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Tag: Grayson McCall

  • N.C. State emerges from open week hoping to start late-season surge in home game with Stanford

    N.C. State emerges from open week hoping to start late-season surge in home game with Stanford

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    Stanford (2-6, 1-4 ACC) at N.C. State (4-4, 1-3), Saturday, 12 p.m. ET (ACC Network)

    BetMGM College Football Odds: N.C. State by 10.

    Series record: First meeting.

    What’s at stake?

    N.C. State emerges from an open date with a chance to put together a strong finish for the second straight year. The Wolfpack’s offense has been in flux since losing starting quarterback Grayson McCall to concussion issues, turning the offense over to freshman CJ Bailey. Stanford is trying to stop a five-game losing streak since beating Syracuse in its first-ever ACC game.

    Key matchup

    N.C. State’s defense against Stanford’s offense. These have been areas of struggle for both teams, with the Wolfpack’s defensive issues being notable considering the unit had been a multi-year strength. But that unit ranks last in the ACC for league games in scoring defense (35.0) and 13th of 17 teams in total defense (415.3). Yet the Cardinal hasn’t been good offensively, either — Stanford is 16th in scoring offense (16.2) and total offense (304.4) in league play.

    Players to watch

    Stanford: WR Elic Ayomanor. He remains the Cardinal’s top offensive threat even in a tough offensive environment. He’s coming off an 11-catch, 96-yard day in a loss to Wake Forest and had a 1,000-yard season last year.

    N.C. State: RB Kendrick Raphael. He’s moved to the team lead in rushing yardage (287) and rushing touchdowns (three), providing some pop to the ground game even in limited bursts while sharing work with Jordan Waters and Hollywood Smothers.

    Facts & figures

    McCall announced last week he was retiring from football due to concussion issues. … Bailey became the first Wolfpack true freshman since Philip Rivers in 2000 to throw for 300 yards in the loss to Syracuse. He’s thrown for at least 300 yards in two straight games. … N.C. State was just 4-3 last year coming out of a mid-October open week and responded with five straight wins to push to bowl eligibility and a second nine-win season in four years. … The Cardinal scored 24 points in last weekend’s home loss to Wake Forest, but Stanford has managed 14 or fewer points in four straight ACC games before that. … Stanford is flirting with winning two or fewer games in its league — the past three in the Pac-12 — for the fourth straight season. … This is Stanford’s third and final cross-country trip in ACC play. … N.C. State won at Cal before the open week to claim the first match up against one of the ACC’s new programs.

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  • NC State QB Grayson McCall taken to hospital after violent hit :: WRALSportsFan.com

    NC State QB Grayson McCall taken to hospital after violent hit :: WRALSportsFan.com

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    Raleigh, N.C. — NC State quarterback Grayson McCall was taken off the field on a cart after absorbing a violent hit against Wake Forest on Saturday afternoon.

    Facing 3rd-and-11 in the red zone, McCall was trying to run for a first down when he was hit near the head as three Wake defenders closed in on him.

    The impact forced McCall to fumble the ball and the Demon Deacons recovered, returning the ball to the NC State 2-yard line. McCall’s helmet came off during the play. There was no penalty or review for targeting.

    The game stopped for several minutes as McCall’s teammates surrounded him on the field. He was able to move his arms and hug his parents before leaving the game. McCall gave the crowd a peace sign on the cart and was taken to WakeMed Hospital.

    The 23-year-old McCall is no stranger to serious injuries. While playing for Coastal Carolina, he suffered a concussion in 2023 in a game against Arkansas State that ended his season.

    CJ Bailey replaced McCall after just one possession. McCall was playing in his first game since suffering another injury against Louisiana Tech in Week 3.

    Wake Forest (1-3) leads NC State (3-2) 17-16 at halftime.

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  • No. 24 NC State keeps posting 8- and 9-win years. Coach Dave Doeren is chasing a breakthrough moment

    No. 24 NC State keeps posting 8- and 9-win years. Coach Dave Doeren is chasing a breakthrough moment

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    RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina State keeps putting together successful seasons that flirt with accomplishing even more. That has coach Dave Doeren firmly entrenched with a winning program yet invigorated by the thought of what else could be within reach.

    There have been four straight seasons with eight or nine wins, bringing the 24th-ranked Wolfpack to the verge of its second 10-win season ever and first since 2002. And if N.C. State can do that, it could have Doeren’s squad challenging for the Atlantic Coast Conference title.

    “What we did last year and the year before and the year before is good,” Doeren said. “Winning nine games is good. We don’t want to be good, we want to be the best at what we do. These guys understand that.”

    Doeren is entering his 12th season after becoming the program’s all-time winningest coach last season. He’s been chasing the program’s first ACC title since 1979, and this year’s team is picked to finish fourth in the expanded 17-team league.

    N.C. State returns roughly half its offensive and defensive starters, but also added a veteran class from the transfer portal that includes a new starting quarterback in Grayson McCall from Coastal Carolina.

    The season comes amid a wild run of success for Wolfpack athletics: men’s basketball winning its first ACC title since 1987 and then reaching its first Final Four since 1983, women’s basketball reaching its first Final Four since 1998, and baseball returning to the College World Series.

    Doeren’s team would love to add to that list.

    “The buzz has been buzzing. Our fan base has been electric,” defensive end Davin Vann said. “I wouldn’t really call it pressure, but we’re enjoying the energy they’re bringing.”

    The new QB

    This is the second straight season that the Wolfpack will start the season looking to a transfer to lead the offense. Last year it was Virginia graduate transfer Brennan Armstrong. Now it’s McCall, a a sixth-year graduate with more than 10,000 career passing yards.

    “It’s refreshing to be in a new spot,” said McCall, who has shown a knack for avoiding mistakes. He threw 77 touchdown passes with just eight interceptions from 2020-22.

    “He’s got great touch on the football, his game-management skills, his clock management and everything — he’s a vet,” Doeren said. “And he’s a great fit for our program.”

    Top threat

    KC Concepcion grew into a starring role for the Wolfpack in the team’s second-half surge last season. The sophomore enters this year as N.C. State’s top weapon.

    Concepcion had 71 catches for 839 yards with 10 touchdowns, and he also ran for 320 yards. He closed last year with three straight games of seven catches.

    Next defensive steps

    The defense has been reliable for the Wolfpack in recent years, ranking in the top 30 nationally in scoring (20.8) and total defense (332.1).

    But that unit has multiple departed starters, notably Payton Wilson — The Associated Press league defensive player of the year, the Butkus Award winner as the nation’s top linebacker and the Bednarik Award for the nation’s top overall defensive player.

    “Just with Tony Gibson being defensive coordinator, I feel like we’re always going to have a high-caliber defense,” cornerback Aydan White said.

    Bolstered experience

    N.C. State ranked 18th nationally in 247Sports’ transfer classes, with newcomers that included a proven runner in Duke back Jordan Waters, receiver help in Ohio State’s Noah Rogers and a veteran center in Notre Dame’s Zeke Correll (31 starts).

    The Wolfpack brought in more than 40 new players this year.

    The schedule

    N.C. State opens at home against Western Carolina on Aug. 29 before playing a marquee nonconference game against No. 15 Tennessee in Charlotte on Sept. 7.

    The ACC schedule begins at No. 14 Clemson (Sept. 21), while two of the three new league schools appear on the slate with a trip to California (Oct. 19) and a visit from Stanford (Nov. 2). N.C. State faces Duke in its home finale (Nov. 9) and visits rival North Carolina on Nov. 30.

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