Hurricanes Will Have Their Hands Full With NC State's Defense
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CORAL GABLES (CBSMiami) – This week the Miami Hurricanes head into Raleigh, North Carolina for a tough ACC matchup with North Carolina State.
The Wolfpack present Miami with several challenges. They have a very experienced team with 14 seniors, a rugged defensive front seven with 72 tackles for losses and a creative spread offense that has gone over 500 total yards four times this season.
Two key players for the Wolfpack are defensive end Bradley Chubb, leading the ACC in tackles for losses with 18 along with eight sacks, and former Cypress Bay running back Mathew Dayes leads the offense with 939 yards.
Dayes is the 3rd leading rusher in the ACC and is 61 yards away from becoming only the 11th NC State running back to go over 1,000 yards in a season.
Penalties and turnovers are two other storylines to watch for. NC State is a hard hitting physical defense and has recovered 11 fumbles this season. Miami is plus-six in the turnover battle over the last three games.
The Wolfpack are 12th in the ACC in penalties 69 yards per game while Miami is 11th averaging 67 yards per game in flags.
The Canes reshuffled offensive line with KC McDermott playing left tackle, Tyler Gauthier at left guard and Alex Gall at center played well vs. Virginia last week but will have to exceed expectations in this game.
Starter Trevor Darling will again be a game time decision at left tackle. Offensive line coach Stacy Searle's broke down his offensive line this way:
"I think Tyler Gauthier played well," Sealers said. "He did a good job. There's things we can do to get better, but I think Tyler came in and competed, did a good job. I like his athleticism. That's one thing. He just has to continue to get better fundamentally and he can be a really good player for us."
On McDermott getting his first start at tackle this year after previously playing guard, Searels said, "I liked the way KC played. He was real serious about it, was technique sound and played well."
And of Gall, Searels said, "Gall played well. I don't remember many things we screwed up in there."
The Wolfpack rank No. 4 in the country in run defense, allowing just 99 rushing yards per game. N.C. State has not allowed a 100 yard rusher all season.
"This is probably the best front seven that we will see all season," quarterback Brad Kaaya said of N.C. State's defense.
N.C. State's defense is a big, physical group that is made up of only juniors and seniors.
"They're big," Canes head coach Mark Richt said of N.C. State's defensive front. "They really are. The two inside guys are over 300 pounds apiece; their edge guys are big, long, 275 or 280 pound-type guys. Their linebacking corps I mentioned, veteran group…it's rare to have that many guys, on one side of the ball, have that much experience."
Miami goes into the game with 90 tackles for losses #1 in the nation. If the Canes are to win against North Carolina State, defensive coordinator Manny Diaz knows his defense is going to have to play to their identity.
"It tells me the result of the way we want to play. We're always trying to hunt the negative play, get guys off the field, and we must do the same this week."
N.C. State quarterback Ryan Finley has been efficient this year, throwing for 2,463 yards with 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Finley spreads the ball around to his receivers. The Hurricanes have to watch out for the slot receivers Bra'lon Cherry and Nyheim Hines.
Notes
Making good second half adjustments has been a key for Miami's current two game winning streak. The Hurricanes outscored Virginia and Pittsburgh 41-7 in the second half.
RB Gus Edwards received a season high 11 carries for 68 yards last week at Virginia.
"He kept earning the right to play, and then when he got his opportunity, he played well, so he's going to get more opportunities because of that. I'm proud of his attitude through it all because obviously he's a very talented guy, "said Richt.
