NC State felt good going into last weekend’s game at Boston College, but even those closest to the program acknowledged they were surprised by how lopsided the final score ended up being. The tightness of the first half was more in line with they thought would be the case, although they also liked the Wolfpack’s chances to ultimately prevail.
Thus it was a very happy Wolfpack team that flew back to Raleigh in the wee hours of the morning.
The sense we picked up this week is that the coaches suspect this game Saturday at Miami may be tighter than it looks on paper when you just simply examine the two teams’ records. Last year’s Miami team was probably not as good as the wins and losses record it achieved in the regular season. One source near the Miami team told us this week that truthfully the Hurricanes could have easily been a five-win team in 2020.
But this year’s team is probably not as bad as 2-4 looks on paper, either.
There was a time where NC State’s roster was loaded with players from South Florida, taking advantage of former head coach Chuck Amato and former assistant coach Doc Holliday’s extensive recruiting ties to the region. A lot of those players are still around the South Florida region and have been joined by others, like former NC State safety Earl Wolff, who now lives near Miami.
There will be a get-together of former players in the area Friday night ahead of tomorrow’s game.
One thing that will be interesting: the Boston College crowd may have helped keep the team fired up. It is anticipated to be far from a festive atmosphere at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday. Initial crowd estimates project a half-full stadium at best.
The good news is the weather is anticipated to be clear and comfortable by the time the game starts.
•••
One prospect that will be in attendance Saturday is recently offered junior college defensive tackle Jeffrey M’Ba from Independence (Kan.) Community College. The massive 6-foot-6, 310-pounder will be taking an official visit to Miami, and NC State is well aware that M’Ba is attending the game, according to a source.
It remains to be seen if the Wolfpack will end up being a serious player in the M’Ba recruitment. He is also expected to take an official visit to Southern Cal, but Saturday represents an opportunity to make an impression on M’Ba.
•••
A lot of attention will be turning to the 2023 class for NC State in the next couple of months.
Here is an updated rundown of in-state offers:
• Quarterback Lex Thomas, Heritage High in Wake Forest — Committed to NC State.
• Quarterback Tad Hudson, Hough High in Cornelius — Committed to UNC
• Running back Daylan Smothers, Chamblee High (formerly Vance) in Charlotte — NC State has been recruiting the four-star among the hardest of any teams for the 6-foot, 180-pounder.
• Receiver Chrisitan Hamilton, Hickory Ridge High in Harrisburg — Rivals.com’s current pick for top player of the state did not list NC State when we talked to him in September after a game against A.L. Brown. Also, we do not think he is the top player in the state based on what we saw.
• Receiver Kevin Concepcion, Chamblee High in Charlotte — The 6-foot, 170-pounder is one of several in-state receivers to keep a close eye on, and leads us to wonder how much room could the Pack take for receivers in the 2023 class considering the circumstances.
• Receiver Nathan Leacock, Millbrook High in Raleigh — NC State is taking a chance that Leacock’s tremendous athleticism at 6-foot-3, 180 pounds will eventually lead to a breakthrough in football and is in a good spot with him.
• Receiver Noah Rogers, Rolesville High — Easily the best underclass receiver we have seen, NC State is definitely in a strong position with the 6-foot-3, 185-pound Rogers, a four-star, but it will be a national recruitment.
• Tight end Javonte Vereen, Havelock High — NC State has notoriously had poor luck with Havelock High over the years, but it has done a good job identifying Vereen (6-foot-4, 210 pounds) as a top target at tight end and that could pay off.
• Offensive tackle Sullivan Absher, South Point High in Belmont — Absher recently picked up an offer from UNC, and a source told us (we have not verified) that Absher (a legit 6-foot-7, 285-pounder) grew up a big Heels fan. That said, NC State has had Absher in twice for visits and made big impressions.
• Offensive lineman Sam Pendleton, Reagan High in Winston-Salem — Duke has also offered this intriguing, rising lineman that checks in at 6-foot-5, 290 pounds, but we have heard that there is a strong mutual early interest in the Wolfpack.
• Offensive lineman Jamaal Jarrett, Grimsley High in Greensboro — Jarrett has a very impressive offer list, based largely on how he looks in person (tremendous frame at 6-foot-5, 300 pounds) and the fact that he is young for his class, but there is a lot of development to be done. That said, Jarrett scores high on the intangibles, we are told, and colleges like NC State are betting he’ll translate into a good lineman at the next level. The Pack has shown Jarrett a lot of early love.
• Defensive tackle Keith Sampson, New Bern High — This is a player who has been noticing NC State’s season thus far, and the success is more likely to show up in the 2023 class than 2022. However, one source familiar with his recruitment thought that Sampson (6-foot-3, 285 pounds) would eventually end up at an out-of-state option.
• Defensive end Isaiah Shirley, Watauga High in Boone — NC State has done a lot of good work in the recruitment of Shirley (6-foot-4, 235 pounds). Like the receivers we have noted, Shirley is one to watch for the Pack.
• Linebacker Rico Walker, Hickory High — Arguably the most physically impressive player in the state at a legit 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, Walker, a four-star, prefers tight end or linebacker for college, even though he has the look of an edge rusher. For NC State, he actually would be a linebacker, and that might help in its push. He has visited NC State three times, but Walker is another that is likely to be a national recruitment. Early odds favor SEC schools.
