Wolfpack back in action at Marshall
North Carolina State can take some of the elements that led to success in the second game and build off them for the first road game of the season.
The Wolfpack is heading to Marshall for Saturday night’s non-league game. Both teams will have had a two-week break after last weekend’s games (West Virginia at N.C. State; Marshall at South Carolina) were called off because of weather concerns associated with Hurricane Florence.
N.C. State is trying to take the positives from a victory against Georgia State and implement them for the Marshall game.
“A lot of guys had their first opportunities to score offensively,” coach Dave Doeren said. “I thought we started fast, which is an area we wanted to improve from the week before.”
A good start on the road could be critical, particularly as this is the lone time the Wolfpack will leave home before late October.
The Wolfpack hopes to have receiver Stephen Louis back after he entered concussion protocol from a hit in the Georgia State game.
“With us not playing, obviously helps him as far as his return to play (without missing game action),” Doeren said.
The Wolfpack knows that those injuries can be stressful, particularly after defensive tackle Eurndraus Bryant was carted off the field in the opener with a neck injury. But that turned out to be mostly precautionary and he returned the next week to play regular minutes and block a field goal.
It was an example of how precious every playing opportunity is.
“(After the game), I thought what I could do to come back,” Bryant said. “You don’t want to miss these opportunities.”
Those situations along with the reason for the West Virginia game to be called off are perhaps reasons for the Wolfpack to covet every chance there is to suit up and play.
Last year, the Wolfpack needed a comeback to defeat Marshall, which led 20-10. The rest of the scoring was done by N.C. State in a 37-20 outcome, with quarterback Ryan Finley throwing three touchdowns in the game.
Marshall is coached by Doc Holliday, a former N.C. State associate head coach under Chuck Amato from 2000-04.