Injuries Beginning to Stack Up for NC State Football

RALEIGH — Injuries are a part of a football season for every team in the nation. It's the reason teams spend so much time adding depth through recruiting and now, the transfer portal.

For NC State, the injuries on the defensive side of the ball are beginning to reach a point where the team simply doesn't have the depth to succeed. The Wolfpack lost a pair of key defenders during the loss to Virginia Tech, adding to an already large group stuck on the sidelines watching the team struggle throughout the middle portion of the season.

The Wolfpack looked to be on the precipice of a solid season after a 3-0 start, but back-to-back losses sunk hopes and dreams as the program heads into a daunting stretch after a game against Campbell. On top of that rocky road are the injured players the Wolfpack will be without.

Defensive Injuries

In the Virginia Tech game alone, NC State lost two of its most critical players. Redshirt freshman safety Brody Barnhardt went down with what looked like a leg injury and had to be helped to the locker room by the training staff. Team captain and starting linebacker Sean Brown left the game to go to the locker room as well.

Sep 6, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack linebacker Sean Brown (0) celebrates a down during the first half of the game against Virginia Cavaliers at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

Nickel Jackson Vick missed his second straight game. Doeren has long played his injury information close to the vest, but with the ACC requiring updates throughout game weeks, it's easier to determine just how many players are down.

"The injuries are mounting up on the defensive side of the football, and so there's a lot of guys that are getting playing time now that are inexperienced and young, and that's not an excuse. That's the reality," Doeren said Monday.

Adjusting to the Reality

The veteran head coach has been around long enough to have seasons loaded with injuries. He believes his staff is capable of getting the replacements up to speed to ensure the defense remains competitive.

"We're going to have to work really hard as coaches to get these guys the best opportunities that we can to play well," he said. "For (the players), it's their opportunity. That's why they came to NC State and chose this school to have an opportunity to play. The guys around them who are experienced players have to level up."

Doeren reiterated that the team will take a next man up approach to the injury situation, adding that the program when through similar issues in 2019 and 2020. However, in the transfer portal era, depth is harder to come by than it was in the past, making it more challenging given the roster construction in 2025.

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