Will Wilson Is Built for This: NC State's Freshman QB Is Dominating Short-Yardage Football Like a Veteran
RALEIGH, N.C. - At this point, it’s not a question of if Will Wilson is going to move the chains - it’s how far he’s going to take it.
Everyone in the stadium knows what’s coming when the true freshman quarterback steps under center for NC State. Defenses stack the box.
Coaches brace for it. Fans lean forward in their seats.
And still, no one can stop him.
Saturday night’s 42-19 rivalry win over UNC-Chapel Hill wasn’t just a statement - it was a full-blown exclamation point on what’s quickly becoming a historic freshman campaign. Wilson carried the ball 12 times.
Ten of those runs resulted in either a first down or a touchdown. Four of them ended in the end zone, setting a new NC State program record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a single game.
Let’s pause there: four rushing touchdowns. As a freshman. In a rivalry game.
“The only thing that goes to my mind is just, ‘Go get it,’” Wilson said after the game. “I wear a wristband every day that says ‘Go get it.’
That’s the mindset with everything you do in life. But just go get it every single time.
Don’t think twice about it.”
That mindset has been more than just talk. Wilson has been a short-yardage cheat code all season.
Of his 39 rushing attempts this year, 23 have gone for first downs. Add in nine rushing touchdowns, and 32 of those 39 carries have resulted in either a new set of downs or six points.
And even on the rare occasions when he hasn’t converted, three of those “failures” were followed by conversions on the very next play.
Efficiency like that doesn’t just happen - it’s built. And Wilson, at 6-foot-2 and 231 pounds, is built more like a linebacker than your typical dual-threat quarterback. He rushed for over 1,100 yards and 20 touchdowns as a high school senior, and that power-running mentality has translated seamlessly to the college level.
On Saturday, his third touchdown run was a perfect example of what makes him special. When he couldn’t quite push the pile in on his own, his teammates got behind him and drove him into the end zone. That’s the kind of trust and physicality Wilson brings to the field - and the kind of belief his teammates have in him.
“He’s gifted athletically. He’s very strong,” head coach Dave Doeren said.
“We’ve talked about his ability to squat over 600 pounds. I mean, he’s not going to be pushed backwards.
He runs behind his pads. He can see the running lanes.
He’s getting better and better at that. He’s growing in confidence, which helps too.”
Doeren’s not wrong. Wilson’s blend of size, strength, and vision is rare - especially for a freshman.
He’s not just lowering his shoulder and hoping for contact. He’s reading the defense, finding the crease, and hitting it with purpose.
That confidence has only grown as the season’s gone on, and the results speak for themselves.
And now, Wilson’s nine rushing touchdowns on the season put him in elite company. In the last 25 years, only two other NC State quarterbacks have reached that mark: Russell Wilson in 2010 and Philip Rivers in 2002.
The all-time record? Thirteen, set by Scott Smith back in 1979.
Wilson’s not far off.
“It’s a blessing,” Wilson said. “A lot of freshmen don’t get this opportunity, so I take full advantage of it.
I’m getting experience being on the field during crucial moments, taking it all in and just executing. I’m doing what the team needs me to do, so it’s awesome.”
One of the guys who’s had a front-row seat to Wilson’s rise is sophomore quarterback CJ Bailey - the very player whose school record Wilson just broke. Bailey rushed for three touchdowns last season against Georgia Tech, which had been the most by an NC State QB in a single game. But there’s no ego here, only admiration.
“I’m already getting ready for the next play when it comes to short yardage because I already know he’s going to get the first down,” Bailey said. “So, my mindset is as soon as he goes in, I don’t worry about anything else but the next play because I already know what’s going to happen.
He might score. Will has been a great asset for us.
Our short yardage has been really great.”
Bailey’s not exaggerating. NC State’s short-yardage offense has been nearly automatic with Wilson in the game.
Whether it’s 3rd-and-2 or 4th-and-goal, the playbook doesn’t need to get fancy. Just give it to No. 11 and let him go to work.
As the Wolfpack prepare for bowl season, one thing’s for sure: when the game tightens up and the field gets shorter, Wilson’s going to be in the middle of it. He’s already proven he can handle the moment. Now, he’s got a chance to leave his mark on NC State history - and maybe push that touchdown record even higher.
Whatever the challenge is, Will Wilson’s ready to go get it. Just like he has all season.