Monday morning quarterbacking
Ken Martin/The Wolfpacker
NC State got a bigger scare than expected against Marshall, but eventually prevailed 37-20. Now it’s time for a final look at the contest with some Monday morning quarterbacking.
Key moment of the game:
The last drive of the first half and first of the second gave NC State a valuable cushion, and Marshall played a hand in that.
NCSU was trailing 20-17 when it took over at its own 18 with 1:37 left in the first half. A pass interference penalty on Marshall on third-and-seven sustained the drive that seemed doomed to be a three-and-out, and with 16 seconds left before halftime redshirt junior quarterback Ryan Finley found sophomore Kelvin Harmon for a 34-yard touchdown. Although the extra point was missed, NCSU went into halftime with valuable momentum and the lead.
NC State received the opening kick of the second half, and once again, a three-and-out was averted after Marshall was flagged for pass interference on third down. On fourth-and-goal at the Marshall 1-yard line, head coach Dave Doeren decided to go for it, and offensive coordinator Eli Drinkwitz dialed up an option play. Finley pitched to junior running back Reggie Gallaspy who turned the corner for the score.
With NC State leading 30-20, Marshall needed points to regain the momentum. It nearly had them on the following kickoff, but a holding penalty negated a return for a score.
Three things that worked:
1. Offense after the first quarter
The opening 15 minutes were sluggish for NC State. Finley’s 46-yard run set up a field goal on the opening drive, but the other 18 plays gained just a net total of 42 yards. Finley, in particular, seemed off early, completing 5 of 9 passes in the first quarter. He connected on 24 of 27 throws the rest of the game, and NCSU exploded for 20 points in the second quarter.
2. Getting the ball to playmakers
One big reason the offense got on track: NC State was able to exploit mismatches on the perimeter with its receivers. Harmon and redshirt junior Stephen Louis combined to catch 14 passes for 194 yards and two scores. Senior H-Back Jaylen Samuels also got into the mix with five receptions for 60 yards and a score.
3. Keeping Marshall out of the end zone in the second half
To be fair, the Wolfpack defense bent quite a bit in the second half, but it never let Marshall score. The Thundering Herd missed a field goal, and its last-ditch effort to put points on the board was intercepted by senior linebacker Airius Moore in the end zone with 1:34 left.
Three things that did not work:
1. Covering Tyre Brady
The numbers bear it out: the redshirt junior caught 11 passes for a Carter-Finley Stadium record 248 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown. He even forced a change at corner, with fifth-year senior Johnathan Alston being replaced by redshirt freshman James Valdez in the second half. A pass rush (just one sack) would have helped.
2. Coming out strong
NC State trailed 13-3 at the end of the first quarter, and it’s one score was because Finley surprised Marshall by keeping on a read option. NC State needs to rectify the cause of the slow start and come out stronger.
3. Establishing the run
This is the second straight week NC State’s ground game struggled to gain traction. Gallaspy’s 23-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to cap the scoring for the Wolfpack made the numbers look better than they were. Gallaspy and junior Nyheim Hines combined to run 25 times for just 90 yards, an average of 3.6 yards per rush.
Position-by-position battles
NC State’s offensive line vs. Marshall’s front seven
The pass protection was fairly good, but the lack of running lanes needs to improve. Redshirt junior Will Richardson will return to the lineup Saturday against Furman and could provide a boost in that regard.
Marshall’s offensive line vs. NC State’s front seven
The bottom line is this: NC State has NFL talent along the defensive front, but at the moment only senior end Bradley Chubb is playing like a disruptive force. Marshall ran for 101 yards as a team, but 53 of them came on one carry in the first quarter. The run defense is holding up, but the pass rush needs to improve.
NC State’s wide receivers vs. Marshall’s secondary
As much as NC State fans want to harp on NC State’s secondary issues, this was just as big a mismatch in the Pack’s favor. Marshall simply could not cover NC State’s receiving corps.
Marshall’s wide receivers vs. NC State’s secondary
Brady’s output is inexcusable, even if he is a former Miami wideout who transferred to Marshall after starting three games as a Hurricane two years ago and three of his big-play receptions would have been tough for most corners to cover. That said, like South Carolina a week ago when the Gamecocks rode Deebo Samuel, the other wideouts were fairly well shut down.
Quarterbacks
Both delivered good performances. Marshall junior Chase Litton was 26-of-43 passing for 350 yards with two touchdowns and one meaningless, late interception. Finley though kicked it up another notch after a slow start and gets the edge.
Running backs
Redshirt junior Keion Davis ripped off a 53-yarder for Marshall, but other than that there was not much to write about on either side of the ball.
Tight ends
Samuels had two big catches in this game, one a touchdown on a trick play and another a spectacular juggling catch.
Special teams
Another tough game for NC State’s special teams, but overall it was a draw. Marshall missed a field goal, and it was the Herd who committed the costly penalty to negate its kickoff return for a score.
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