The good (and bad) from NC State's spring game

There was too much rain on Saturday to really get a clear idea of what N.C. State’s football will look like in 2018.

If the Kay Yow Spring Game is any indication, though, the Wolfpack will be an exciting group in the fall.

There was the usual mix of big plays by the offense and defense, in what officially was a 21-10 win by “N.C. State.” There was also an ejection for fighting, which might be a first in a spring game.

“There’s going to be some bad stuff, with footing and things like that,” coach Dave Doeren said. “But there are some good things in there, too.”

Starting with the good: Quarterback Ryan Finley was relatively sharp and had a 74-yard touchdown pass with receiver Kelvin Harmon on the third play of the game.

Receiver Jakobi Meyers also had a pair of acrobatic catches and looked like he was ready to step into the playmaker void left by the versatile Jaylen Samuels.

Linebackers Germaine Pratt, Louis Acceus and Raven Saunders were active on defense, as was Roseboro.

And then there was freshman kicker Christopher Dunn. The rain didn’t stop Dunn from making all three of his PATs and a 27-yard field goal. Given N.C. State’s recent kicking woes, that was a big deal.

“It was a tough day to kick the ball,” Doeren said. “He got it up, the ball was straight. He has been terrific all spring.”

The real highlight of the second half was when defensive end Joe Babros was ejected for mixing it up with offensive lineman Liam Ryan.

“He’s got a mean streak in him,” defensive end Darian Roseboro said of Babros, a junior-college transfer. “We love that.”

The players, and even Doeren, were able to joke about the whole concept — an ejection in an intrasquad spring game? — afterward.

The rain covered most of the bad portion of the afternoon. It didn’t snow, as it was predicted earlier in the week, but the cold, wet conditions kept the majority of the fans away.

Between the wind and the rain, there were more dropped passes than Doeren probably would have wanted to see, but that’s all part of the process.

Finley, who finished 8 of 15 with 165 yards and the touchdown in a half’s worth of work, actually looked forward to the chance to play in the inclement conditions.

The sixth-year senior struggled in cold-weather games at Notre Dame and Boston College last season.

“I see it as a good way to practice in that condition,” Finley said.

Still, Finley would have preferred more pleasant conditions.

“It’s not the best way to end spring, because you want to see guys perform, but it was a fun time,” Finley said.

Harmon, who finished with three catches for 92 yards and the score, agreed with his quarterback — to a point.

“It was fun in the first half, when I was playing, but once I stopped it was miserable because it was cold,” Harmon said.

The final three quarters were played with a running clock. Finley led the first two scoring drives, and the second ended with an 11-yard touchdown run by redshirt freshman Nakia Robinson.

Walk-on running back Will Eason had pair of 3-yard runs to round out the scoring and finished with 99 yards on 13 carries.

The teams were split up by offense and defense, and the scoring was based on in which end zone — “NC State” or “Wolfpack” — the points were scored.

Overall, Doeren was happy with how the day went even without expected contributors Reggie Gallaspy (running back), Ricky Person (running back), Dylan Autienrieth (tight end), Shug Frazier (defensive tackle) and Eundraus Bryant (defensive tackle) sidelined with injuries.

“Where we’re at today is nowhere near where we’ll be when guys are healthy,” Doeren said.

This story was originally published April 7, 2018 at 5:01 PM with the headline "The good (and bad) from NC State's spring game."