NC State freshman QB MJ Morris to make first start as Wolfpack hosts Wake Forest
It has been 22 years since a true freshman started at quarterback for N.C. State.
You might remember the name: Philip Rivers.
The Pack will have MJ Morris starting Saturday against Wake Forest, NCSU coach Dave Doeren said Monday. The freshman has taken over as the No. 1 QB on the depth chart, slipping ahead of Jack Chambers, after spurring the Pack’s 22-21 comeback victory Thursday over Virginia Tech.
With the Wolfpack offense struggling for any form of continuity against the Hokies, Morris stepped in for Chambers, a graduate transfer who was making his second start after the season-ending injury to Devin Leary. The Pack fell behind 21-3 in the third quarter, but Morris had three touchdown passes in the last 19 minutes — two to slot receiver Thayer Thomas — as N.C. State won the Thursday night ESPN game at Carter-Finley Stadium.
“Down 21-3, true freshman quarterback in the game and the guys just kept fighting and MJ sparked us,” Doeren said during his weekly news conference.
Morris first found Thomas open for a 35-yard scoring throw on a slot fade route to pull the Pack within 21-10.
“It gave the team exactly what it needed at the right time — that we could score touchdowns,” Doeren said. “Proof of life, and from there we just played lights out.”
Offensively and defensively. There was little “proof of life” from the Hokies in a fourth quarter dominated by the Wolfpack.
Before the Virginia Tech game, Morris had played 16 snaps in two games: three against Charleston Southern at home and 13 against Syracuse in the Pack’s 24-9 road loss. He attempted one pass against the Orange, which was incomplete.
Morris was in for 58 snaps against the Hokies. He was 20-of-29 passing for 265 yards, getting in a good rhythm late in the third quarter and continuing it into the fourth, hitting tight end Trent Pennix for a 7-yard score and then Thomas on an 18-yard “jailbreak screen,” as Doeren called it, for the winning touchdown.
“The offense didn’t turn the ball over and just kept grinding and working to find ways to score points,” Doeren said.
That was more than enough to elevate Morris to a starting role this week against the No. 20 Demon Deacons, putting his name alongside Rivers as a true freshman starter at QB.
Rivers was the starter when the 2000 season began against Arkansas State and played 51 consecutive games in four seasons for the Pack before going to the NFL.
Injury news: Jackson out for season
Doeren said defensive end Savion Jackson, injured against Syracuse, underwent knee surgery and will miss the remainder of the season. The junior from Clayton, who wore honored jersey No. 9, was a starter the past two seasons and had three tackles for a loss in 2022. ...
Doeren said he expected running back Demie Sumo-Karngbaye to return after sitting out the Syracuse and Virginia Tech games with a lower-body injury.
Starting times announced
The ACC announced Monday the Pack’s game next week against Boston College at Carter-Finley Stadium would have a 3:30 p,m start and be shown on the ACC Network.
The Wolfpack’s game at North Carolina on Friday, Nov. 25 also will have a 3:30 p.m. start and be televised by ABC, the league said.
This story was originally published October 31, 2022 at 1:33 PM.
