2024 ACC Football Season Previews | NC State Wolfpack with James Henderson of ‪@InsidePackSports‬!

Intro [Music] hey this is former Blue Devil o linman Matt skura you're listening to basketball conference the ACC football podcast go duke go ACC welcome back in basketball conference ACC football podcast recording here on August 14th time to preview the 2024 NC State wolf pack with a new guest James Henderson inside pack Sports first of all James welcome to the show appreciate you joining um I I sent you a message I think last week and you were very eager to come on so I really appreciate that how's it going good Michael man I appreciate it anytime just reach out well here we go at 2024 NC State wolf pack this team's got a lot of expectations this is a year where I feel like Dave and he's continued to build a really strong program at NC State and this isn't the first time they've entered the year with expectations they they've had him before but I feel like this off season uh the media has really lashed on to NC State as one of the handful of Darkhorse candidates to potentially contend for an ACC title so um what's your overall just overall quick assessment of of that and how the media views NC State and and how you feel the team looks entering the entering the new season well I think for me it's it's probably a uh of consistently feeling like you're knocking at the door right I mean if you look at the last four or five years in the ACC NC State's been in the top two top three four top five in terms of programs in the league and so they haven't been able to to get through and and finish one they've been right there and I think when you look at the way they reloaded and some of the pieces they're bringing back it it makes some sense for them to be in that top four Group which is kind of where I have them you can you can put them in whatever order you want to put them in but I think generally they've been in that top four in the league uh kind of going into the year yeah I mean I think that's pretty accurate they they've won eight games or more in four out of the last five seasons um I mean they had that one Aber I call an aberration in 2019 because that that team really uh we hadn't seen a Dave Dorne program really fall off like that I mean he he had the rebuild initially at the beginning of his tenure but we we hadn't really seen a team fall off like that since then this team's been really really consistent as a program in the ACC quarterback position is really interesting to me because I you know Grayson McCall bringing Grayson McCall he he's a guy at Coastal under Jamie Chadwell with that really interesting offense they ran put up some really good numbers but he's also been really banged up and we saw last year it was kind of up and down he was hurt and and I think we're going to figure out pretty quickly if McCall who's obviously been around the block veteran quarterback a lot of starts under his belt whether he was a product of the Jamie Chadwell offensive system or if he's actually just a really good college football quarterback right I think we're going to figure that out pretty quickly that's one of the big questions I think kind of surrounding his fit with NC State so I mean how do you think he fits in to this offense that they're going to run this year and and what do you think of Mall just has a player coming in in all honesty there's been zero negativity I've heard around Grayson McCall and during fall Camp um and that's a little than last year with Brenan Armstrong if I'm being honest last year last year during fall Camp there was this well the offense isn't where you think it would be and I think a lot of people last year kind of assumed it would be quick because you had Armstrong linking back up with an eye and all of those things right I think when you break down Grayson McCall's tape like even as I don't know what his statistics were last year you may have him at Coastal they weren't great uh but PFF had him graded I think 79 over all which would have been fourth in the ACC last year among all ACC quarterbacks just on how he played so you know obviously you separate the way he played versus the offense and his numbers I I think that's what appeals to NC State there's a lot there with him from a processing standpoint and an accuracy standpoint that they feel like is going to allow them to open up their offense in a major way I think NC State believes Grayson McCall is in a position to have a monster season I I I think they feel that way um and you know you're talking about a guy who it's funny I was seeing some of the ACC quarterback rankings I saw one recently that had him fifth in the ACC behind guys like Kiren drones and hannes King and I mean I don't mean any disrespect to those players but right we're talking about a guy who was three-time conference player the year I'll be in the Sun Belt but right three- Time conference player the year has started almost 50 games all these different things and you're putting them behind Haynes King like again more established track Meer right right like so we'll see we'll see I mean and I think for NC State the I think the question is funny because you you started this by talking about where they're perceived by the media and I think that's with question marks around Grayson MCO right yeah right exactly what if he's really good right where should they be perceived at that point right I think that's where it gets interesting for NC State I I agree with that um I I thought it was just interesting in general I know last year the expectations around Brenan Armstrong because of the prior relationship with Robert and I that you mentioned then it didn't work out right and then MJ Morris came in they end up going back to Armstrong it was just kind of this flip-flop MJ Morris two years ago was playing a decent bid as a true freshman and I think a lot of people around the ACC were expect and I don't know if this is this is true within people who cover NC State day today but around the ACC I think people were looking at MJ Morris like all right this guy is this guy's flashing he's going to be pretty good in a few years right he's got raw like good Raw Talent athletic kid and then he's kind of out the door right I mean he's he decides he's going MJ Morris to transfer it was like okay see you later and Brandon Armstrong's back in the fold that surprised me a little bit so can you can you walk me through kind of the timeline in terms of like why MJ Morris made the decision that he did and I know Dave Dorne was out in the media like yeah he's not with the program anymore it was just kind of from the outside it just seemed very weird because it seemed like Morris was going to be the guy like year over year like for multiple years coming so it it