True Freshman Makes Big Impact For Wolfpack In Week 5

NC State offensive lineman Spike Sowells Jr. got his first start for the Wolfpack against Virginia Tech and will look to build on a quality performance.

Nov 11, 2023; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; The North Carolina State Wolfpack helmet rests on the bench during the second half against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Howard-Imagn Images | William Howard-Imagn Images

RALEIGH — While head coach Dave Doeren and the NC State Wolfpack want to put the Week 5 loss to Virginia Tech in the past, there were still bright spots.

After speculation he might win the starting job in fall camp, true freshman offensive lineman Spike Sowells Jr. worked his way up the depth chart throughout the team's first four games. Those important rotational reps and strong practice performances earned him the starting job at right guard in the Virginia Tech game.

Sowells was one of the team's top recruits for the class of 2025 and already made an impact for the team, signaling a major win for Doeren's recruiting staff. The coach discussed the performance of the young lineman during his Monday press conference.

Doeren on Sowells

The Wolfpack coaches struggled to settle on a consistent right guard throughout the first four weeks. The team rotated between Kamen Smith, Val Erickson and Yousef Mugharbil, while Sowells occasionally got in the mix as well. The staff saw enough and decided it was time to give the true freshman a shot against the Hokies, giving him the nod for his first start at right guard.

• "We've been bringing him along and obviously, we've got to have him ready to play center as well because he's our backup center," Doeren said. "There's been competition at guard throughout. We've tried multiple guys. We've rotated multiple guys and Spike has been option here coming out of last week because we actually had a couple of our offensive linemen that play guard sick last week for a couple of days."

Sowells seized the opportunity and showed his growth. He finished with a 79.5 pass protection grade according to Pro Football Focus, good for the second-best out of the starting offensive linemen. His performance earned him major praise from his head coach.

Sep 27, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack offensive lineman Jalen Grant (74) with the ball during the first half of the game against Virginia Tech Hokies at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

• "Spike got a majority of the reps, and he practiced really well, and he graded out higher than any of our offensive linemen in the game," Doeren said. "Obviously, he's earned the right to continue in that spot for now."

Given the volatility at the position for the Wolfpack so far, Sowells might not be the starter for the remainder of the season, but this was likely the plan by Doeren and offensive line coach Garett Tujague. Doeren added that he expects Sowells to improve as he gets more chances. The talent level of opposing defenses after the Campbell game gets significantly steeper, so Sowells will be tested.

Nov 18, 2017; Winston-Salem, NC, USA; A North Carolina State Wolfpack helmet lays on the sidelines during the game against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at BB&T Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-Imagn Images | Jeremy Brevard-Imagn Images

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