The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1513610
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 ■ 31 2. Senior linebacker Jaylon Scott's 100-yard two-point conversion in- terception return. NC State wanted to pitch a shutout at Wake Forest, but the Demon Deacons scored with 7:15 re- maining. When Wake Forest tried to go for two, Scott had other plans. The NC State linebacker read the play the entire way, jumped the pass in the end zone and took off down the right side of the field. With an escort of Wolfpack players, Scott made it all the way to the other end zone for a two-point score to extend NC State's lead to 26-6. 3. Wilson's chase-down tackle against Notre Dame. NC State trailed Notre Dame 10-7 in the second quarter of the Week 2 matchup when Wilson made a touchdown-saving tackle after Irish wideout Chris Tyree had broken free. Tyree picked up 65 yards, but Wilson was able to keep six points off the board. During the play, Wilson's footspeed was clocked at 23.6 mph, the fastest GPS measurement of any player during Dave Doeren's 11-year tenure as head coach. Offensive Breakout Player After senior running back Jordan Houston decided to redshirt following the VMI game, freshman Kendrick Ra- phael had big shoes to fill as the Pack's lead back. Raphael rose to the occasion down the stretch when his number was called. He had the most rushing yards of any run- ning back on the roster — third-most on the team — with 289 yards and a touch- down on 60 carries. Raphael's lone score came on a 31-yard scamper against Mi- ami on which he bounced off a defender to coast into the end zone. Defensive Breakout Player Redshirt sophomore safety Sean Brown was set to be a reserve in the sec- ondary for the Pack this season, but mul- tiple injuries forced him into action on a routine basis. Seeing significant snaps on the back end of the Wolfpack's defense, he continued to make plays. Brown had a pass breakup that led to an interception by junior safety Bishop Fitzgerald at Virginia, and he also was stout in run defense. Brown finished the regular season as the team's third- leading tackler with 59 stops, including 2 sacks. He totaled 3 pass breakups and a pair of interceptions. Best Interview This might have been the best quote in college football this season, let alone at NC State. Coach Dave Doeren was ani- mated after the Pack beat Clemson, 24- 17, and he had a response for former NFL wide receiver Steve Smith Sr., who had slighted NC State earlier in the day on "ESPN College GameDay": "Tell Steve Smith in the studio, this ain't a basketball school. He can kiss my ass." ■ Coach Dave Doeren guided NC State to nine regular-season wins for the third time in his 11 years with the program. The Pack also won nine regular-season games in 2018 and '21. PHOTO BY LARRY BLANKENSHIP 2023 Football Schedule Date Opponent Result Aug. 31 at Connecticut W, 24-14 Sept. 9 NOTRE DAME L, 45-24 Sept. 16 VMI W, 45-7 Sept. 22 at Virginia W, 24-21 Sept. 29 LOUISVILLE L, 13-10 Oct. 7 MARSHALL W, 48-41 Oct. 14 at Duke L, 24-3 Oct. 28 CLEMSON W, 24-17 Nov. 4 MIAMI W, 20-6 Nov. 11 at Wake Forest W, 26-6 Nov. 18 at Virginia Tech W, 35-28 Nov. 25 NORTH CAROLINA W, 39-20 Dec. 28 Kansas State* 5:45 p.m./ESPN * Pop-Tarts Bowl at Orlando, Fla.