just seemed a little strange how that all went down at the end of last year well I I think the unfortunate thing with MJ the year you were referring to was was that 2022 right first year play so he he so he he did he was the number three guy going into the season and he was a true fresh and the thought going into the year was obviously Deon lry was going to be NC State's guy was coming off a monster year he got injured a month until the season was out for the year so then they had they brought in a transfer Jack Chambers it didn't work out a G5 guy kind of as a as a stop Gap piece so they turned it over to Morris he he took over Midway through I think the Virginia Tech game they won that game started the game against Wake Forest had a great game against wake they won that game and then the home finale against Boston College he didn't play well at all yeah being honest didn't play well and State lost that game I think they were double digit favorite lost that game in the season finale against Boston College and the unfortunate thing for MJ he got banged up in that game so he he hurt his knee in that game and so you really only had two and a half starts or two and a half opportunities to watch him play up and down didn't play against Louisville didn't play against North Carolina didn't play in the bowl game somehow he wasn't back there's all kinds of speculation as to what was going on there did he just choose to not return some people say that I don't know but I think maybe he him and the folks around him were expecting him to just be the guy in 23 based on what he did in those couple of games right and you know this if you're a program like NC State where you talked about it you've won eight nine 10 gam well they Haven won 10 games but they won eight or nine games the last four or five years you you feel like you're competing and I don't think you think you're in a position where you can just hand the job to a guy who's made a start and a half right like or two starts and so when you can go out and get Brendan Armstrong you do it and I think maybe that turned MJ and his family off a little bit because uh you know I mean Armstrong's not coming in to not start so then he of course he gets the job he wins the job he was better in Spring practice won the job started the season I think fans you know it's funny I had a a couple I had a buddy of mine tell me that he went to the season opener last year for NC State at Yukon and there were casual fans there who don't follow like maybe aren't on our website or don't followed a day-to-day of the job who were surprised MJ Morris wasn't the starter right like like they walk out and you don't see MJ Morris as a started it's like what's going on right and so anytime the moment Armstrong didn't play well there was this swell of fandom pumping up MJ wanting to see him and that's where it led to I think him taking over he wasn't good last year or this past year he wasn't good and then ultimately he decided to just save his red sh he set out the rest of the year I I like that's an individual decision everybody can have their take on why you would do that but the moment you make that decision you know what that means you're not coming back to NC State because you can't you can't quit on a team like that and then think you're going to be the start of the next year so he he was out the door Joey and I talked about on this podcast when it happened it's like well he and the and whoever was assisting right in his decision those around him family whoever they had made that decision where collectively where they were like look we're not going to be here next year let's just let's save the red shirt let's save the eligibility let's have three years elsewhere um I I am a Virginia Tech I'm a Virginia Tech Alum James so 2022 is my first I know it was like a heart attack game for NC State but I'm watching MJ MJ Morris lead that second half comeback in Black I'm like okay he's great he's he's gonna be very good he's gonna be very good so the the whole quarterback shuffling thing and I understand I I think you made a really good point where like Morris two and a half starts under his belt this team feels like they're ready to compete now are you ready to hand the keys over to somebody who's relative highly touted good Prospect out of high school relatively unproven right it's a double-edged sword and with the transfer portal now and and that this is separate from the relationship that Armstrong had with a ey you add that in it was an to me and Joey as well we kind of shared the sen seemed like a no-brainer on paper in terms of like if you're going to go out and get a guy and you want Morris to continue learning this is the situation it's it's a quarterback on his final year of Eligibility that you bring in who has a prior relationship with the OC that put up good numbers with that OC at UVA before an I went to Syracuse put up really good numbers with him it made a lot of sense but then the other side of it of course is like you mentioned you you know Mor it could have rubbed Morris the wrong way and yeah probably what happened and I mean like again I don't blame him for saving a year of eligibility in the nio era either right I mean that's another year to get compensated through nil where if you're not a professional player you want as many college Years as possible with what they're they're compensating these players these days so it makes sense um on MJ's side I just think NC State you can't make that decision to turn it over to Morris now if he would have played those three games he missed due to injury and he was really good and like like you know you mentioned your VT Alum you guys probably feel like you've seen enough from Kyon Jones to say he's the guy right like he made six seven eight starts where you're comfortable with that but a start two starts and then one of them you lost to Boston College at home who wasn't very good right like h no I don't think we're ready to go that way so right made sense and look NC State lands Grayson McCallen if he has a great year nobody's gonna be thinking about MJ Morris anymore so I mean it's just that that's the way it is right now in in college football portal speaking of the portal NC State brings in Jordan Waters at running back and I mean good good time for Duke to Jordan Waters lose a head coach right you bring in a guy who's playing for a playing for a rival in a pretty damn good piece offensively to add in the fold in the back field I I assume he's going to be the lead back and and who are the other guys who are going to to play into the fold there in the running game for ncy State well you know um in my opinion last year NC State had probably for as long back as I've been covering NC State and I mean I started