Harsh Reality: NC State Edge Dominates Early

Sabastian Harsh has dominated in the early weeks of the season, here's a breakdown of some of his highlight plays in Saturday's win

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

There were moments in the win over Virginia where it felt like the NC State defense wouldn’t be able to get any negative play if graduate defensive end Sabasitan Harsh didn’t disrupt the offense. Harsh led the Wolfpack defense in terms of Pro Football Focus defensive grade for the second straight week. 

In two weeks of action, Harsh has nine total quarterback pressures, seven quarterback hurries and 10 defensive stops. All categories in which he leads the team. 

How has Harsh been able to disrupt the quarterback so efficiently? Here are a couple of examples of how he’s gotten into the backfield so effortlessly.

Film Examples

Here's a pretty simple move Harsh does to beat this tackle. Virginia is running an inside zone split, and the right tackles of the Cavaliers are responsible for blocking Harsh. 

In his stand-up edge rusher stance lined up out wide, Harsh can just use his quickness and essentially cross over the tackle's face, attacking his inside shoulder. Harsh does it successfully and gets in the backfield to get a tackle-for-loss for the Wolfpack defense. That type of explosiveness to get across the offensive lineman’s face has been a staple for Harsh in the first two weeks. 

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

This is the very next play for the Virginia offense. The Cavaliers motion over the tight end to help “chip” block Harsh, helping their offensive tackles. Harsh sees this, and what does he do in response? He takes a step or two to the inside, ignores the blocking help by again attacking the inside shoulder of the tackle, and in a couple of seconds, he is right in Chandler Morris’ face for pressure. 

On this last play, Harsh showcases the violence he plays with on the football field. This time, he’s lined up over the left tackle for Virginia, and the Cavaliers are running a zone split towards his side again. 

Watch how he attacks this pulling blocker is just fun. He shuffles down the line when he notices he’s unblocked, I like to call it squeezing down the line, and he just lowers the shoulder and BOOM. Makes contact with the pulling tight end, absolutely blowing his block up, paving the way for redshirt senior linebacker Sean Brown to clean up the play. 

Harsh has been an influential part of the defense in just two games so far. He’s been able to generate constant pressure on the quarterback so far; he just hasn’t been able to finish those pressures into sacks. 

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