Game review: Key plays in NC State’s loss to Wake Forest
It got late early for N.C. State in Saturday’s 44-10 loss at No. 23 Wake Forest.
The Demon Deacons (7-1, 3-1 ACC) scored on their first three possessions. N.C. State (4-4, 1-3) also turned the ball over twice to help the Deacs jump out to that 21-0 lead.
Wake basically won the game in the first 15 minutes. Four key plays from the first-quarter flurry:
1. Bad idea
Score: Wake Forest 0, N.C. State 0
Time: 12:30, first quarter
Field position: third-and-13 at the N.C. State 42
N.C. State got the ball to open the game for redshirt freshman quarterback Devin Leary’s first start. Leary completed three of his first four passes, and N.C. State picked up a pair of first downs.
After a throwaway (smart move by Leary) on a flea-flicker, Leary got into trouble on second down from N.C. State’s 45-yard line. He kept the ball on a run-pass option, when he should have handed it off to the running back. He lost 3 yards on the play to set up third-and-13.
N.C. State has had some creative moments with Des Kitchings and George McDonald as the co-offensive coordinators this season, notably with receiver Thayer Thomas throwing the ball. Their work has been scrutinized in their first year on the job, after former OC Eli Drinkwitz was hired by Appalachian State, but it has also been hamstrung by injuries to tight end Dylan Autenrieth, running back Ricky Person and both starting tackles.
But on third-and-13, it’s usually a good idea to throw the ball downfield. Leary tried here to hit receiver Tabari Hines on a crossing route at the line of scrimmage (or 13 yards away from the first-down marker).
Even if linebacker Ja’Cquez Williams hadn’t knocked the pass down, it would have been difficult for Hines to pick up the first down on such a short route.
N.C. State punted and the Deacs responded with their first scoring drive.
2. Good idea
Score: Wake Forest 0, N.C. State 0
Time: 10:52, first quarter
Field position: third-and-11 at the Wake 27
When Wake Forest was confronted with third-and-11, from its own 27, it sent three receivers to quarterback Jamie Newman’s right.
Wake receiver Kendall Hinton was lined up wide right, and he let the two other receivers in the trips bunch clear out for him. Once he got past the first-down marker, he broke toward the middle of the field and Newman hit him for a 15-yard gain.
It helped that Newman had time to throw the ball (3.4 seconds), but the design of the play also put the quarterback in the right position to be successful.
Newman ended the drive with a 20-yard touchdown run to give the Deacs a 7-0 lead.
3. Special-teams specialty
Score: Wake Forest 7, N.C. State 0
Time: 8:34, first quarter
Field position: Wake Forest kickoff
On the kickoff after Wake’s first touchdown, N.C. State freshman Keyon Lesane caught the ball at the 4, near the Wake Forest sideline. He cut back to the middle of the field and was met at the 12, at full speed, by Wake’s DeAndre’ Delaney. Delaney knocked the ball free, and it bounced back toward the end zone. Wake recovered it at the 3.
Newman needed two plays to cash in. He found tight end Jack Freudenthal for the first of their three touchdown connections and a 14-0 lead.
4. When it rains, it pours
Score: Wake Forest 14, N.C. State 0
Time: 6:00, first quarter
Field position: first-and-10 at the Wake 36
Down 14-0 so early, Leary (and his playcallers) understandably wanted to make something happen.
Leary took a deep shot down the field and got plenty of time from his offensive line to do so, but he overthrew receiver Emeka Emezie.
Combine the long throw with the perfect coverage and anticipation of the route by Wake cornerback Amari Henderson and you have the first of two interceptions thrown by Leary in the first half.
Leary has a big arm and there are times when he made smart choices to “live to see another play,” but this wasn’t one of them. Henderson was a general nuisance all game for Leary. He had two interceptions and four pass breakups.
Newman turned the interception into seven more points, with a 2-yard TD run to cap an eight-play, 74-yard drive and push Wake’s advantage to 21-0.
This story was originally published November 3, 2019 at 4:17 PM.