covering NC State in 2002 this was probably the the worst running back room I've seen them have last year yeah they were not very good at the running back position I can read you their numbers last year do you know their leading rusher last year was brenon Armstrong he rushed for 660 he rushed for 660 yards last year and then you had number two was Kevin concepion their slot receiver yep he rushed for 320 yards so so their leading rusher was Kendrick true freshman he rush for 309 yards and they still won nine games last season right like and so now you look at it and this is again where I speak to the upside we've been talking about with NC State is now you look at it you're saying okay you go out and get Jordan Waters who over the last two years in the ACC at Duke has scored 20 touchdowns and has rushed for 1500 total yards and Y like it completely changes the dynamic of their running game and so yeah I think he's going to be the number one guy for certain they've been raving about Jordan just as much as they have Grayson McCall um I think he's in line to have a big year he came to NC State hoping for like a feature back role right like as last couple years at Duke he's been splitting carries but he's wanting that kind of bcow role to where he can have a breakout year and I think NC State's going to give him that but they've got other guys in that room they like you know they went out and got Hollywood some others who was a four-star recruit out of high school uh was at Oklahoma this past year red shirted transferred back to State as a as a red shirt freshman uh Duke Scott a true freshman they bring in they they love they love him they're talking him up as well but it it starts with Jordan Waters um allc conference last year at Duke I mean you go out and add an all conference running back I mean that's pretty good right I mean that's pretty good addition out the portal it it's a really good way to improve um what I agree was I they made the most out of out of the Run game given what they knew they had by like mid October they were like all right listen this is going to be we're have to run the ball a lot with our quarterbacks like Casey is going to have to run the ball and punch out the slot there was a lot of Jet Sweep going on a lot of that that sort of thing and it and I I'm an advocate and we're going to talk about the receiving room now I mean I'm an advoc advocate for getting the ball in concepcion's hands as much as you can because he is electric with the ball I think we saw that last year he really really burst onto the scene and he's going to highlight this receiver room as as a sophomore he's going to highlight the room I know NC State address the receiver room in the portal cuz I know last year outside concepion they were searching for Playmakers so you know you you bring in a guy like Wesley Grimes you bring in Noah Rogers talk about the the players they're bringing in um I think the Noah Rogers Outlook is probably a little bit better in the receiving room just because you're you're bring in some guys who kind of been around the block a little bit outside of concepion or do you think it's do you think it's still like kind of some question marks outside of him well you know at inside pack Sports we cover recruiting and um like that's a big part our our website and the stuff we produce Noah Rogers is the best high school receiver I've seen come out of North Carolina and um a little bit about his background he was ranked 40th nationally in last year's Class A 2023 class y overall um was like I think seventh receiver in the country went to Ohio State you know the type of receivers Ohio State's bringing in right like they're not they're not bringing in I mean they have a pipeline of just guys that if we want you you project to be an NFL receiver number one player in the state of North Carolina in the same class as Kevin concepion made the decision to pick Ohio State over Inc State out of high school goes to Ohio State they've got Marvin Harrison a Mecca bua he red shirted that's just kind of the way they do things at Ohio State you come in you you red shirt and you play very very little is a true freshman but being able to add him back like I think the ceiling is extremely high for Noah Rogers I think he like I wouldn't be I would not be surprised if he's NC State's leading receiver this year now again not saying he will be their leading receiver because KC had a monster season last year but a lot of it was what in my opinion what you talked about opportunity right like NC State just didn't have the other options around him and you've seen it at various during various Seasons where guys pop up and have these great Seasons because of what else is around them right like you look at Virginia last year Virginia's two receivers they were funnel everything you know they didn't bought anybody else so I'm not saying Malik Washington isn't great but like he had the year he had because of opportunity and so I think at NC State this year with Noah Rogers Wesley Grimes there's just going to be the target share is not going to be the same I don't think for KC and so that's why I saw an interesting bet the other day that came out like there was odds out on who would lead the ACC in receiving this year I think I think ky's probably been the the consensus First Team all ACC pick based on what he did last year but I wouldn't be putting money on him even though I cover Inc State yeah and you know that's not a knock on him I still think he's gonna be great right it's just a deep it's a deeper room now yeah completely different completely different Dynamic they're spreading targets around like it's not going to be the same I don't think yeah that's a pretty good assessment because I think a lot of the national people look at and I mean prior to this conversation I had with you I look at NC State's offense I'm like oh they got conceptone he's going to you know put up a thousand yards will'll be fantastic not to say he still won't do that he still could do that right but Tight Ends the the target shair is going to be spread out I think this year in a way that that it wasn't last year especially with I think they're gonna have more of a commitment to to try to run the ball with Jordan Waters too and I think that'll change concepcion's Outlook a little bit too in the running game um tight ends veterans comfortable there it seems like more so than the receiving Corp I mean another addition they made you know again we've talked about it man they they crushed it in I mean Virginia Tech like I know you guys covered them I thought they did an outstanding job in the portal right like especially on the def side NC State like they they placed a heavy emphasis on the offense and the portal and one of the guys they