2022 Season: 8-5, 4-4 in the ACC (T-3rd in Atlantic)
Head Coach: Dave Doeren (11th season)
As always with Dave Doeren’s teams, the Wolfpack once again figure to be a threat in the ACC. After a solid season in which they won eight games and beat rival North Carolina, along with the arrival of quarterback Brennan Armstrong from the transfer portal, Raleigh should be one of the toughest places to play in the conference.
Armstrong comes to N.C. State from a familiar foe — the Virginia Cavaliers. After former Wolfpack starter Devin Leary left town for Kentucky, Doeren had to find a replacement. N.C. State was also on the hunt for a new offensive coordinator after Tim Beck left to become head coach of Coastal Carolina. Doeren settled on former Syracuse offensive coordinator Robert Anae to become the new play caller for the Wolfpack offense. Before spending time with the Orange, Anae worked with Virginia head coach Bronco Mendenhall to create an explosive offense for the Cavaliers. Rather than rolling with one of the young signal-callers already on the roster, Doeren dipped into the portal to get the same quarterback who was the center of that explosive Cavalier offense in Armstrong.
The graduate student is coming off an extreme down year during his last season with Virginia. Armstrong had a career-low 54.7 completion rate while also throwing a career-high 12 interceptions, as the Cavaliers struggled to win games. Doeren and Anae will hope to reinvigorate the 2021 version of Armstrong — a season where he threw for 4449 yards and 31 touchdowns while adding 251 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground.
Returning senior Jordan Houston will be the leader of the Wolfpack backfield. Last season, the Waldorf, Md., native finished 10th in the ACC in rushing yards per game with 544 total yards on the year.
Out wide, Keyon Lesane figures to be the leading receiver for Doeren’s team this season. The senior was the second-leading pass catcher last season for the Wolfpack, hauling in 31 receptions for 342 yards. N.C. State also added an impact receiver in the transfer portal, bringing in graduate student Bradley Rozner from Rice. Last season, Rozner was the leading receiver for the Owls, putting up 876 yards and ten touchdowns while being named to the midseason Biletnikoff Watch List. If the grad transfer’s production can carry over despite joining a better conference, he could be a major target for Armstrong.
On the defensive side of the ball, the secondary is a strength for the Wolfpack. The name to know in the defensive backfield is Aydan White, who was selected to the preseason All-ACC team. Last season, the junior was one of the best corners in the country, playing the most coverage snaps in the nation without allowing a touchdown. White will be tasked with shutting down every team’s best wideout, and he certainly seems capable if he maintains his level of play.
Led by Payton Wilson, the Wolfpack also have a strong linebacker core. Wilson has had an outstanding career in Raleigh, garnering first-team All-ACC honors in 2020. The graduate has battled injuries the past two years, but when healthy he is among the most disruptive players in the conference.
The Wolfpack have the makings to compete in the ACC, but they will be tested early. The schedule for Doeren’s squad is headlined by a week two matchup at home against Notre Dame, an Oct. 28 date with Clemson in Raleigh and trips to Durham and Chapel Hill.
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