The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1530878
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2025 ■ 23 For the fourth season in a row, the Pack defeated the Tar Heels. Close losses, letdowns on a national stage and critical injuries held the team back from the leap it expected to make in 2024. However, the emergence of Bailey and many other underclassmen helped NC State generate some positive vibes going into a postseason matchup against East Carolina in the Go Bowling Military Bowl in Annapolis, Md., on Dec. 28. "These guys are young sophomores, juniors, freshmen. Just them having the ability to mature throughout the sea- son and make the plays that needed to be made, it just makes me very happy," graduate defensive lineman Davin Vann said after a midseason win over Califor- nia. "I'm very hopeful for the future of this program." Offensive MVP Hollywood Smothers injected enough electricity into the 2024 offense to help the unit show promise down the stretch. The redshirt freshman Oklahoma trans- fer finished the fall with 432 rushing yards, averaging 5.8 yards per carry. He also had 221 receiving yards on 17 recep- tions. Smothers scored a total of 7 touch- downs, producing the go-ahead points in narrow wins over Cal and UNC. The breakout running back lined up in the backfield and in the slot at times. He was a versatile playmaker who, after missing a couple of games due to injury, returned and recorded at least 100 yards in four of the Pack's final six games. "He's explosive, but he also has tre- mendous vision," NC State running backs coach Todd Goebbel said this fall. "Hollywood has the natural instinct to find open holes if it's not blocked per- fectly." Smothers scored a pair of touchdowns in the regular-season finale against UNC. Bailey and junior tight end Jus- tin Joly both have compelling cases for this accolade, but the Wolfpack's of- fense played at a new level with a healthy Smothers in the backfield. Defensive MVP This is perhaps the easiest award to give out. Vann takes home the accolade after tying for the national lead with 6 forced fumbles prior to the start of bowl season. All season long, the third-team All-ACC selection was an agent of chaos along NC State's defensive front, posting a career-high 6.5 sacks. "Some of these sacks have taken place at the end of games and in the fourth quarter, when some D-linemen may be too tired, and he's not tired at all," head coach Dave Doeren said earlier this fall. "His stamina is impressive." He was the clear defensive standout for the Pack and led the team with 14 tackles for loss during the regular season — the sixth-most in the ACC. Vann was also the emotional leader of NC State's locker room, donning the coveted No. 1 jersey for two seasons. It's not always easy to put up eye- popping stats in the Pack's three-man front. Vann faced constant double teams but made his disruption look routine, recording 25 quarterback pressures and 15 hurries. Special Teams MVP Senior safety DK Kaufman took over kick-return duties midway through the season and quickly became one of the ACC's top specialists. He led the confer- ence with an average of 33.5 yards per return. The veteran defensive back el- evated the special teams while also play- ing a key role on defense as starting free safety. His longest return of the year was a 91-yard sprint against Stanford. Game Of The Year NC State's win over UNC was an abso- lute thriller consisting of two halves that could not have been more different. The first 30 minutes of play were a defensive battle. The two teams combined for 13 points going into halftime, and the Wolf- pack managed just 89 offensive yards, throwing for 19. Both squads lit up the scoreboard after that. NC State did not punt in the second half, scoring on each of its final six pos- sessions. For most of the game, the Tar Heels went blow-for-blow in a heated rivalry game that included multiple scuf- fles and 149 penalty yards. North Carolina pulled ahead by 7 af- ter a 50-yard touchdown pass late in the third quarter. That tied the largest lead of the game by either team. NC State an- swered with a touchdown pass to red- shirt junior tight end Dante Daniels, the first score of his Pack career, to tie the contest at 20-20. The Tar Heels pulled ahead for the fi- nal time when running back Omarion Hampton took a shovel pass 47 yards to the end zone. Trailing 30-29, NC State needed an answer. The Pack, led by Bailey, traveled 75 yards in 6 plays. Facing first-and-20 from his own 39, the freshman quarter- back threaded a 44-yard needle to Rogers, who made an over-the-shoulder grab to put the team in scoring position. Smoth- ers scored his second touchdown of the evening on a 2-yard rush three plays later. NC State won its sixth game of the year and clinched bowl eligibility, but that 2024 Football Schedule Date Opponent Result/TV Aug. 29 WESTERN CAROLINA W, 38-21 Sept. 7 Tennessee* L, 51-10 Sept. 14 LOUISIANA TECH W, 30-20 Sept. 21 at Clemson L, 59-35 Sept. 28 NORTHERN ILLINOIS W, 24-17 Oct. 5 WAKE FOREST L, 34-30 Oct. 12 SYRACUSE L, 24-17 Oct. 19 at California W, 24-23 Nov. 2 STANFORD W, 59-28 Nov. 9 DUKE L, 29-19 Nov. 21 at Georgia Tech L, 30-29 Nov. 30 NORTH CAROLINA W, 35-30 Dec. 28 East Carolina** 5:45 p.m./ESPN * at Charlotte, N.C. ** Go Bowling Military Bowl at Annapolis, Md. Defensive lineman Davin Vann has been a leader for the Wolfpack on and off the field. Heading into the Military Bowl, he was leading the team with 14 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE FOOTBALL