After a disappointing 24-10 loss at Mississippi State last week, the NC State football team took out some frustration on the Furman Paladins, demolishing its opponent en route to a 45-7 home victory on Saturday, Sept. 18.
“Once we get into our rhythm, once we are able to execute on plays, it’s like a constant flow of executing, making completions, making the right runs, making the right blocks,” said redshirt sophomore quarterback Devin Leary. “And when you kind of get out of that rhythm, it’s difficult. So I would definitely say the difference was the rhythm of the game and being able to execute this week.”
Although the Pack’s first drive ended with a fumble by sophomore running back Zonovan Knight, NC State’s stalwart of the running game bounced back quickly by totaling 56 rushing yards on the following drive on his way to the end zone.
That second NC State drive set the tone for the rest of the first half, where the Pack simply dominated in every aspect of the game. By the time the halftime whistle blew, the Wolfpack had amassed 379 yards of total offense, with Leary tossing 259 of those yards and Knight contributing the bulk of State’s 120 yards on the ground with 104 first-half rushing yards.
The defense played well out the gate as well, holding Furman to just 92 and 104 yards on the ground and in the air, respectively, over the course of the game. On special teams, junior kicker Christopher Dunn was automatic, nailing all six extra points as well as a 32-yard field goal in the first quarter.
“We didn’t give up any explosive plays and we tackled well,” said head coach Dave Doeren. “The guys adjusted; there’s a lot of different option plays out of the tackle over like I mentioned. The guys responded and just read their keys and they did what they’re supposed to do.”
NC State’s 38-0 halftime lead ended up including the bulk of the scoring action in the overall game, but the second half did have a few exciting performances in its own right. The Wolfpack starters sat out the second half as several role players and second- and third-stringers got their time to shine.
Junior running back Ricky Person, Jr. piled up 41 rushing yards on eight carries, including a one-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, and freshman linebacker Devon Betty ended the game with seven tackles. That latter figure was tied for most on the team with sophomore linebacker Drake Thomas. Junior nickelback Tyler Baker-Williams also snagged the game’s only interception in the second half.
“It’s good to play well, it’s good to get a bunch of guys in the game,” Doeren said. “It’s good to get a rhythm; it’s good to fix things that we needed to fix.”
Now the Pack will have to prepare for a showdown with the No. 6 Clemson Tigers on Saturday, Sept. 25 in Carter-Finley Stadium. The ACC matchup will air on ABC or ESPN at 3:30 p.m.
