NC State did everything it could against Richmond to wipe away the heavy stench of losing to Virginia in Week 0. In doing so, State scored 73 points and pitched a shutout. They also rushed for 428 yards as a team while posting 734 total yards of offense.
Coming Together
“All the things we wanted to do, we did in that football game,” Head Coach Dave Doeren said on Monday. Everything finally came together.
“I love the way that we started the game with a completion, with an explosive run, very effective on third down on both sides of the football,” Doeren said. “We had eight three-and-outs on defense and two takeaways, played much tighter coverage, contested coverage, rushed landing integrity, our leverage on the football, our rushing defense.” It was a record-setting effort and a necessary step in this team’s evolution.
A Great Test
Now NC State sets its focus on a Vanderbilt team that has won 9 straight at home. “You’re playing a 10-win team in their stadium, and arguably the best team in program history there last year, so you’re getting them at their peak.”
Commodores Head Coach Clark Lea is coming off his best season in Nashville since he arrived in 2021. Doeren said it best: “It’s a great test, and we look forward to the opportunity to compete against them.”
Making It Official
Vanderbilt saw the departure of its Heisman runner-up Diego Pavia (QB) at the end of last season. Pavia was a big reason why the Commodores were so successful…