The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1472609
JULY/AUGUST 2022 ■ 43 from the game literally hours before the opening kick. What made the year even more im- pressive was the adversity the defense had to overcome. Seven players who started at least one game on defense would miss time dur- ing the season, and yet the unit held strong. "There was a lot of one guy backing up two guys as the season went on," Doeren recalled. "We spent a lot of time cross-training players." That ability to overcome those ob- stacles and still deliver historic achieve- ments and fond moments make the football team The Wolfpacker's Male Team of the Year for the 2021-22 athlet- ics calendar year. There were other notable and wor- thy team performances. Men's swim- ming stood out for winning an ACC title and then finishing fourth at the NCAA Championships. Wrestling continued to maintain a stranglehold on the conference, win- ning a fourth consecutive ACC crown after going undefeated in conference duals during the league's regular season. The wrestlers would then add a 10th- place finish at nationals. While both of those programs con- tinue to be sources of pride in Wolf- pack athletics, the football team took the prize for invigorating the NC State fan base. The season began with an emphatic 45-0 win over South Florida on a Thursday night showcase game to kick off the ACC season. With the ACC Net- work on site, the Pack served notice of its potential. A hiccup at Mississippi State in Week 2 was answered by four straight wins. That included the thrilling home win over Clemson as well as a prime time demolition of Boston College on the road, 33-7. NC State was 2-7 all-time at BC prior to that performance. After losing a one-point heartbreaker at Miami, NC State won four of five to close the season, three of them by at least 14 points. That was capped by a victory over UNC that came on the day after Thanksgiving. The UNC win ensured that for the second time in program history, the Wolfpack had something to follow on the final day of the ACC regular sea- son. Although Wake Forest would roll to a win at Boston College, being able to watch knowing that NC State would head to the ACC Championship Game had BC prevailed provided an experience fairly foreign for Pack fans — games of consequence on the last weekend of November. Even in defeat, NC State made clearly evident its place among the best teams in the ACC. The two league losses on the road to Miami and Wake Forest were by a combined four points, and each came down to the final minutes. "It was a fun team to coach," Doeren acknowledged. "A very close group of guys and coaches that were able to kind of use our chemistry in fourth quarters to stick together and overcome some odds that maybe other people may not have been able to overcome. "It's a group of guys that really enjoyed each other's company and enjoyed work- ing together. There wasn't a lot of drama. We just went to practice, went to meet- ings, joked, laughed and worked really hard together. It was rewarding." ■ Linebacker Drake Thomas (32) had 3 tackles and an interception in NC State's 27-21 double- overtime victory over Clemson in September. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN