Two painful losses later, NC State football tries to figure out what comes next
This is not where N.C. State wanted to be two weeks ago.
The Wolfpack was 5-0 and in the thick of the ACC race. Then came a disappointing loss at Clemson, followed by a difficult loss at Syracuse.
With its ACC title hopes squashed, the Wolfpack (5-2, 2-2 ACC) returns home for the first time since the 5-0 start for a matchup with an inconsistent Florida State (4-4, 2-4) team.
Sixth-year coach Dave Doeren said his team has wins over two good ACC teams (Virginia and Boston College) and losses to two good ACC teams. There’s still plenty left in front of them.
“Where we go from here is how we handle each week of the season and at the end of the year, you can look back and be proud of what you’ve accomplished or disappointed,” Doeren said. “You don’t want regret.”
Pass defense
There were some regrets last year in a 9-4 finish. Only one team in school history has reached double-digits in wins (11 in 2002). That’s still in play for this team, not that Doeren wants his players thinking of anything other than FSU.
“Let’s get back to what we do, it’s 1-0,” Doeren said. “This is the first of five that we have left. What can we do to make a few more plays? What can we do to score a few more touchdowns? What can we do to get a little bit more pressure? What can we do to help in coverage?”
Pass defense has been N.C. State’s biggest problem in road losses to the Tigers (41-7) and the Orange (51-41). The Wolfpack ranks last in the ACC in pass defense, and No. 125 in the country (out of 130 teams), after giving up a combined total of 860 yards in the two losses.
Clemson (Trevor Lawrence) and Syracuse (Eric Dungey) have two of the best quarterbacks in the ACC. Doeren noted that and said his secondary is young -- with two freshmen and a sophomore starting at Syracuse -- but also said he didn’t think there was a systemic problem.
“It wasn’t really an issue, in my opinion, of doing the wrong things,” Doeren said. “It’s we need to do the things we’re doing better. We need to mix things up and give (the defensive backs) a little more help and we need to get more pressure. And all that ties together.”
Seminoles struggle
This is definitely not where Florida State had wanted, or hoped, to be under first-year coach Willie Taggart. When Jimbo Fisher left for Texas A&M last December, Taggart was supposed to bring in a fresh attitude, after Fisher’s message had gone stale, and a high-flying offense predicated on “lethal simplicity.”
Fast forward to last Saturday’s home date with Clemson, normally the marquee event of the ACC football season. The Tigers, who were on equal footing with FSU just three years ago, handed the Seminoles their worst home loss in school history (59-10).
Taggart, who left Oregon after one season, had some harsh words for his new players after the game.
“I felt like we had some guys that quit on our football team and that can’t be tolerated,” Taggart said in the post-game press conference.
FSU’s record 36-year bowl streak is in jeopardy if Taggart can’t get his team refocused. The Noles need to win twice in their last four games to qualify for the postseason.
All four of their remaining opponents (N.C. State, Notre Dame, Boston College, Florida) are ranked by the College Football Playoff selection committee.
FSU might have to rebound without junior quarterback Deondre Francois, who was knocked out of the Clemson loss in the fourth quarter with an undisclosed injury.
FSU offensive line
Taggart described Francois as “beat up,” earlier this week. Francois, a junior, ranks second in the ACC in passing yards with 2,039 (behind only N.C. State’s Ryan Finley, who has 2,250). Francois has been limited in practice this week but Taggart didn’t rule him out.
Sophomore James Blackman finished the Clemson game, and threw for FSU’s only touchdown, and likely will start against the Wolfpack, if Francois can’t play.
As it was at the end of Fisher’s successful tenure — which included three ACC titles and the 2013 national title — FSU’s biggest problem is the offensive line. The Noles have given up 23 sacks, second-most in the ACC and tied for No. 107 nationally.
Despite the constant pressure and protection breakdown, Francois has completed 171 of 281 passes for 2,039 yards with 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Francois missed all but one game (the opener) in 2017 with a knee injury, which opened the door for Blackman. A raw, skilled deep-ball passer, Blackman threw for 2,230 yards with 19 touchdowns last season.
His first college start was a 27-21 loss to N.C. State last September. That was Doeren’s first win over FSU in five tries. N.C. State could use another after a pair of difficult losses.
“(The players) deserve to win, they’re such good guys,” Doeren said. “You love coaching these guys. They care so much about the school and this football team.”
This story was originally published November 1, 2018 at 1:41 PM with the headline "Two painful losses later, NC State football tries to figure out what comes next."