Notre Dame-NC State: Scouting the Wolfpack
Notre Dame sits at No. 11 in the US LBM Coaches Poll as they’ve started the season with dominating wins over Navy and Tennessee State.
Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish take the show on the road for their first real road game of the year this Saturday as things will get more difficult at North Carolina State.
NC State is a program Notre Dame has played just three times before, winning just once. You may recall Notre Dame’s only previous trip to Raleigh – the 2016 disaster that saw 31 pass attempts called in the middle of a literal hurricane.
How good of a team does NC State have under Dave Doeren and will the Wolfpack be a real threat to derail the Irish from their biggest goals this season?
We check in with lifelong NC State and college football writer Andre Cherry to get some answers. Be sure to check out Andre’s work on The CherryPickin Podcast as well.
What sticks out about NC State headed into Saturday's game?
NC State is a resilient team and doesn’t have a lot of quit in them. Quarterback Brennan Armstrong has provided an immediate boost to the offense providing a deal threat attack. He completed over 65% of his passes for 155 yards while also rushing for close to 100 yards and two touchdowns against UCONN. He will be a key to an NC State victory against Notre Dame on Saturday.
What are the early impressions of Armstrong at NC State?
Armstrong possess big game ability and has solid experience having previously been the starter at Virginia. Considering the Wolfpack struggled at the quarterback position last season, Armstrong provides an immediate boost with his arm and legs. I hope NC State sees the 2021 version of Armstrong, who completed 65.2% of his passes with 31 touchdowns and only 10 interceptions and not the version of Armstrong from last year who struggled mightily.
How significant is the injury to safety Rakeim Ashford entering Saturday's game?
Ashford’s injury last week was pretty scary as he laid on the field for ten minutes before being taken off by stretcher. Ashford was released from the hospital the next day and is on the path to recovery. Head coach Dave Doeren has ruled Ashford out of the game this weekend but I believe the team will have an emotional and mental boost knowing that their brother is fine.
Why has Sam Hartman struggled against NC State?
These last three seasons Sam Hartman has gone 1-2 against the Wolfpack. And NC State’s has picked off Hartman 6 times in the last two meetings. For the last couple of seasons the defense has been a strength for NC State. The Wolfpack boasted one of the best secondary units in the entire ACC last season. The linebackers were also extremely active during the last meeting disrupting Hartman’s rhythm and sacking the quarterback 4 times.
Where is NC State the strongest?
NC State defends home turf extremely well and the Defense is still a strength for this team despite the key losses to personnel in the offseason.
What is NC State lacking on offense?
The two leading receivers from last season are gone. NC State will need to rely on new playmakers to step up and produce points when it matters. Armstrong is a dual threat quarterback but remembering how the injury bug plagued the quarterback position for the Wolfpack in 2022, I would prefer that Armstrong stay in the pocket as much as possible.
Where are the NC State concerns on defense?
The defense lost a lot of key pieces to its linebacking and secondary cores. The defense is still talented but the loss of experience is concerning.
What are the thoughts of Dave Doeren a decade into his time at NC State now?
Throughout the years Dave Doeren has been consistent at NC State, racking up an average of 7 wins during the 10 previous seasons. This would please any fan base that is satisfied with just earning a bowl bid at the end of every season. However, NC State’s fan base has been hungry for more since the days former head coach Chuck Amato’s teams were routinely ranked in the Top 25. In many ways last season was a big let down for the fans due to the high expectations coming into the season. The fan base supports Doeren but we’re all waiting for a breakthrough.
What else needs to be known about NC State?
Carter-Finley Stadium will be rocking on Saturday and the Wolfpack have defended it extremely well in the past, winning the last 16 of 17 games in front of the NC State fans. The Irish will have its work cut out for them on Saturday. CB Aydan White is a key player to watch out for. White led the team in interceptions last season, and even picked off Hartman once last season when the quarterback played for Wake Forest
As a lifelong ACC follower what are your thoughts on Cal, SMU and Stanford being added?
I am not the biggest fan of realignment but I fully understand where college football is evolving to. Conference realignment seems to be the name of the game these days. The ACC made this move, to add Stanford, Cal, and SMU, out of necessity to keep up with the Big Ten and SEC. The conference is able to tap into different geographic markets while also preparing itself in the event a team or two decides to exit the conference in the future. However, I hope the ACC can remain intact.
Does Notre Dame remaining independent bother you as an ACC fan?
Big Ten fans are more upset about Notre Dame remaining independent. I think it’s funny that people get so mad about Notre Dame’s independence. Would I love if the Irish joined the ACC officially? Oh for sure! But I don’t begrudge them for remaining independent and holding onto all their leverage. Notre Dame is such an important brand for college football and any conference would love having the Irish join its ranks. However, I am curious how all of the conference realignment will effect Notre Dame keeping its independence in the long run.
What didn't we cover about NC State that needs known?
Last season’s NC State team was favored, by many, to win the conference but failed to live up to those expectations. This season, those expectations are gone. NC State can now compete without having to worry about those things and just focus on playing ball. The Wolfpack will perform better this year as the “underdogs” This year, NC State can let it all hang out.
We all go to NC State.
