NC State’s Ground Game Stalls Despite 1-0 Start

NC State found success early on running the ball, but as the game went on the lanes become tighter

Aug 28, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack quarterback CJ Bailey (11) runs with the ball during the first half of the game against East Carolina Pirates at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

Carter-Finley Stadium is rocking. Excitement in the air, and the ball gets kicked, ruled a touchback. The offense line for NC State strides onto the field; knee braces covering their legs. Ready to set the mindset for the day. The NC State offensive line set the tone for the game early. Both sides are in for a sloppy, gritty first game of the season. 

Running back Hollywood Smothers found a lot of success with his offensive line mindset. They opened up gaping holes for him to run through on the first drive of the game. Smothers averaged 5.9 yards per carry throughout the first drive. It didn’t last, though. By the end of the game, the offense as a whole averaged 2.9 yards per carry. 

NC State ran the ball 36 times as a team and only accumulated 105 rushing yards. It was hard to find space against the Pirates once they switched to a four-down linemen look. On the first drive of the game, ECU ran 3-2 defensive looks (three defensive linemen and two linebackers behind them), meaning only five players in the box.

The Wolfpack quickly took advantage of this, but the Pirates quickly realized their mistakes and made sure to put more players in the box, which caused trouble for the Wolfpack. Not a single offensive lineman achieved a run-block grade of over 63.0. 

Smothers finished his night with 3.5 yards per attempt and forced seven missed tackles, with 66 of his yards coming after contact. He totaled 76 yards for the game, indicating he didn’t have much green gas when his number was called. 

NC State started Kamen Smith at right guard for the matchup, but later opted for freshman Spike Sowells Jr. Sowells came in during the third quarter and was a key part in Smothers' late third quarter touchdown to put the Wolfpack up 24-7. Offensive coordinator Kurt Roper may look to experiment with different offensive line combinations after this week. 

Aug 28, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack safety Ronnie Royal III (2), linebacker Tra Thomas (4) and linebacker Kenny Soares Jr. (33) celebrate during the first half of the game against East Carolina Pirates at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

The run game stalled, but the pass blocking for quarterback CJ Bailey entailed a different story. The offensive line only let up four total pressures for the night, with three coming from Smith. Bailey enjoyed a clean pocket for most of the night (he only got sacked once), leading him to throw for over 300 yards for the third time in his young career. 

It’s early, but it’s an early indication that the run game will be a staple of this Wolfpack offense. Even with the limited lanes, the Wolfpack still ran the ball more than they threw. 

NC State was creative in its run schemes; it just didn't work out as efficiently as it possibly could. It’s only week one, a lot of improvement is on the horizon, and when the offense strides onto the field again. The men in knee braces will make sure to set the tone, early and often. 

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