye as one of the Pack’s standout performers. He runs hard, finishes every play, fights through contact and has incredible balance, looking like an NFL running back. He’s a good route runner, has soft hands, and through four games, he has already shown to have a knack for the end zone. Statistically, he has also been having an amazing season, and his only mistake so far came when he fumbled on the goal line against Texas Tech.
Through four games, Sumo-Karngbaye has run the ball 39 times for 252 yards (6.5 yards per carry) and three rushing touchdowns. He has also been effective in the passing game, catching six passes for 102 yards (17 yards per catch) and a single touchdown.
Due to the loss of Zonovan Knight and Ricky Person Jr. to the draft last year, many NC State fans were worried about if the Wolfpack was going to be able to run the ball this season. Junior running back Jordan Houston was RB1 heading into the season and still is at this point, but he is not a workhorse type of back. Houston ran the ball 101 times his first season but has only ran it 62 times combined over the last two seasons. Due to the emergence of Sumo-Karngbaye, the backfield has looked to be the strongest part of the Wolfpack offense so far this season.
It’s too early to tell when it comes to judging what Sumo-Karngbaye could possibly be for NC State. However, if the Wolfpack wants to reach its goal of an ACC Championship, the sophomore running back will play an integral role. With a top-10 matchup in Death Valley on the horizon, it is seeming more and more likely the game is going to be a wet one. With Houston’s health a question mark and Hurricane Ian looming, the sophomore faces a massive test in possibly NC State’s biggest game ever.