added was uh Justin Jolie a transfer from Yukon who um I think last year he was second in the country in receptions among tight ends as a true sophomore um had 56 catches last year I believe the only guy he trailed was Brock Bowers led the country and Miss tackles Force at the yeah I mean like you know really good play led the country and missed tackles Force at the tight end position you know he played against NC State I mean he went and played at Tennessee had eight catches for 89 yards in that game he's an instant upgrade for them in the tight end room like they they've been raving about him as well he's another guy who is going to eat into that Target share in terms of how NC state uses him like I think he's going to be another piece they're gonna they're going to lean on I mean they just they went out and added a bunch of different guys because those rooms were were bare I mean it was basically last year run Brenan Armstrong or trying get the ball in Kevin concepcion's hands and I think they they wanted to address that in the portal and and they did that offensive line I know it's a little bit reworked there are some guys coming back but they had Z Carell from Notre Dame which if you're adding a Notre Dame offensive lineman into the room that's generally a pretty good thing they turn they turn a lot of those guys out um I would say probably more so tackles than guards but um they they do a pretty good job uh of of developing offensive lineman so bring in a Notre Dame offensive lineman you have to feel pretty good about that and I think the one question I have for you too and it Offensive Line ties into the offensive line I know Robert and I's offens is like dating even dating back to like his time at UVA the rushing numbers have kind of been up and down and and I know he's still relatively new to NC State but is there concern I mean I I guess coming off of last year not being able to run the ball of the running backs given his track record is there concern with him as an OC um with his I guess spotty track record with his teams being able to run the ball or do you think this was a matter of personnel should be upgraded this year with the offensive line should be a little bit better yeah I mean I I personally think it was Personnel you know I mean the year before he was at Syracuse and and sha Tucker had 1100 yards and 11 touchdowns rushing the football right Syracuse I mean right who they're not a great running team I mean I but sea Tucker's a really good was a really good back yeah I just think NC state's room NC state's room wasn't good their their top two running backs transferred out one ended up at Marshall the other ended up at UNLV and then their third guy that left ended up at Eastern Michigan I mean so right like I mean that's the type of room you had and and now you're getting waters you're getting Smothers who was a consensus fourstar recruit um I I think they feel like they've just upgraded the position there o line wise though you add in Zeke they did have a question mark at Center Dylan McMahon was a third round draft pick he graduated moved on right so now you add in Zeke Carell into that spot I think that was kind of the selling point for Zeke when he went to portal I mean States last two uh well two of their last three centers you had Garrett Bradberry who won the Remington and then you had uh you had Dylan McMahon and so I think Carell fit fits that in and then they returned their other four starters you know they returned their left tackle and Anthony Belton right tackle jakarius Peak Tim MC they've got four returning starters up front they feel good about ad in Carell I I think they think the O Line's going to be be a strength you know man when I look at NC State and we haven't talked about the defense yet but for me it's kind of odd I'm saying this because they've been so strong defensively I have more concerns with their defense than their offense this year like I think they're GNA score points yeah I I agree and looking at the defensive line now I mean it's huge that Davin van turned down the NFL I know he's got professional aspirations so he's back and that's great I know you're losing some guys in that room up front that have been have been serious contributors um Savon Jackson leaving is is tough right but you got right you got a room that has some unproven guys right Defensive Line so I mean just just give us an idea of what this room looks like concern level is this the one area of the team where there's most concern or should we look somewhere else on the defense I I personally would look at linebacker um you were I don't know if you went to the Virginia Tech game against NC State last year or you I know you probably watched it but yeah I mean like I think it felt like he had 10 tackles in the first quarter when the game was basically over at that point right and so you know he Ben Eric Award winner Best defensive player in college football you replace him and like that room has lost a lot we we'll talk about the linebackers but but on the dline you know I think Davin van you got him back they really like him obviously U Brandon Cleveland's a player they love at defensive at nose guard they they have a three-man front OD front yeah so at nose they've got Brandon Cleveland and um I think him returning led to CJ Clark their starter going to Miami I think state was turning that that position over to Cleveland this year and CJ made the decision to go into the portal he ends up in Miami I don't know if he's starting there or not but he has started for NC State last year as as a kind of an upper classman but Cleveland just he he's too good like he's just too good to not be the guy and so I think state was turning that position over to him and then that other side you're going to see a a mix of red hibler travali price Noah pot are all good players you know looking to replace Savon but where you going to miss from Savon I mean is is his physicality in the Run game I mean NC State's been one of the top Rush defenses in the country Y and it's because of a guy like him just setting the edge and being physical like he's not getting a lot of tackles or sacks or different things like that but just the way he played to the scheme I think's going to be tough to uh to replicate you lose Jackson and then of course Payton Wilson who just as a player just individually is is probably the single biggest loss in the entire ACC just because of what kind of player he was so you lose those two types of players and I can understand why there would be concern about the rush defense a little bit just because those are two difference makers there linebacking Corp it's impossible to replace pton Wilson right just singularly he's just he was so outstanding but um it's gonna be a