From Dominant to Vulnerable: NC State’s Run Defense Narrative Flips

Virginia was able to find success all game long against the Wolfpack front seven, but ultimately showed up when it mattered most

Sep 6, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA;Virginia Cavaliers wide receiver Jahmal Edrine (7) runs with the football during the first half of the game against North Carolina State Wolfpack at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

Narratives and opinions can change from week to week in college football. Take NC State rival North Carolina, for example. Entering week one, the program had electric hype around the team with the anticipation of Bill Belichick’s debut. Fast-forward to week two, and fans are questioning if they’d beat Charlotte on the road.

How quickly things can change

🗣️ J'MARI TAYLOR IS HIM!!

This 66-yard run marks his third rushing TD of the day and ties his career long.

📺 ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/4dH8INoQdB

— Virginia Football (@UVAFootball) September 6, 2025

It’s the same story for the Wolfpack run defense. After week one against East Carolina, the front seven looked to be the strong point of the defensive unit, giving up 30 rushing yards. Fast-forward to week two, and now it seems like the weakness of the defense is giving up 257 rushing yards.

Matchups are the name of the game for teams across the country. One week, the passing game may be the answer; for the Wolfpack, it was the answer against East Carolina – the rushing game was the answer on Saturday.

Sep 6, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Virginia Cavaliers tight end Sage Ennis (0) runs with the football by North Carolina State Wolfpack safety Brody Barnhardt (29), cornerback Brian Nelson II (7) and cornerback Jackson Vick (22) during the first half of the game at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

While it is concerning for Wolfpack fans to see their defense get gashed like they did, there are still some positives to be taken away from a performance like that. It’s better to have it happen now rather than later in the season – corrections can now be made.

• “It wasn’t really no big thing to it,” redshirt senior linebacker Sean Brown on halftime adjustments. “It was really just doing our job, and that’s what the adjustment was going into the second half. We knew that we had to tackle better and just communicate better as a defense. Once we know that, if we do that, nobody can mess with us.”

The mentality to keep fighting

The Virginia offense had 0.33 EPA a rush, which ranked in the 90th percentile according to Game on Paper. Only three players on the Wolfpack defense had above a 70.0 grade on Pro Football Focus. Graduate defensive end Sabastian Harsh, graduate linebacker Tra Thomas and redshirt Brody Barnhardt.

Against the Pirates, the team had seven players above a 70.0 grade. A lot can change in just a week – that’s how college football works.

Sep 6, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack offensive lineman Rico Jackson (64) celebrates a tackle against Virginia Cavaliers running back J'Mari Taylor (3) during the first half of the game at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

What doesn’t change is a program's culture week to week. NC State head coach Dave Doeren has spent the past 13 seasons building a tough brand of Wolfpack football. No surprise its brand showed up even when things looked dire.

• “This team has grit,” Doeren said. “It’s in our DNA. And we train in chaos. We look forward to tough situations here. We’ve practiced a lot of this stuff that you’re seeing at the end of games, and the guys always revert back to their training. And so they’re tough kids. They want to win. They know how to dig deep, and we’ve trained them well in those situations. And so it’s a combination of things along with the identity of our program."

• "It’s hard, tough together, and if you’re going to be on this football team, you've got to have that kind of resilience in you. So, I’m proud of the leadership guys on our team because they’re demanding that from each other as well.”

The DNA will be tested again with a chance to shift the narrative again in week three. Wake Forest is the next opponent on the schedule, and NC State, no matter what, will bring resiliency into the matchup.

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