NC State Is Ready To Get In Rhythm Against Richmond

The Wolfpack used the open week to reflect and build on their devastating loss to Virginia on Aug. 29. Now, they’re ready a bounce back against Richmond in Week 2.

Aug 29, 2026; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack quarterback CJ Bailey (11) rushes the ball during the second quarter of the game against the Virginia Cavaliers at Scott Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg Atkins-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

By Saturday, NC State will have waited 13 days to play football again. 

The wait has felt long at times, especially when you’re ready to prove to yourself and the world that you’re better than what the 34-8 score indicates. 

Getting Aggressive 

“It wears you out, and all you can do is go back to work, and so that’s what we’ve been doing, and looking forward to playing our first home game,” Head Coach Dave Doeren said.

The season is still fresh. Time will tell if Virginia is as good as they appeared in Week 0, but “You give Virginia credit for the job they did,” Doeren said. “They beat us. They out-coached us. As a coach, you eat on that. It sits in you.” 

A lack of aggression was evident to Doeren when looking back at how his team performed against the Cavaliers. 

“We lost the line of scrimmage in that game, and that’s not the style of football that I want to have,” Doeren said. “We need to be aggressive on both sides of the football and establish our run game and stop the run.” 

Aug 29, 2026; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack quarterback CJ Bailey (11) hands off to running back Jayden Scott (1) during the first quarter of the game against the Virginia Cavaliers at Scott Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg Atkins-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Attacking The Run

The Cavaliers held NC State to 76 rushing yards. The Wolfpack could not stop Virginia’s ground game. They allowed the Cavaliers to rush all over them for 258 yards and 2 touchdowns. 

Virginia’s transfer quarterback Beau Pribula led all rushers with 110 yards. 

There was a lot more quarterback run than the NC State coaching staff was anticipating. “Knew he could run, but when you watched him in the past, they weren’t running powers and counters and downhill runs with them at Missouri,” Doeren said. 

Richmond’s quarterback, Ashten Snelsire, isn’t much of a running threat.

However, the Wolfpack will need to game plan for running back Aziz Foster-Powell, who leads the Spiders in rushing with 142 yards on 25 carries and 3 touchdowns. 

Looking Forward 

NC State is ready to move on. 

“All you can do is look forward, and I look forward to the opportunity to get back on the grass with the guys during the bye week, and there were three really physical practices,” Doeren said. 

Looking forward means getting this Wolfpack offense on track. CJ Bailey must find his rhythm again. 

“I think when you get off rhythm with your quarterback or with your run game or whatever it is, your offensive coordinator at times can get off rhythm with it,” Doeren said. “And you’re trying to get guys back, and we just never got in rhythm. And as players and coaches, we need to do a better job.”

Bailey had one of the worst outings of his career against Virginia. He went 12-for-23 for 84 yards and committed two turnovers. 

Duke Scott only touched the ball 7 times for 20 yards. 

Bailey needs to settle in, and Scott needs more than 7 carries. 

“The biggest thing is, offensively, you always want to start fast if you can, but you want to get in a rhythm,” Doeren said. “You want to get the ball to some playmakers early, which we had the chance to do a couple times, and just couldn’t get it done.”

Bailey, Scott, and this Wolfpack offense are primed for a big bounce back in Week 2. For that to happen, this team needs to find their motion.