collective effort so the linebacking Corp you mentioned it as a concern but who are some guys who you think can contribute to at least give you maybe 70% of what Wilson provided so I think you know pack fans would take that given everything that Wilson provided over his long career let's take a quick second to remind you about section 103.com it is the internet's Premier place for all things wonderful Georgia Tech apparel they've got t-shirts they've got sweatshirts they've got hoodies they've got a short sleeve coach hoodie if you want to look like coach key they've got onesies for babies they've got all things for any man woman children something for the whole family all the Georgia Tech fans in your life they need something from section 103.com use promo code goac for 10% off your first order uh you can go get t-shirts supporting nil efforts with guys like Hayes King and Zach pyron they've got shirts supporting the basketball team the baseball team the volleyball team all sorts of wonderful Tech traditions all sorts of things again any Georgia Tech fan in your life they need something from section 103.com once again you promo code goac for 10% off your first order uh I particularly love the Feliz Bobby DOD sweatshirts uh we got Christmas season coming up before you know it you're going to want one of those for your holiday party go get it all at section 103.com huge shout out to Stephen and the Gang thank you so much to them for their support of the basketball conference podcast we would love it if you guys would go show your support for Section 103.com as well uh now back to the episode yeah you know one of the moves they made in the off season they moov Shawn Brown from safety to uh to that wheel linebacker spot um and and that's a guy who they're they have high hopes for this year uh different body type than pton uh but same physicality same style of play but but for me with Shawn it's just going to be one of those deals where you know I'm gonna wait and see right because positioning from like he played I know in the Clemson game Payton got dinged up and was knocked out I believe the second half of that game and so they slid Shawn down to um to that position in that game against Clemson and he played really well he played really well in that game and I think they gave State some hope moving forward that they could put him there but playing will linebacker in a three- three odd man Front Scheme one game or one half is a lot different than doing it over the course of 12 games right but I mean again he had 11 tackles in that game against Clemson so they think there's a lot of Hope there that brown can be a star I just want to be able to see it week to week to week before I say that's going to happen right like I mean so until that happens it's a concern but I think they feel like he can play there they bring back de Devon Betty who started the middle for him last year Kaden forum's another guys they've got some experience I just think when you look at State's defense over the last three years Drake Thomas was two time all ACCC had Isaiah Moore was all conference you had p i mean you had three linebackers who were all multi-year allconference players now they're all G and so you just expect there to be some drop off right unless Tony Gibson's just sprinkling fairy dust on guys in that room and maybe he is I don't know you know he could be uh we'll find this is going to be the test if you sit here and we're sitting here in December and Shawn Browns all ACC were like damn it Tony okay you're the guy you did it again yeah did you did it again you got us again yeah here's here's your yeah here's here's your pay rise right right here's your pay rise uh Secondary secondary uh they bring in transfers and safety I know jod cars coming in from Syracuse very productive player over the course of his career Aiden white best year of his career last year 13 ACC he's back so that's great you lose shahe battle you mentioned the move of Shawn Brown to linebacker I think the Outlook in the secondary is pretty good just because I know there's experience there yeah I mean Jihad Carter you mentioned at nickel they love him he was at Syracuse went to Ohio State he's he's at NC State now um they added in uh KJ Martin a transfer from akan was all conference at akaran Devon Marshall was all conference at Villanova so he went out and got three transfer portal editions DK golfman from Auburn was another guy they brought in so they really wanted to add experience in the in those rooms just because I I think again like we talked about at the quarterback position why why rebuild right like like with this transfer portal Arrow you you like it's almost become a deal where if I'm a freshman going to college I better show what I can do because I I don't feel like there's a need for a college to just hand anything to a freshman or or a young guy anymore right right you know we can just go out and get somebody in the portal and so so state did that I mean aen White's the the big name for them I mean he hasn't allowed a touchdown in two years at corner which is I think unbelievable um stat you know he's just he's he's been he was first team All Conference uh two years ago was third team this past year he's just been really good and um he went in the portal I think state was worried they were going to lose him he was in there for about a week and and just came back out and and and was able to stay in Raleigh but yeah I mean they love their secondary man I there's no questions at all they I think that's probably up there in my opinion if you're ranking the rooms at NC State is probably top three or four overall yeah you know um just I think they feel like that's going to be a strength for them defensively Braden so I I usually it kind of depends on the team talking about special teams I I feel like when you lose when you lose a groa award-winning kicker you kind of have to talk about special teams a little bit I mean are the is NC State feeling pretty Kicking good about the addition of Braden narvon out of the portal um bringing him from Western Kentucky do they feel pretty good about that I mean how's the K how's the outlook on the kicking game looking because when you lose a gr Award winner you got to talk about it well I mean I think you never know on kicking right I mean it's one of those deals I mean NC State fans they'll never forget well I think it was 2017 you know shaking your head the Clon kick where you had the game one and you miss a 33 y it's like I can't watch an NFL game now where they you know they move the extra point back to 33 yards in the NFL it's like every time they say 33 yard extra point I'm like yeah every time that that game comes up but you're right I mean I think you don't know about kicking