FSU Football: A First Look at N.C. State

North Carolina State might sit at only 4-4 and be the opponent that Boston College collected its first ACC win against in 13 ties, but Florida State should know better than to take a trip to Raleigh lightly. In their last nine trips to Carter-Finley Stadium, the Seminoles are just 4-5.

The Seminoles will visit an N.C. State team on Saturday that has been largely Jekyll and Hyde this season. N.C. State has home wins over Notre Dame and an improved Wake Forest team this season and let one slip away at Clemson. On the other hand, the Wolfpack have losses to the likes of East Carolina and as before mentioned, Boston College.

On N.C. State

Record: 4-4 (1-3 ACC)
Offensive Ranks: 73rd in yards per game (400), 46th in passing yards per game (255.1), 99th in rushing yards per game (145.3), 79th in points per game (26.8).
Defensive Ranks: 28th in yards per game allowed (354), 83rd in passing yards per game allowed (241.4), 17th in rushing yards per game allowed (112.9), 37th in points per game allowed (23.4).
Last Game: Lost to Boston College on Saturday, 21-14.

On Offense

The Wolfpack has talent at the skill positions. Matt Dayes, a senior, is one of the better tailbacks in the ACC that no one talks about, Stephen Louis is a deep threat at receiver and Jaylen Samuels is a Swiss army knife with the ability to line up in the backfield or at tight end. Samuels leads the team with seven total touchdowns this season.

The problem for the Wolfpack on offense recently has been the play of sophomore quarterback Ryan Finley. Since a stellar 300-yard passing, 3-touchdown performance against Wake Forest to open October, Finley is completing just 52 percent of his passes for four touchdowns and six interceptions in four games. Prior to that, Finley was completing better than 72 percent of his passes with 10 total touchdowns and no interceptions. Over the last four games, the Wolfpack has averaged just 13.5 points per game compared to 40 over their first four.

Up front, center Joseph Scelfo is the veteran of the bunch, but junior guard Tony Adams is the best player for the unit. N.C. State has done a decent job protecting the passer, giving up just 12 sacks this season. When it comes to run blocking however, the Wolfpack rank just 11th in the ACC at 3.9 yards per rush. The Wolfpack are the worst team in the ACC when it comes to red zone offense.

On Defense

Defensively, N.C. State is solid. Defensive end Bradley Chubb and linebackers Airius Moore and Jerod Fernandez were well-known names in the ACC coming into the season, but the defensive MVP so far for the Wolfpack has been redshirt junior safety Josh Jones. Jones leads the team with 78 total tackles and two interceptions. At 6-2 and 215 pounds, Jones is a smart player and a hard-hitter.

Chubb continues to dominate up front for the Wolfpack with a team-high 11.5 tackles for loss and six sacks. Fellow ends Kentavius Street and Darian Roseboro have combined for 9.5 sacks. Moore and Fernandez have each recorded more than 50 tackles so far this season while senior linebacker Dravious Wright ranks second in the ACC with four forced fumbles. N.C. State ranks in the top 15 nationally, allowing just 3.2 yards per carry, but in the middle of the pack nationally against the pass.

On Special Teams

Sophomore A.J. Cole is having a good year punting the ball for N.C. State, averaging nearly 43 yards per punt, but field goal kicking has been an adventure. As a team, the Wolfpack are just 5-for-11 on field goals this seasons. Kyle Bambard and Connor Haskins have split time both on field goals and kickoffs. Bambard is 5-for-9 this season while Haskins has the bigger leg. The Wolfpack have also missed three PATs.

When it comes to covering kicks and punts, N.C. State has done a good job. Receiver Nyheim Hines is dangerous for the Wolfpack as a kick returner, but has largely been held in check this season.

Summary

For N.C. State, there are a lot of good pieces on both sides of the ball, but the Wolfpack have been too inconsistent for the first two months of the season. N.C. State has good skill players on offense, but up-and-down quarterback play has kept them from reaching their potential. On defense, N.C. State is deep and talented up front and experienced at linebacker. As good as Jones has been in the secondary, the remainder of the unit is pretty average. Head coach Dave Doeren’s team has lacked discipline at times; in the ACC, only FSU and Louisville have been penalized more than N.C. State this season.

Mike Ferguson is the editor of The Daily Nole. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson