NC State’s opener at Virginia left plenty to sort through, and the PFF numbers paint a pretty clear picture of where the offense held up and where it cracked.
Start up front, because that’s the surprising part: the offensive line was not the problem. In fact, all five starters graded as the Wolfpack’s top five offensive players.
Every one of them finished with an overall grade of 65 or better, which is a strong showing for a whole unit. Left tackle Jimarion McCrimon led the group at 72.6 overall before leaving the game with an injury, so his status is worth watching as NC State heads toward Game 2.
There’s a decent amount of time before then, with almost two weeks between the opener and the next game.
The line’s pass protection was especially encouraging. Spike Sowells Jr., Kamen Smith and Yousef Mugharbil all posted pass-blocking grades above 80, which is excellent.
The run game, though, was a different story. As a unit, the line struggled there, even if McCrimon still stood out with a 70.3 run-blocking grade.
That matters because it shifts some of the blame away from quarterback CJ Bailey. Bailey’s overall grade was 34.1, the lowest on the team and the third-lowest of his career.
His passing grade came in at 36.2, and his running grade was 49.3. That’s the most troubling number on NC State’s offense from Week 0.
Still, the receivers didn’t make life easy on him. Appalachian State transfer Davion Dozier was the only wideout to land in average territory, finishing with a 64.6 overall grade.
Everyone else in the receiver room came in below 60. On route running, only Dozier and Miami transfer Jojo Trader graded at 60 or better.
That backs up the complaint that Bailey didn’t always have clean separation to work with, though it doesn’t wipe away his own misses. He is still judged on his decisions and ball placement, and there were moments when open players were there and he either didn’t see them or chose not to throw.
The running backs had a murkier day because the workload was so limited. They accounted for just 8 of NC State’s 24 carries, and the production never really got going.
Duke Scott was the most productive of the group, earning a 61.2 overall grade on seven carries. Pass protection was another issue.
Scott graded at 51.1 as a pass blocker, while Davion Gause came in at 26.3.
When it came to actual rushing success, the best grade didn’t belong to a back at all. Will Wilson posted a 72.2 in the run game, which was the top mark on the team in that category.
Tight end was the other spot that raised alarms. That’s notable because this was one of NC State’s best position groups a year ago.
Dante Daniels, Cody Hardy and Justin Joly finished 1st, 2nd and 5th on the offense at season’s end last year, all with overall grades of 77.9 or better, and Daniels and Hardy were both above 80. Hardy and Daniels were also elite run blockers, and the run game last season leaned heavily on what they did.
Saturday looked nothing like that. Hunter Provience and Preston Douglas both finished below 60 overall, with Douglas at 56.2 and Provience at 47.0. Their run-blocking grades were both below 50 as well.
There was at least one possible bright spot there. Oregon transfer Vander Ploog played only eight snaps, but he made them count.
He earned a 72.2 overall grade, caught two passes, and finished with a team-high 25 receiving yards. That’s a tiny sample, no question, but both the production and the grade point toward more opportunities against Richmond.
For reference, PFF’s scale labels 90.0 and above as elite, 80.0 to 89.9 as high quality, 70.0 to 79.9 as above average, 60.0 to 69.9 as average, 50.0 to 59.9 as below average, and 49.9 or lower as poor.
In Other News...
NC State Just Hit A Recruiting Setback It Cant Ignore
NC States 2027 recruiting board took a hit when Jaydn Jenkins, a four-star center, moved on from the Wolfpack as he trimmed his list to Michigan State, Xavier, Ohio State and Georgetown. Jenkins had been one of the more important names tied to NC States early work in the class, so his decision to leave the Wolfpack off the final group changes the picture around a key frontcourt target.
The timing makes it sting a little more because Jenkins has already been on campus at Xavier and is lining up visits to the other schools still in the mix. NC State, meanwhile, has one commit in the 2027 class and is still working other options such as Ian Condon and Mekhi Allen, which means the staff has room to keep building, but also another position group to address after losing ground with Jenkins. [Read more 🡒]
NC States Virginia Loss Revealed Which Newcomers Could Actually Matter
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The defensive side of the debut list was just as encouraging for a team trying to sort out its depth. Mack, Dyson III and Aguirre all showed up in the tackle column, and Aguirre left with a strong impression after speaking afterward about his trust in the coaching staff despite the outcome. For a Wolfpack team looking for answers beyond the headline result, the trip to Charlottesville at least revealed a few players who might deserve a longer look. [Read more 🡒]
NC States Reset Game Suddenly Comes With More Pressure
NC States reset game already carried some weight after a poor offensive showing against Virginia, but the margin for error looks a little smaller now. Richmond comes in with real momentum, fresh off a strong win over Bucknell, and the Spiders have climbed into the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll, which gives this matchup a different feel than the usual tune-up against a lower-division opponent.
For the Wolfpack, this is more than just a chance to get right before the schedule tightens. It is an important test for an offense looking to find rhythm and a defense trying to sharpen itself before the next stretch of challenges. With an FCS opponent arriving after proving it can handle business, NC State has a meaningful opportunity to show that last week was an outlier rather than a warning sign. [Read more 🡒]