The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1137844
68 ■ THE WOLFPACKER FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2019 BY MATT CARTER D efensive coordinator and line- backers coach Dave Huxtable has been the only person at his position under head coach Dave Doeren, who is entering his sev- enth season in Raleigh. Huxtable helped build a star-studded de- fense in 2017, but nine of those players were seniors. That left him with an inexperienced unit last fall, but the Pack statistically held up in 2018 despite the heavy turnover. There was not an appreciable difference in total defense (384.2 yards allowed per game in 2017 compared to 392.6 in 2018), rushing defense (131.0 to 131.5 yards sur- rendered a contest) or scoring defense (25.2 to 24.9 points per outing). In some areas, NC State was better. It had more sacks — 35 to 30 — and was much more stingy on third downs, holding opponents to a 33.3 percent conversion rate compared to 41.9 percent in 2017. However, the weakness remained the same: pass defense. NC State gave up 261.1 yards per game passing last year, 108th out of 130 teams in the Football Bowl Subdivi- sion level. In 2017, NCSU was 104th, allow- ing 253.2 yards per contest. Interceptions were also down from 14 in 2017 to 10 last year. Expectations are higher for the defense this fall. It loses first-team All-ACC line- backer Germaine Pratt, but returns seven starters. Here are highlights from an inter- DEFENSIVE UPDATE Coordinator Dave Huxtable Discusses His Unit And Its Goals DEFENSE Q&A