Matchups: Will NC State be able to exploit Virginia Tech’s depleted secondary?
There might be nothing quite like the feel-good elements that came with winning the opening game for N.C. State.
Repeating that becomes the tricky part for the Wolfpack going into Saturday night’s assignment at No. 20 Virginia Tech.
N.C. State attempts to move to 2-0 in ACC play for the third time in a four-season span. The Wolfpack already has matched last season’s conference win total.
Virginia Tech will be the final team in the ACC to begin its season after its games scheduled across the first two weeks of the league’s delayed opening were postponed.
These teams weren’t initially scheduled to play when the initial 2020 slates were released. Then their would-be Sept. 12 opener was pushed back because of N.C. State’s pause in activities based on coronavirus testing.
By mid-September, Virginia Tech was dealing with similar issues and that further delayed it putting a team on the field for a game.
N.C. State has had trouble scoring in five all-time ACC matchups with Virginia Tech, exceeding the 17-point mark only once — and losing that encounter.
It’s important to see how the Wolfpack handles a road venture during the unique season. While there won’t be a hostile crowd in the stands at Lane Stadium because of coronavirus-related restrictions, the challenge might come in dealing with all the other logistics. N.C. State needs to figure out those because this is the first of three consecutive road games.
By the numbers
Records: NC State 1-0 (1-0 ACC); Virginia Tech 8-5 (5-3 ACC) in 2019
NC State offense: 45 ppg | 463 ypg | 193 passing ypg | 270 rushing ypg
Virginia Tech defense (allowed): 24.7 ppg | 363.3 ypg | 224 passing ypg | 139.3 rushing ypg
Virginia Tech offense: 30.9 ppg | 385.2 ypg | 209.1 passing ypg | 176.1 rushing ypg
NC State defense (allowed): 42 ppg | 385 ypg | 236 passing ypg | 149 rushing ypg
* Virginia Tech numbers from 2019
N.C. State run game vs. Virginia Tech run defense
The Wolfpack cranked out impressive numbers on the ground in the opener. The best part might be that there were multiple sources of that production, highlighted by Ricky Person Jr. and Zonovan Knight and complemented by Jordan Houston. As a result, the offensive line graded out well.
Virginia Tech would like to maintain part of the 2019 form, when nine opponents failed to reach 165 rushing yards (and five were short of 100 on the ground). If the Hokies are to be stingy against the run, some of that will depend on junior linebacker Dax Hollifield, a North Carolinian, keeping tabs on that.
N.C. State pass game vs. Virginia Tech pass defense
The Wolfpack had a splendid beginning last week with surprise starting quarterback Bailey Hockman, who completed his first 12 throws. After that, the passing attack was relatively ordinary. But the group of receivers is a veteran unit. By some accounts, the offense is also giving a steady workload in practice to Devin Leary, who was the expected starter until his preseason progress was hindered by coronavirus quarantine. N.C. State might be wise to test the Hokies secondary because that unit has dealt with some turnover. It mainly relates to true freshman Keonta Jenkins taking a starting safety spot that would have been held by redshirt junior Devon Hunter, who was suspended following an arrest earlier this month.
Virginia Tech run game vs. N.C. State run defense
The Hokies will want to establish the run, so N.C. State is bound to put extra emphasis on containing this and forcing Virginia Tech to test the airwaves. The Hokies aren’t likely to be shy about having quarterback Hendon Hooker as part of the rushing attack. They eclipsed the 200-yard rushing mark in six games last season (but never to the 270-yard level that the Wolfpack achieved last week). Virginia Tech’s starting tailback is Khalil Herbert, a transfer from Kansas. The offensive line also includes Coastal Carolina transfer Brock Hoffman, the new starting center. N.C. State linebackers Drake Thomas (12 tackles) and Payton Wilson (10) and safety Rakeim Ashford (10) were busy in the opener.
Virginia Tech pass game vs. N.C. State pass defense
The Hokies have gone through quarterbacks on a pretty regular basis for various reasons the past few seasons. They’re keeping Hooker, who’s from Greensboro, as the starter but there’s no guarantee that he’ll be a solo act. Braxton Burmeister, a transfer from Oregon who sat out last season per NCAA transfer rules, is waiting in the wings. Burmeister hasn’t started a game since 2017, when he was a freshman.
The Wolfpack’s secondary came through during some key moments in the Wake Forest game. With N.C. State holding the lead for most of the game, it should have expected a heavy dose of passing from the Demon Deacons. That might not be the case this week. Still, the biggest plus might have been the pass rush, which registered six sacks in the opener. Five N.C. State players logged sacks, including two for Daniel Joseph, a transfer from Penn State.
N.C. State special teams vs. Virginia Tech special teams
N.C. State kicker Christopher Dunn has connected on 12 consecutive field-goal attempts, tying the third-longest streak in program history. Dunn owns the second-longest string at 19. N.C. State would like to unleash its return specialists, something that didn’t develop in the opener because of a steady diet of touchbacks on kickoffs.
Virginia Tech, which used to be renowned for its special teams work under now-retired coach Frank Beamer, has been less dynamic in recent seasons. Yet the Wolfpack can’t count on benefitting from short punts like those by Wake Forest.
N.C. State intangibles vs. Virginia Tech intangibles
NC State has a pair of new assistant coaches on the defensive side who’ve come from the Virginia Tech staff. Defensive line coach Charley Wiles spent 24 seasons with the Hokies and cornerbacks coach Brian Mitchell spent the past four seasons in Blacksburg. Their knowledge of the Virginia Tech personnel is bound to be a plus for the Wolfpack in preparation as the teams meet for the first time since 2015. That type of knowledge might be particularly beneficial because the teams have met only five times since Virginia Tech joined the ACC, with the Hokies winning the past four meetings.
N.C. State has lost its last six games outside of Raleigh. The last time the Wolfpack topped a ranked team on the road came in 2017 at Florida State.