Upon review: Thoughts after rewatching NC State vs. VMI
NC State football used its 45-7 win over VMI as an opportunity to make progress on certain issues that plagued the Pack during its loss to Notre Dame. Against the Keydets, the Pack took steps forward in some areas and left some cause for concern in others.
In the days following the blowout victory, TheWolfpacker.com rewatched the game and took not of a few key takeaways from the tape.
Sean Brown shows noticeable improvement
Redshirt sophomore safety Sean Brown’s improvement was one of the most encouraging developments from the VMI game.
On the very first play from scrimmage, he filled a run gap perfectly and made a physical tackle at the line of scrimmage. The safety showed his enthusiasm as a tackler throughout the game. Brown finished the matchup with 6 total stops, 3 solo, and he recorded an excellent 82.5 Pro Football Focus (PFF) tackling grade— the second-highest mark on the team.
At one point in the second quarter, the safety nearly secured an interception after VMI quarterback Collin Shannon tried to fit the ball into air-tight coverage.
He made one mistake on VMI’s lone explosive rushing play of the game. After the redshirt sophomore filled the wrong gap, Keydets running back Rashad Raymond hit the second level. The defensive back did not give up on the play and made the tackle after safety Devan Boykin slowed him down.
NC State is going to ask a lot of Brown this season with veteran defensive back Jakeen Harris out for the year with a torn pectoral muscle. He had rough moments against Notre Dame and did not play perfect football against VMI, but he is clearly a talented player who will continue to improve as he records more snaps.
Special teams continue to stand out
Phenomenal blocking helped spur both of redshirt sophomore wide receiver Julian Gray’s kickoff return touchdowns— especially on the score that counted. Redshirt sophomore receiver Jalen Coit clearly continues to make strides as a punt returner as well. VMI punter Jack Culbreath showed off some serious power, and he consistently out kicked his coverage. The Pack specialist took advantage of those opportunities and helped NC State win the special teams battle.
Over the first few games of the season, the Wolfpack punt block team continues to get very close to a block. That is something to keep an eye on.
Looking at tight end coverage issues
Notre Dame had a lot of success throwing at its tight ends last week, so VMI threw to Aidan Twombly on 2 of its first 3 plays from scrimmage. He led the team with 7 targets. For the most part, the Pack defended him well and held him to 2 catches for 15 yards.
The defense did lose him on a couple of plays that could have been touchdowns. On the first, VMI caught NC State in a coverage miscommunication.
Redshirt junior cornerback Shyheim Battle covered the flat, leaving the tight end for junior safety Bishop Fitzgerald, who did not see the Keydet until he was behind the Pack defense. Graduate student linebacker Payton Wilson deflected the pass and broke up what would have been an explosive play.
Later in the game, VMI caught sophomore cornerback Renté Hinton ball watching on a play action fake, which allowed Twombly to get a step on him during a deep route. VMI overthrew the tight end, but the play likely would have ended in a touchdown if completed.
Notes on NC State scoring plays
*** Jacarrius Peak, a redshirt freshman offensive tackle who is suiting up as a tight end on some running plays, absolutely bulldozed a VMI defender to clear a lane for redshirt junior Delbert Mimms III’s first touchdown of the day.
He delivered a similar block later in the game during a short touchdown run for redshirt-junior Demarcus Jones II. The lineman finished the game with an above-average 74.6 run blocking grade and drew praise from head coach Dave Doeren after the game.
*** On graduate student nickel Robert Kennedy III’s pick 6, he started the play 6 yards off the line of scrimmage, and the receiver beat him on the slant route. Pressure from Red Hibbler forced a quick throw by Shannon, and the ball deflected off of the receiver’s hands.
Kennedy was in the right place at the right time and took his interception to the house. It is also worth noting that, if VMI completed the pass, Fitzgerald stood in position to make the tackle.
*** Graduate student quarterback Brennan Armstrong extended NC State’s lead to 21-0 on a 16-yard pass to graduate student receiver Bradley Rozner. Prior to the snap, the Pack motioned the inside receiver right. That attracted the attention of a VMI safety and left Rozner matched up against a cornerback. He will win a lot of those one-on-one matchups this season.
One play before the score, Armstrong delivered a beautiful pass to Julian Gray that landed between four VMI defenders. That was an NFL-caliber throw.
Notes on VMI’s scoring drive
*** VMI marched down the field in the third quarter after a couple of pass interference calls on freshman cornerback Brandon Cisse. The first penalty was definitely legitimate, and receiver Egypt Nelson made the catch anyways. Shortly after, the refs whistled Cisse again, but the contact was marginal and the ball looked uncatchable.
NC State had some success bringing a ton of pressure on that drive, and the unit sacked Shannon twice in three plays. On VMI’s touchdown pass to Nelson, the Pack sent pressure once again, putting Cisse on an island and giving up the Keydets’ lone score of the contest.
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