We have reached the most unusual season opener that we can ever imagine we would ever see in Wolfpack football.
And with it, we have very little idea what to expect from NC State itself.
There is genuine excitement about the running backs on the roster, especially with junior Ricky Person Jr. 100 percent healthy and having his best preseason camp yet. Given recency bias and the successes of both sophomores Zonovan Knight and Jordan Houston last fall, it might be easy to forget that Person is the second-most highly rated prospect coming out of high school on the Wolfpack’s roster, trailing only linebacker and USC transfer Vi Jones.
One of the very few tidbits we have heard is don’t be surprised if new offensive coordinator Tim Beck chooses to use the running backs in the passing game, along with the tight ends. There had been a quiet buzz that fifth-year senior tight end Dylan Parham was really having a nice camp, a fact that was recently confirmed by head coach Dave Doeren during his coaches’ show.
The tight ends group has been another position that we have heard a lot of positives about.
Our limited knowledge gleaned from sources is that there is a hope the offensive line will be pretty good, but a lot may depend on how quickly sixth-year senior Tyrone Riley shakes off the rust and lives up to his considerable potential.
The passing game may overall be a work-in-progress, however, early in the season.
•••
Defensively the most interesting positions for us are going to be, well, all of them. There are a lot of unknowns and/or options that NC State has this fall. Some positions are fairly set: junior nose tackle Alim McNeill, middle linebacker redshirt junior Isaiah Moore, redshirt sophomore weakside linebacker Payton Wilson, junior free safety Tanner Ingle and junior nickel Tyler Baker-Williams.
It’s a pretty nice starting point for the defense, but as you can see that also leaves a lot of positions where the personnel and rotations will have to work themselves out in the early portions of the season.
One of the benefits of having cupcakes to begin the schedule is it helps coaches figure out who are gamers and who shrink from the spotlight outside of the comforts of the practice fields.
•••
We posted earlier this week about how there is still a layer of uncertainty regarding NC State’s game on Sept. 26 at Virginia Tech. The feeling we got is that if there was no announcement regarding a game on Friday (today), then it is likely that they are proceeding cautiously towards having the contest.
To further indicate that the plans may be proceeding for now, Virginia Tech did send out media information Friday for game plans for the press.
From what we have gathered, the Hokies have been hit hard, but a source indicated that the number of players in their practices has climbed steadily and should be plenty enough by this weekend to play the game. What Virginia Tech probably cannot have is even just a few new positive cases.
While we do not have any idea of the number of positive cases surrounding the Virginia Tech program, there were rumors it was fairly widespread and may have even hit the coaching staff.
This is essentially how the season is going to go this fall, a week-by-week affair. There is a hope that perhaps the latter portion of the schedule will go smoother as coaches figure out how to avoid mass quarantines at a position group and players and staff learn how to establish a routine that will essentially isolate themselves from exposure.
Nevertheless, it is going to be a challenge.
Had the game been forced to postpone, one potential option could have been moving the Syracuse-Wake Forest game to Oct. 3 where both teams have a bye week, move NC State’s game on Nov. 28 to Oct. 31, when both teams have a bye and then replacing the Syracuse date on NCSU’s schedule with Virginia Tech on Nov. 28, the Hokies' off Saturday.
It may take that level of creativity to make up some of these postponed games.
And with it, we have very little idea what to expect from NC State itself.
There is genuine excitement about the running backs on the roster, especially with junior Ricky Person Jr. 100 percent healthy and having his best preseason camp yet. Given recency bias and the successes of both sophomores Zonovan Knight and Jordan Houston last fall, it might be easy to forget that Person is the second-most highly rated prospect coming out of high school on the Wolfpack’s roster, trailing only linebacker and USC transfer Vi Jones.
One of the very few tidbits we have heard is don’t be surprised if new offensive coordinator Tim Beck chooses to use the running backs in the passing game, along with the tight ends. There had been a quiet buzz that fifth-year senior tight end Dylan Parham was really having a nice camp, a fact that was recently confirmed by head coach Dave Doeren during his coaches’ show.
The tight ends group has been another position that we have heard a lot of positives about.
Our limited knowledge gleaned from sources is that there is a hope the offensive line will be pretty good, but a lot may depend on how quickly sixth-year senior Tyrone Riley shakes off the rust and lives up to his considerable potential.
The passing game may overall be a work-in-progress, however, early in the season.
•••
Defensively the most interesting positions for us are going to be, well, all of them. There are a lot of unknowns and/or options that NC State has this fall. Some positions are fairly set: junior nose tackle Alim McNeill, middle linebacker redshirt junior Isaiah Moore, redshirt sophomore weakside linebacker Payton Wilson, junior free safety Tanner Ingle and junior nickel Tyler Baker-Williams.
It’s a pretty nice starting point for the defense, but as you can see that also leaves a lot of positions where the personnel and rotations will have to work themselves out in the early portions of the season.
One of the benefits of having cupcakes to begin the schedule is it helps coaches figure out who are gamers and who shrink from the spotlight outside of the comforts of the practice fields.
•••
We posted earlier this week about how there is still a layer of uncertainty regarding NC State’s game on Sept. 26 at Virginia Tech. The feeling we got is that if there was no announcement regarding a game on Friday (today), then it is likely that they are proceeding cautiously towards having the contest.
To further indicate that the plans may be proceeding for now, Virginia Tech did send out media information Friday for game plans for the press.
From what we have gathered, the Hokies have been hit hard, but a source indicated that the number of players in their practices has climbed steadily and should be plenty enough by this weekend to play the game. What Virginia Tech probably cannot have is even just a few new positive cases.
While we do not have any idea of the number of positive cases surrounding the Virginia Tech program, there were rumors it was fairly widespread and may have even hit the coaching staff.
This is essentially how the season is going to go this fall, a week-by-week affair. There is a hope that perhaps the latter portion of the schedule will go smoother as coaches figure out how to avoid mass quarantines at a position group and players and staff learn how to establish a routine that will essentially isolate themselves from exposure.
Nevertheless, it is going to be a challenge.
Had the game been forced to postpone, one potential option could have been moving the Syracuse-Wake Forest game to Oct. 3 where both teams have a bye week, move NC State’s game on Nov. 28 to Oct. 31, when both teams have a bye and then replacing the Syracuse date on NCSU’s schedule with Virginia Tech on Nov. 28, the Hokies' off Saturday.
It may take that level of creativity to make up some of these postponed games.
