The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1497827
NC State didn't name a starting quarterback coming out of spring practice and likely won't until the team is much closer to its season-opening showdown with Connecticut. For now, graduate transfer Brennan Armstrong and sophomore MJ Morris are locked in a tightly contested position battle for the top spot on the depth chart. Morris showed promising flashes as a true freshman before an injury caused him to miss the final three games of the 2022 season. Ben Finley, who started the last two games of the season, also competed for the starting job this spring before en- tering the transfer portal in mid-April. Three NC State quarterbacks went into spring practice with aspirations to take the field against the Huskies in September, and two have emerged. In addition, January enrollee Lex Thomas spent the spring soaking in his first collegiate practice experi- ence. Here's a look at the players who joined Armstrong in the quarterbacks room this spring: MJ Morris: After signing with NC State as a three-star prospect from Carrollton, Ga., Morris found himself under center in the middle of a Thursday night matchup against Virginia Tech last October. It was his third appearance of the season but the first in which he attempted more than 4 passes. Morris stepped up, tossed 3 second-half touchdowns and engineered a 22-21 comeback victory over the Hokies. An impressive 30-21 win over No. 20 Wake Forest followed the next week and then came a crushing loss to Boston College on Senior Night — the last game Mor - ris played in 2022 due to an injury. Now, he is back with the Pack and ready to take another step forward. Morris completed 10 of 12 passes during the spring game despite the rain, had a long scramble play and was the only quarterback to throw for a touchdown. In a late-February press conference, Morris said he feels great after recovering from his knee injury. NC State's coaches were transparent about their desire to bring in a transfer quarterback. Morris welcomed Armstrong to the team and has embraced the competition. "I know my skill set," Morris said. "I'm confident in my skill set.The only thing I can do is just stay focused and go out there and win a starting job." With offensive coordinator Robert Anae continuing to establish his new air raid system in Raleigh, Morris said he is focused on studying film and learning the scheme. "The main thing is the mental part of the game, just being a smarter quarter - back," he said. "Since I'm still 19 years old, I've definitely got to be a step ahead of everybody else." On the field, the quarterback said he is working on quickening his release and improving his mobility, which showed up in the spring game when he recorded a 30-yard rush. Ben Finley: Finley was the hero of NC State's 30-27 double overtime win over North Carolina last season. A scout team quarterback when the season began, he completed 27 of 40 passes for 271 yards and 2 touchdowns against the 18th-ranked Tar Heels. NC State split its spring game roster into Red and White teams. Finley played with the latter, which included mostly underclassmen and walk-ons, completing 2 of 8 passes for 12 yards and an interception. Three days later, the redshirt sophomore opted to enter the portal as a graduate transfer. Lex Thomas: A 5-foot-11, 190-pounder from Wake Forest, N.C., Thomas is the younger brother of two former Wolfpack stars, linebacker Drake Thomas and re - ceiver Thayer Thomas. The younger Thomas missed most of his senior season at Heritage High with an injury that also kept him out of the spring game. As a recruit, Thomas was the No. 49 quarterback in the country, per the On3 Industry Ranking. — Ethan McDowell Healthy Again, MJ Morris Competes For The Starting Job Vying with transfer Brennan Armstrong for the starting nod, sophomore quarterback MJ Morris was back in practice after suffering a knee injury that ended his freshman season prematurely. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN MAY/JUNE 2023 ■ 37