until you get out there yeah and you see it and there's been year years I'm sure you've noticed probably following your your teams where you don't know at that position until you see it and so I think that's kind of where State's at with kicking I mean I think the hope is every year we're kicking a lot of extra points right like let's not have to kick field goals yeah and you know I'm actually of the opinion I know with NC State and maybe it's because I think um Doran I don't want to say he's conservative to a fault but they've been really good defensively like I'm of the opinion sometimes I'd almost prefer to not have a good kicker because then you just go for it more right like you know you're not kicking as many field goals I just like I'm SE I've seen a lot of fourth and three 41 yard field goal kicks like yeah so yeah so we'll see maybe maybe it plays out that way for NC State this year maybe Robin Peter to pay paaw a little bit of you know you know Doran ends up being a little bit more aggressive in moments where you're sitting there like oh my God please it's it's fourth in a yard they're back you're kicking off 39 yard field goal with your defense and there's multiple ways you can look at it you get it right like I always look at it and say well damn if my defense is so good they can get us out of a hole I don't have to worry about protecting them right well yeah and of course it's situational too right I mean you can lean on your defense right if it it's Fourth and goal from the three and your option is to go for it and you know you have the opportunity to score a touchdown or you pin them worst case scenario with your excellent defense and they're at the three yard line you force the three and out you get the ball back and plus territory again there's only so many and again depends on situation if it's end of half or something like that maybe take the points but I mean you have the opportunity there to to pin a team back you do it I don't know I just I I'm all for aggression as well and and that's why I say you don't win a Gro award if your kicker not if your kicker kicking extra points right that's right that's right so maybe less maybe less grza awardwinning and more you know KY conio in all accs and stuff like that go Fair um let's take a look at the schedule so NC State goes nine and four last year they were six- two in the ACC Schedule very you know they finished third in the conference very good team uh return a lot add Grayson McCall we we just talked about the concerns maybe maybe up front on defense and a little bit in the linebacking core I think that's all fair I I look at this schedule and I understand why people are high on NC State for a couple of different reasons number one the team itself which we just went through at length number two I think this schedule is pretty favorable but the one thing I want to mention that I think is a little bit of a quirk that I have not seen with the other previews I've done so far so far this summer is NC State does not have a bu week until October 26th and that is the first time I've seen that most teams I've previewed so far in the ACC have had both a September by and either a late October or early November by the fact that NC State needs to play three six eight games consecutively they're the only team in the conference I've seen that has to do that and I I have a few more teams to preview and I'll look at their schedules more in detail they may be the only team in the ACC that has eight straight games uh before getting two Buys in the final six weeks so I I just want to hone in on that scheduling Quirk itself for a minute and you know I there are a lot of winnable games in there which is great but the inevitable um the inevitable grind of the season I feel like having eight straight games that really really makes it tough even with the team as Talent NC state has on paper oh I agree I I think the in my opinion probably the counter to that for ncy state would be their two biggest games during the first month of the Season agree right when you look at you look at Tennessee week two Clemson week four to where if those games were week six and eight right for instance or seven and eight where you're late in that stretch right you feel a little worse about it right and so I think because I think once you get past Clemson you can make a legitimate argument that they're favored in every game remaining on their schedule as of today as of today and and that's where the optimism for NC State comes from but you're right I mean it's going to be a grueling season and that's why I think you're going to see NC State try and do a lot what they did last year where if you look at that final stretch of the year last year for NC State Miami Wake Forest Virginia Tech North Carolina I mean man they probably led 95% of those games from start to finish Y and they just got out front on teams ran the ran the clock out shortened the game didn't try to do a ton offensively and I think maybe they look at that as a way to try and stay healthy to get to those buys because yeah it's going to be I think after you get CL Clemson and there's this stat going around like what happens after you you know the week after Clemson because of how physical they are but then St you probably seen it right but forc States you got to follow that up with you know they do get NIU or Northern Illinois the week after but then you got to follow it up with four straight games before a buy or five straight games so yeah y yeah it's not going to be it's not going to be easy but I do think they like okay well Tennessee and Clemson we got them the first month of the Season theoretically you should be your healthiest around in right and you want to be healthy in those games I think that a that's a fair way to look at it and that that's the way you know I think that's the flip side of oh It's a Grind to go through eight in a row to start the year the flip side of it is two of your four two two of your toughest opponents on the entire schedule are in the first four games and so I I look at this and I think the point you made about shortening the game running out the clock I think is a good one because I think the Western Carolina game in the opener get ahead sit everybody don't show Too Much don't show too much for Tennessee sit everybody Tennessee's got a lot of hype Nico I'm not even going to try to pronounce his last name there you go stud stud quarterback right that they have a lot of hype around them that game is going to be really exciting um there in week two but I I think NC State's got to get Projections a lot of a lot of games here where they get a lead I mean you look at Louisiana Tech you look at Northern Illinois Wake Forest I think is going to be pretty bad um Syracuse and Cal I think are going to be we'll see um but NC State's going be favored in all these games not named Tennessee or Clemson and they if they're not favored in either of those games they're probably going to be a relatively short Underdog I would assume so I mean this is a this is a situation here in the first eight weeks where I think if you're NC State and we're talking like projecting the ceiling of this team right and I think ceiling would obviously be okay make an ACCC title game ideally with one loss look good in who against whoever you're playing in the ACC title if you're going to lose right look good against whoever you're playing in the ACC title game or just flat out win the game you're in the playoff but if if you go through the season 10 and two um and and one of those losses is the ACC title game we'll see how it all shakes out but I feel like a a situation where um you're I I guess that would be 11 and two you'd have 11 wins uh you'd be 11 and one going into the ACC title game you would lose that game and 11 win NC State I feel like should be in the college football playoff in that scenario right and that would require splitting Tennessee and Clemson and winning everything else and getting to the title game with with one loss I think that would be the ideal scenario how realistic it is well they're going to be favored in a lot of these games James but my thought on it is there is inevitable there could be an inevitable slip up because you're playing eight games in a row right outside of Tennessee and Clemson you get into a body blow game against a team like Syracuse that's going to run the ball a ton you get into a body blow game you got to go cross country on the road a cal and face a good a good Justin Willcox defense with an offense that should be should be improved not not as good as NC State but should be obviously uh a little bit improved I is there a game in there that NC State could drop in the first eight but then towards the end of the year you know you got Stanford at home they have to travel across the country you have Duke um I I know I know Duke's won three of the last four so we don't want to overlook Duke yeah um but year one Manny Diaz end of the year Georgia Tech on the road on a Thursday night Georgia Tech I think will be pretty decent but they got a grueling schedule by that point in November how healthy are they at UNC I feel like there's a I feel like there's a third loss I'm going to go nine and three I think depending on how it shakes out that could be because depending on who the losses are that could be good enough to get into the NC uh to get into the ACC title game uh n and three maybe two conference losses I think you can probably get into the conference title game with two two losses we'll see about Miami and and Florida State and Clemson they all have questions um I'm going to go nine and three I think it's a really good year for NC State I think they have a chance to get in the ACC title game Make Some Noise well I think their schedule to me is favorable in a couple of different ways for one um I was looking at the preseason poll they were picked fourth in the preseason poll had eight first place yep of the top and I think for me I don't know how you did your preseason poll but for me once you got to seven I thought there was a cut off right like once you got May SMU you start getting into North Carolina Georgia Tech those teams a little more question marks for me right y NC State's the only one of those teams that plays only one of the top seven and they only get Clemson yep so they don't play Florida State Miami Louisville Virginia Tech or SMU they don't play any of those guys yep um only get Clemson and it's it's with their first ACC game of the year I believe and so yep um if they win that game Driver SE like the position they're in right I mean the position they're in is because these other teams are going to be you know I think kind of knocking each other off I agree and it gives them room it gives them room kind of to what you're saying to have have a kind of a a WTF loss or however you want to label it right just kind of an out of nowhere loss right it gives you room for that and you're still seven and one like I think the path for NC State I feel like Virginia Tech's kind of similar too I think the path for those two teams this year is similar to what we saw last year with Louisville where it was just kind of like their Louisville schedule wasn't great yeah but they won the one or two games that were questionable early on and then they got to the end of the year it didn't even matter they lost to Miami they still were going to the title game right right I mean and I think that's where you're at with NC State and the other thing I want to say about their schedule with the two games being front loaded you're talking about getting into the top 12 where they're ranked right now right having those games early like it allows you to overcome some things from a ranking standpoint agree totally agree like because you know it's different if you're having those games late in the year and you you stumble and lose whereas you see a team like an NC State maybe really gain momentum down the stretch because they are stacking wins and so I think that gives them maybe a little more upside to slide into the top 12 at the end of the year because of how their schedule sets up um I what what's going to be f to be with the League this year man is I feel like there's going to be some ties somewhere to will a team not make will a team not make the title game and finish ranked higher because of it right like like if you have three teams seven and one well one of those teams isn't going but they're also not adding a loss yeah and so how do you handle that and it's a question that we've had well it's the question we've had with um when it was a four team playoff it's a question everybody had uh it really it came up a lot with Notre Dame it was like okay how do you you penalize teams that are playing an extra game um and okay you lost in a conference title game but you were there you were there so right you were there in a way that another team wasn't so now you're going to penalize a team for for making a conference title game and losing it's it's kind of other team saying and the other team's saying it's a random tiebreaker that we're not there right like so right right how do you handle that and then that team's also talking about well it's also um look how that team just lost right so if they go in they blown out it's like okay well if we were there and we lost on a random tiebreaker if we were there uh maybe we don't lose by 17 maybe we lose by 10 it's a lot more competitive game so that that's those are kind of the that that's the nature of the narratives