courtesy GoPack.com
ALEIGH, N.C. – All week long there was a concerted effort to get the train back on the track and run the football, no matter who the opponent was. A week after 32 yards rushing, NC State finished with 218 yards on the ground against Furman in the 45-7 win at a packed Carter-Finley-Stadium.
They worked on it in practice and even added a double dose of Zonovan Knight and Ricky Person, Jr. in the backfield together. They showed that formation a few times in Saturday’s win. Knight had 104 yards on 11 carries with a touchdown while Person, Jr carried 8 times for 41 yards and a score.
On the Wolfpack’s second possession of the game, five of the eight plays were handoffs to Knight. He gained 56 yards, including a 42-yard carry into the red zone and capped the drive with the game’s first score.
With the run game clicking early, it was time for QB Devin Leary to go to work in the air. He picked apart the Paladins in the first half connecting on 23 of 29 passes, three touchdowns, and a rushing score.
On his touchdown run, Leary got a great seal block by Knight to clear the path.
“Once we got to our rhythm and were able to execute on plays, it’s just a constant flow of executing and making the right plays, right blocks,” Leary explained. “When you get out of that rhythm, it’s difficult.”
One play to remember was a 42-yard connection from Leary to freshman WR Anthony Smith down the sideline. The young wideout made a great adjustment on the ball to make the catch and then dove into the end zone. It’s a prime example of a receiver helping out his quarterback.
“I thought they played for each other tonight on offense,” head coach Dave Doeren said. “The rhythm was better. Coach Beck and the staff on offense did a nice job. I think the players really learned a lot from last week’s game, and there were a lot more plays where you could see 11 guys doing what they were supposed to do.”
The Wolfpack did what they were supposed to do against Furman resulting in the win. It was just the response the players and staff were looking for.
“The main message was refocusing on the task at hand, playing the brand of football that we play,” said nickel Tyler Baker-Williams. He had an interception in the third quarter on a ball that was tipped by LB Isaiah Moore.
“It’s good to play well,” Doeren said. “It’s good to get a bunch of guys in the game. It’s good to get a rhythm. It’s good to fix things that we needed to fix. There’s still more.”
Next week, a bigger, stronger and faster team from South Carolina comes to Carter-Finley Stadium for a much-anticipated division matchup with Clemson.
