NC State Hopes For A Boost With Duke Scott's Return
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NC State’s Interim Head Coach Todd Goebbel earned his first win last week against Cal in blowout fashion (31-10).
It was a great moment for his team, which has been through a lot this season, including the abrupt firing of its former head coach Dave Doeren, DC DJ Eliot, and GM Andy Vaughn after the disappointing Stanford loss.
In the post-game press conference, Goebbel spoke directly to Doeren. “This is for you, Coach Doeren. I hope you’re smiling somewhere,” Goebbel said. “I truly appreciate you and your family, what you did for me and my family, this coaching staff, and the rest of the players. Truly, thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
As heartfelt as the moment was, the focus now turns to this weekend’s matchup against a 6-2 Duke team that is catching steam at the right time.
The Blue Devils Are Red Hot
The Blue Devils won their last two games against Virginia and Boston College by a combined score of 63-18. Duke’s defensive-minded head coach, Manny Diaz, returns to Raleigh having never lost to the Wolfpack. He’s 4-0 against NC State.
Diaz has former ties to NC State, having grown under State legend Chuck Amato during 2000-2005. Over his long career, Diaz has had some of the top defenses in FBS.
Diaz is a good coach who won back-to-back 9-win seasons in his first two years at Duke. More impressively, Diaz’s Blue Devils won the ACC Championship last season.
He’s someone NC State should reach out to in its ongoing coaching search, even if his initials don’t spell out to name Philip Rivers.
“You’re talking about the defending ACC champs,” Goebbel said on Monday. “They’re disciplined and effective in their schemes in all three phases. They’re physical, they’re fundamentally sound, and when you’re plus four in the turnover margin, it says a lot about your program.”
CJ Bailey (QB) and his State offense will have their work cut out for them this week. Duke’s defense limits opponents to an average of 14.2 points per game, which is 9th best in FBS.
“Defensively, they’re disruptive up front,” Goebbel said. “Their linebackers play really well in space and attack the football. Their secondary is extremely disciplined and does a really good job matching coverages with routes.”
Duke Scott Returns
The return of Duke Scott (RB), who was listed on State’s depth chart this week after sitting out the last three games, will provide a boost to the offense. Scott is a rushing threat that defenses must respect. His inclusion in this game should help open up the Wolfpack offense for Bailey.
“He’s worked really hard to get himself back. I think he feels good,” Goebbel said.
It means a lot to this team to have Scott back in the mix. “Offensively, his leadership role, being there, not only on the field but in the huddle,” Goebbel said. “We all know he’s an effective runner and pass protector… We’re excited to have him back.”
H1M. #1Pack1Goal pic.twitter.com/u6zcVPyEoA
— NC State Football (@PackFootball) September 27, 2026
Duke features a talented running back of their own in Nate Sheppard, who currently leads the ACC with 972 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns from scrimmage. However, it’s been over a month since Sheppard cracked the century mark in rushing (9/26/26).
Still, Goebbel knows better than to underestimate Sheppard this week.
“He’s got tremendous long speed, but the biggest thing is he’s patient in his runs,” Goebbel said. “He’s got great contact balance. He knows how to play behind his pads. He’s always falling forward, so we’re going to have to do a good job of gang tackling him, making sure a lot of the hats are around the ball and never assume he’s down.”
NC State has lost the last three games against Duke. The Wolfpack seek their first win at home against the Blue Devils since the 2020 season.
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Andre Cherry began covering college football in 2010 through his CherryPickin podcast network. Andre originally hails from Chicagoland and is a proud Illinois State alum. He has lived in Philadelphia since 2014 and has previously covered Temple Football. Andre has a broadcast journalism background and got his start in media at WSCR the Score. He’s written for Fox Sports, Bridgehead Media, cinéSPEAK Journal, and IPMF.
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