• Safety Chris Peal, Providence Day in Charlotte — We are told that Peal (6-foot-2, 180 pounds) may be the best player in the state no one is talking about. NC State has watched Peal in action in person this year.
Thus it was a very happy Wolfpack team that flew back to Raleigh in the wee hours of the morning.
The sense we picked up this week is that the coaches suspect this game Saturday at Miami may be tighter than it looks on paper when you just simply examine the two teams’ records. Last year’s Miami team was probably not as good as the wins and losses record it achieved in the regular season. One source near the Miami team told us this week that truthfully the Hurricanes could have easily been a five-win team in 2020.
But this year’s team is probably not as bad as 2-4 looks on paper, either.
There was a time where NC State’s roster was loaded with players from South Florida, taking advantage of former head coach Chuck Amato and former assistant coach Doc Holliday’s extensive recruiting ties to the region. A lot of those players are still around the South Florida region and have been joined by others, like former NC State safety Earl Wolff, who now lives near Miami.
There will be a get-together of former players in the area Friday night ahead of tomorrow’s game.
One thing that will be interesting: the Boston College crowd may have helped keep the team fired up. It is anticipated to be far from a festive atmosphere at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday. Initial crowd estimates project a half-full stadium at best.
The good news is the weather is anticipated to be clear and comfortable by the time the game starts.
•••
One prospect that will be in attendance Saturday is recently offered junior college defensive tackle Jeffrey M’Ba from Independence (Kan.) Community College. The massive 6-foot-6, 310-pounder will be taking an official visit to Miami, and NC State is well aware that M’Ba is attending the game, according to a source.
It remains to be seen if the Wolfpack will end up being a serious player in the M’Ba recruitment. He is also expected to take an official visit to Southern Cal, but Saturday represents an opportunity to make an impression on M’Ba.
•••
A lot of attention will be turning to the 2023 class for NC State in the next couple of months.
Here is an updated rundown of in-state offers:
• Quarterback Lex Thomas, Heritage High in Wake Forest — Committed to NC State.
• Quarterback Tad Hudson, Hough High in Cornelius — Committed to UNC
• Running back Daylan Smothers, Chamblee High (formerly Vance) in Charlotte — NC State has been recruiting the four-star among the hardest of any teams for the 6-foot, 180-pounder.
• Receiver Chrisitan Hamilton, Hickory Ridge High in Harrisburg — Rivals.com’s current pick for top player of the state did not list NC State when we talked to him in September after a game against A.L. Brown. Also, we do not think he is the top player in the state based on what we saw.
• Receiver Kevin Concepcion, Chamblee High in Charlotte — The 6-foot, 170-pounder is one of several in-state receivers to keep a close eye on, and leads us to wonder how much room could the Pack take for receivers in the 2023 class considering the circumstances.
• Receiver Nathan Leacock, Millbrook High in Raleigh — NC State is taking a chance that Leacock’s tremendous athleticism at 6-foot-3, 180 pounds will eventually lead to a breakthrough in football and is in a good spot with him.
• Receiver Noah Rogers, Rolesville High — Easily the best underclass receiver we have seen, NC State is definitely in a strong position with the 6-foot-3, 185-pound Rogers, a four-star, but it will be a national recruitment.
• Tight end Javonte Vereen, Havelock High — NC State has notoriously had poor luck with Havelock High over the years, but it has done a good job identifying Vereen (6-foot-4, 210 pounds) as a top target at tight end and that could pay off.
• Offensive tackle Sullivan Absher, South Point High in Belmont — Absher recently picked up an offer from UNC, and a source told us (we have not verified) that Absher (a legit 6-foot-7, 285-pounder) grew up a big Heels fan. That said, NC State has had Absher in twice for visits and made big impressions.
• Offensive lineman Sam Pendleton, Reagan High in Winston-Salem — Duke has also offered this intriguing, rising lineman that checks in at 6-foot-5, 290 pounds, but we have heard that there is a strong mutual early interest in the Wolfpack.
• Offensive lineman Jamaal Jarrett, Grimsley High in Greensboro — Jarrett has a very impressive offer list, based largely on how he looks in person (tremendous frame at 6-foot-5, 300 pounds) and the fact that he is young for his class, but there is a lot of development to be done. That said, Jarrett scores high on the intangibles, we are told, and colleges like NC State are betting he’ll translate into a good lineman at the next level. The Pack has shown Jarrett a lot of early love.
• Defensive tackle Keith Sampson, New Bern High — This is a player who has been noticing NC State’s season thus far, and the success is more likely to show up in the 2023 class than 2022. However, one source familiar with his recruitment thought that Sampson (6-foot-3, 285 pounds) would eventually end up at an out-of-state option.
• Defensive end Isaiah Shirley, Watauga High in Boone — NC State has done a lot of good work in the recruitment of Shirley (6-foot-4, 235 pounds). Like the receivers we have noted, Shirley is one to watch for the Pack.
• Linebacker Rico Walker, Hickory High — Arguably the most physically impressive player in the state at a legit 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, Walker, a four-star, prefers tight end or linebacker for college, even though he has the look of an edge rusher. For NC State, he actually would be a linebacker, and that might help in its push. He has visited NC State three times, but Walker is another that is likely to be a national recruitment. Early odds favor SEC schools.
• Safety Chris Peal, Providence Day in Charlotte — We are told that Peal (6-foot-2, 180 pounds) may be the best player in the state no one is talking about. NC State has watched Peal in action in person this year.
