Wolfpack Ground Game Could Be ACC’s Best with Explosive Duo
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The Wolfpack offense has a chance to explode in the 2025 season. Quarterback CJ Bailey, at the helm, has shown potential to be the "guy" for the Wolfpack. Every great offense needs a workhorse and a running back to get a yard when needed. The NC State running back room may be the best position group on that side of the ball.
Even with a talented tight end in Justin Joly, the running backs are slated to have a significant impact on the Wolfpack offense in 2025.
At the same time, some want to see Bailey sling it and become one of the best quarterbacks in the ACC. It's tough not to want to pound the rock with two-talented backs like Hollywood Smothers and Duke Scoot.
Where does this duo rank among other backfields in the ACC?
The competition
To set the stage, the ACC lost six of its top 10 rushers from a season ago, ranking by strictly just yardage. Louisville's Isaac Brown is the highest back remaining in terms of yards, and he's most likely the best back in the conference, and rightfully so.
He's coming off a 1,100-yard season and led the conference in yards per carry with 7.2. With only 163 attempts, the Cardinals have an absolute weapon in the backfield ready to support their gunslinger, USC transfer Miller Moss, this season.
The next tier of backs has to lead off with Wake Forest's Demond Claiborne. The Demon Deacons may not have the most talent on their roster going into 2025, but Claiborne is still a weapon. He's the second player in Wake Forest history to total at least 1,000 rushing yards and 250 receiving yards. The dual-threat back is also hard to get on the ground, forcing 45 missed tackles in 2025.
Others in the same tier of Claiborne include Georgia Tech's Jamal Haynes and Pittsburgh's Desmond Reid. Both will feature backs this upcoming season, showcasing some serious talent last season.
New Kids on the Block
Six backs went to the NFL last year. This means that it's time for some new blood in some backfields. It's unclear how some of these backs will perform, but the outlook is promising. North Carolina's Davion Gause, Clemson's Dideon Davidson and Miami's Mark Fletcher Jr.; those three teams lost Omarion Hampton, Phil Mansah, and Damien Martinez, respectively.
It's hard to fully know what those three will do in their new roles, as it's the first time each will be the feature back of a college offense. All three had more than capable mentors last season to learn from; the 2025 season will indicate how much each young back was absorbed.
Where does the NC State backfield rank
Ranking backfields is a tough task; there are a plethora of variables that can affect how a run game operates. Smothers and Scott can be a formidable one-two punch that can prove issues for the multiple defenses the Pack will face.
Smothers has a three-down back upside with his ability in the passing game. Scott hasn't seen action at the college level yet, but his body type screams an elusive bruiser-type role. Someone to come in for the first couple of downs, or short-yardage situations, and get a yard when needed.
The two can certainly assert themselves as some of the best in the conference. Smothers has a better chance to get into the top three, as he's already tasted ACC play and showed promise with his 6.4 yards per carry last season. Scott might take extra time to adjust to the nature of the game, but there's no doubt these two can make
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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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