NC State Defense Banking on New Faces, New Identity
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We all know the Will Smith “Men in Black” meme. It perfectly represents how NC State fans feel about the defensive performance in 2024 – forget about it. Head coach Dave Doeren feels the same, especially after seeing East Carolina ice the Military Bowl with an 86-yard run – forget about it.
Doeren did, and he hired a new defensive coordinator in D.J. Eliot. Accompanying Eliot is a new defensive scheme for the Wolfpack. The bottom line is that NC State didn’t have the personnel to run what Eliot wanted, so he entered the transfer portal.
The Pack attacked the portal for linebackers and new edge players who can operate within multiple front looks in a 3-4 defense. Still, the question remains. Can this team compete with the conference this year? If it can’t – enter the Will Smith meme here.
Newcomers
The best way to explain this incoming transfer class is the most cliché answer ever. They all have a chip on their shoulder. While it’s cliché, it’s true. Many of the players the Wolfpack targeted are looking to prove their worth in the ACC this year, and for some, it’s the first Power Four competition they’ll face.
Corner Brian Nelson II (North Texas), EDGE Cian Slone (Utah State), EDGE Sabastian Harsh (Wyoming) and linebacker AJ Richardson (Norfolk State) haven’t seen Power Four play yet, but those players have proven worth on a level below.
Richardson was an All-MEAC player, Sloan All-MWC and Nelson All-AAC a year ago. They can play ball, but can it happen at a level like this? It remains to be seen, but the upside is there. It makes NC State a hard defense to predict because of the unknowns. How will Eliot call the defense? Who will be the third down pass rushers? How will the new secondary shape up?
All realistic questions.
But the hard truth is no one knows how to answer those questions, because the transition to a Power Four conference is either seamless or has major bumps ahead.
2025 season
Wolfpack fans will get a very quick answer on Aug. 28th. NC State is set up for a rematch against East Carolina. If the defense doesn’t give up an 806-yard run, the fanbase can put the neuralyzer away and prepare for the rest of the season.
The team doesn’t play Clemson this next season, but that doesn’t mean the ACC schedule is easy. The Wolfpack have to play Duke, Miami and Pittsburgh on the road. All three of those teams have capable quarterbacks who have seen plenty of college ball before.
Not to mention the team hosts Georgia Tech, North Carolina and Virginia Tech. Still not heavy hitters, but they have players who can cause some damage if the team is still adjusting to Power Four play. They also play Jeremiyah Love on the road… let’s not talk about that until Oct. 11th.
The unit is ready to wreck games. The only thing left is to actually wreck them for real and display them for the Wolfpack faithful. While it’s hard to predict what will happen, this team needs no predicting or backing from anyone. The chips on their shoulders are already enough.
“I love being an underdog, regardless of what the media says or not,” Nelson said. “Being an underdog is like a great chip on your shoulder because you get to prove it wrong. You get to bloom out of nowhere. Just show people what you’re about.”
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Daniel Rios graduated from the esteemed Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University. His deep passion for sports has taken him to positions at ESPN and Cronkite News. Currently, he serves as the Assistant Beat Writer for the North Carolina State Wolfpack On SI.
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