The NC State football team has opened its season on the right foot, winning easily against Troy and handing Eastern Kentucky its first shutout since Sept. 30, 2006. Here are some of the top Wolfpack performances of week two of the college football season.
DT B.J. Hill
The sophomore defensive tackle was the unsung hero of the formidable defense that made the shutout happen. He anchored a defense that tallied seven tackles for loss, two sacks and five quarterback hits. Additionally, the defense as a whole forced a three-and-out on eight of the Colonels’ 10 offensive series and allowed only 112 yards of total offense. Eastern Kentucky’s starting quarterback Bennie Coney completed on 5-of-19 passes as he was terrorized by the defensive line all night.
“We weren’t playing around; we came out and did what we had to do,” Hill said. “We only had one tackle for a loss [against Troy], so we came out more aggressive in the trenches. The offense had a slow start, so we had to do our thing and get them back on the field as often as possible.”
Individually, Hill’s four tackles were second to graduate safety Hakim Jones, who had five. However, all of Hill’s tackles were behind the line of scrimmage, with three tackles for loss and a sack. He also batted a pass down at the line of scrimmage and constantly disrupted the offensive line that struggled to open up holes for the running game all night.
RB Matt Dayes
In his second start with senior running back Shadrach Thornton still absent, Dayes did his thing again, carrying the ball 24 times for 116 yards and three touchdowns. Although the offense started slowly, Dayes’ play helped pick it up in the second quarter. His dynamic play has made a case for him to retain the starting job, even with Thornton returning from his suspension this week.
“A lot of people see [Thornton] as a power back and me as a scat back, but I believe I can do it all,” Dayes said. “I can run between the tackles and catch the ball, and we complement each other really well. There’s a lot of stuff we could’ve done better [against EKU], but I’m happy with the way we started the season.”
Dayes is a quiet, versatile and hardworking player who does whatever the team needs him to do, whether it’s running, receiving or pass-blocking. His dedication to the team will pay off for both sides going forward.
WR Jumichael Ramos and FB Jaylen Samuels
I put these two in the same category because, while their style of play is completely different, they had similar levels of production. These two have emerged as senior quarterback Jacoby Brissett’s most reliable targets early in the season, combining for 13 catches against the Colonels.
Individually, Ramos led the team with seven receptions for 95 yards. He has solidified himself as the No. 1 wide receiver in the Wolfpack offense with his work ethic and consistency. Although he lacks elite speed, he has great hands and uses his strong, 6-foot-2 frame to separate from defenders.
Samuels might as well be playing every offensive position besides quarterback and offensive lineman. He is built like a fullback, catches like a tight end but runs like a running back. He carried the ball three times for 24 yards and a touchdown and caught six passes for 88 yards.
Play of the Game
While Samuels’ 31-yard catch-and-run on a screen pass was a close candidate, I am going to go with the series of defensive plays in which the Pack was backed up against its own goal line.
A pass interference penalty put the Colonels on the NC State 2-yard line. With the odds against it, the defense allowed a gain of one, followed by Jones tackling running back Adam Lane in the backfield on second down. Then, graduate defensive end Mike Rose sacked the quarterback on third down, and the defense forced an incompletion on fourth down.
This series of plays took all the momentum away from the Eastern Kentucky offense that didn’t gain a first down for the remainder of the game.
Player to Watch: Shadrach Thornton
Thornton returns against Old Dominion after being suspended the first two games for violating team rules. He led the team with 907 rushing yards and nine touchdowns last season, including a three-touchdown performance at home against Old Dominion last season. He gained 15 pounds during the offseason to establish himself as a bruising power back. However, with the way Dayes has played, there’s no guarantee he gets his starting job back.