of the argument I think the thing that that you mentioned the driver seat thing if they beat Clemson they're gonna be favored in every ACC game the rest of the way right I mean they're gonna be favored in the rest of games um at least as we sit here recording in mid August I I don't see any reason why they why they wouldn't be and that's really good spot to be in because I mean you mentioned Virginia Tech who's in a similar situation the difference with Virginia Tech is they play Miami and Clemson right so now you guys split against two teams in conference whereas if NC States splits against their two toughest teams one of them's out of conference so that's a better spot to be in I'd rather have an out a tough out of conference opponent and tex got one in and we'll see Rucker's quarterback situation but Rucker up front is going to be a little bit dicey I I like NC I I like NC State a lot I think think um I I think I'm just going to say nine and three I'm going to build in a second ACC loss um and say they but I mean that would require me saying they they probably drop both against Tennessee and Clemson which I mean they very well could but they also may not Tennesse tenness got questions you could split them and then you're in the one loss situation either with the conference loss or without one so I could very easily see 10 and two I could see I could see NC State I could see NC State Virginia Tech and Florida State for instance all all being seven and one yeah and if that and if that happens if that happens one of those teams one of those teams isn't going to the title game I know are they not are they not deserving of the top 12 because of some random tiebreaker based on it it's it's something that I think is going to be interesting because of the way they've shaken up the league scheduling now yeah because I don't I think there I don't think I don't think anybody's going undefeated in the league I don't think the team's strong enough I don't think so either you know and I mean like you mentioning NC State for instance I mean Clemson's what 14 Tennessee's 15 State's 22 in the PO so they're all kind of right there I mean it's not like they can't split those games now I think ideally if you're State it's Clemson you're splitting you're winning um but even if it's Tennessee if you got a Tennessee game win under your belt you lose to Clemson and say you went out that's a pretty good non-conference win to have when you're debating where you are in the top 12 well I I I agree and I um the the story will be out I I wrote something for Sports Illustrated that hasn't been published yet it'll be published by the time people listen his podcast it was takeaways from the top 25 and one of them was that I think the ACC has a chance to be potentially the second deepest league in college football this year I mean you talk about the the four teams that are ranked but then you know Virginia Tech's not ranked and they're looming smu's looming there are some teams that are Louisville is looming there are some teams that are sitting right outside the top 25 that I I mean to the point where at the end of September the ACC could end up having six or seven teams ranked so this is going to be a very very deep League this year and I think um I think folks see the the contenders in the ACC and I think it's fair see the the contenders in the ACC as a half step or a full step behind like Ohio State or um you know Oregon or I mean name name that team Georgia at the top of the pole which is fine but I think as far as depth in the ACC is concerned and the ability to get multiple teams in I I think the ACC does have a very good chance of being a multi-b bid league in the first year of the college football playoff the 12 team I agree I I don't know why the Big 10 would be ranked higher than the ACC but that could be a discussion for others um I'm not a big 10 fan in terms of their league but um I I do think obviously we know what the SEC has but when you look at the big 10 go look at Ohio State schedule tell me how tough it looks right I don't know if you looked at go look at it and see you know now they now they go undefeated they'll probably get a pass and get in but it's one gameon yeah so but man yeah I think I think the league is is wide open you know I know NC State's excited about what they have but a lot of teams should be you know like I'm a big Virginia Tech fan we did our preview of them in terms of um the upcoming season like that was one of our Darkhorse teams for me just kind of similar to NC State schedule I mean it's it really comes down a lot of times to who you play and who you don't folks don't want to hear that but but it does I and and the thing too is like the the just the the depth of the roster I think is improving for pry it's not there yet but he's done a really I mean you mentioned in passing the portal earlier he's just done a really good job in the portal and Virginia Tech's biggest issue last year I think was defensively in the trenches um interior defensive line um in inside linebacker was very bad um they they really struggled at Mike linebacker they address those in the portal and I I think given the the schedule how the team performed against teams it should beat right last year and I get that there were teams that they shouldn't beat and they they lost those games NC State Louisville Florida State um basically after the month of September they lost those games but you also just take a look at the schedule and there's just not a lot of those types of teams so I think pgia Tech has a chance to make noise as well um James really appreciate it man uh lot of fun appreciate you coming on we'll definitely have you on again want to give you an opportunity to plug everything you got going over at inside pack Sports yeah um I started inside pack Sports in uh 2017 so we've been going now for for eight years uh cover da daily we cover NC State athletics all sports uh recruiting we do a lot on the uh the video side the audio side as well we've got several podcast platforms that you can check out um but yeah check us out insid pacsports outcom I am on Twitter at insid pack sport so appreciate it yeah but we'll definitely have you on again appreciate it chams yeah definitely Mike thanks all right so we'll be back that's the NC State preview with James Henderson go check out inside pack Sports uh really enjoyed the conversation with him uh we'll be back check us out on on social media at BC podcast ACCC youtube.com theacc foot podcast go subscribe subscribe subscribe trying to get the video uh the video element of this podcast rolling here again this year uh we'll be back soon more ACC previews full conference wide preview to come obviously next week ahead of week zero until next time go ACC