Jaylen Samuels missing from NC State offense

Jaylen Samuels caught a pass, for 8 yards, on N.C. State’s second possession of the game.

It was the only time in N.C. State’s 21-14 loss to Boston College on Saturday that the junior fullback touched the ball.

“I’m sure there were a lot of plays he was in the game and could have gotten the ball and didn’t,” N.C. State coach Dave Doeren said. “Why that didn’t happen, I can’t tell you right now. I can give you a better answer later.”

Samuels, who leads the Wolfpack in receptions (34) and touchdowns (7) on the season, was on the field for 36 of N.C. State’s 64 plays.

He was targeted three times by quarterback Ryan Finley, who attempted 41 passes for the game.

Samuels did not have a rushing attempt in the game and has only one in the past three games (all Wolfpack losses).

Samuels scored seven touchdowns — three rushing, four receiving — in the first four games of the season. He hasn’t scored since a 13-yard shovel pass from Finley in a 33-16 win over Wake Forest on Oct. 1.

Samuels banged up his right foot in the fourth quarter of the Wake Forest win. Doeren said Saturday that the injury might still be affecting Samuels.

Defenses are also locked in on the junior, who leads the team with 34 catches (for 325 yards) and has scored seven total touchdowns.

“They played tight coverage on him,” Doeren said. “They brought a lot of pressure on Ryan. Without being able to run the football, it was hard for (Finley) to sit back and wait for guys to get open.”

The Eagles sacked Finley twice on Saturday, and N.C. State struggled all game to block defensive end Harold Landry, who had four tackles, a sack and forced a fumble.

Samuels had an eight-catch, 100-yard effort at Clemson on Oct. 15 but otherwise has been quiet recently.

He was on the field, and in a familiar spot, on N.C. State’s last possession. On second-and-goal from the 3, N.C. State came out with Samuels and Nyheim Hines lined up as wing backs.

N.C. State likes to use Samuels out of that formation on a jet sweep. Finley faked the ball to Samuels on the play and gave it to running back Matt Dayes instead. Landry read the play and lunged at Dayes and held him for no gain.

Finley was intercepted in the end zone on the next play to put the game away for Boston College.

Doeren chalked up Samuels’ lack of usage to the offense’s general inability to run the football.

The Wolfpack had only 31 yards on 23 carries, a week after rushing for 14 yards on 25 carries at Louisville.

“If you can run the ball, ‘JaySam’ becomes a different type of player,” Doeren said.

N.C. State needs the productive version of Samuels to get its season back on track.

This story was originally published October 30, 2016 at 5:15 PM with the headline "Jaylen Samuels missing from NC State offense."