Wolfpack on the Prowl
Get it Done in the ACC and on the National Stage
NC State could do something special.
This is the year they’re saying. There is plenty of returning performance on this roster, you don’t have to look too deep to see it. We have arguably the best quarterback in the league potentially in college football QB-Devin Leary, the best linebacking corps in the nation according to Athlon Sports with two being given preseason All-America honors Drake Thomas and Payton Wilson. The Pack have a D-Line group headed by draft prospects DT-Cory Durden, DT-C.J. Clark and DE-Savion Jackson respectively. They are all being coached by the best assistant coach in the nation Charley Wiles. ;)
All of the pieces are there, can they slay the dragon or the “Tiger” in the room for the title? Can they make the Playoff? Can they beat a Bulldog or two? Lets crunch the numbers and really see if this is in our future as Wolfpack faithful.
Where did this team rank last year? Finishing with a post season #20 ranking in the nation and returning most of your team’s productivity should be a good omen. A season that had great highs concluding with a victory over our bitter Tar Heel rivals 34-30. The offense finished 28th ranked in scoring average at 33.1 ppg, and 14th in defense allowing only 19.7 ppg. Solid numbers and certainly successful on both sides of the ball.
This was a season missing its ‘insert Bowl Win’ capstone due to UCLA’s cowardice. Coach Doeren wasn’t shy about claiming the bowl champion banner anyway and he shouldn’t be. We all know that a season like this creates expectations.
7 Million Views. Awesome. Watch Doeren's kind words here.
So the big question becomes how high should our expectations be for this team? This program has successfully created lofty expectations for the upcoming season. Have the wolfpack succeeded in attaining lofty expectations and executing in those seasons in the past?
So lets start where our best years have been and did they follow years that would be considered up and coming? What I’m looking for example is a year that wasn’t bad (6 wins or more, maybe) and they returned with most of their roster or big contributors. How did they do the following year? Lets see. Also we’ll stick to the most recent 25 years to maintain a feeling of relevance.
The first seasons that I see that fit that criteria are the first 2 seasons that are allowed in said criteria, 1997-98. The ‘97 team won 6 games and failed to get invited to play in a post season bowl. This team had a ‘winning’ year finishing 6-5 with tons of hope for the future. The offense was led by who would end up being the most prolific passer in NC State history at the time sophomore Jamie Barnette.
They also returned key components on both sides of the ball including the greatest receiver in NC State history, senior, future St Louis Ram and NFL Hall of Famer, Tory Holt. The freshman class of 1998 included who would end up being the most prolific tackler in NC State history Levar Fisher. Not to mention a upper classmen laden defensive squad that should’ve been primed for a great year.
They finished the 1998 season with 7 wins.
Insert *Womp Womp*.
They started out strong beating highly ranked teams Florida State and Syracuse handily starting 3-1 with a severely close loss @Baylor in non conference play 30-33. This early season promised more but would end up faltering too often throughout, losing to Georgia Tech, #16 Virginia, UNC and #24 Miami in the Micron PC Bowl in Miami. Losing 23-46 in disappointing fashion in the finale.
So were they able to improve on the ‘97 year? yes? No? Depends. Losing in the two biggest games of the year at the conclusion of the season isn’t nice. The major victories early in the year fade pretty quick in these scenarios. 7 wins shouldn’t feel great.
So what’s next in our criteria? How about the very next season. You return that same prolific quarterback for the 1999 season, Jamie Barnette. You return your top two running backs and they end up splitting carries for a little over 1000 yards Ray Robinson and Rahshon Spikes. Your defense is young but your base is there. Lets seeeee.
Starting off the ‘99 season with a HUGE victory (sounds familiar) @ #17 Texas, winning 23-20 on national TV in the BCA classic. You beat USC (the Carolina variety) 10-0 then William & Mary to start your hopeful season 3-0 with a ranking of 23rd in the country. @FSU, the big dog that you knocked off last year is the monster on the hill. You’re flat and throw a dud, L 11-42. Welp, the Pack finish the season 3-6 in the last 9 and miss a bowl invite.
OK. We can recover.
Whats next? How about the hire of Chuck Amato and the arrival of one Phillip Rivers, an era that any program should admire and hope to replicate. The year is 2000, there are no expectations. The team is breaking in a new QB and unknown commodity Mr. Rivers. As well as the rest of the team after not very visible years. The Wolfpack circles the wagons and goes 8-4 with a long flirtation with conference honors and a bowl victory against the Gophers of Minnesota in the Micron PC Bowl in Miami. So thats what we can do with no expectations. A top 25 offense with a new QB 8 wins. OK, cool.
How about the next year that actually fits the criteria, 2001. Coming off of an 8-4 year with no expectations, what happens? Phillip and company almost make it back to the same standard losing in their bowl game to PITT 19-34 in the Tangerine Bowl in Orlando. It can certainly be seen as an improvement of a year because the defense came along and was ranked 31st in the country and you likely have a QB that you KNOW can be productive and elite at this point, intangibles etc.
The 2001 season is the most similar year in our recent 25. the 7-5 record that could have easily been 10 plus wins competing for a conference title and a major bowl victory. Its not a large leap. The offense under performed that year and the defense improved dramatically, so our losses only came in heart breaking much closer fashion. Zero blowouts to be seen here, the 2001 team showed heart and something became of it.
2002, the BIG year for Wolfpack faithful in recent memory. Phillip’s best and most complete season with a team to support him. 11-3 and a #13 ranking to end the year with a major bowl victory in the New Years day Gator Bowl over the college football ‘Brand of all Brands’ Notre Dame. A HUGE season of victories and accomplishments Winning the 3 biggest games on the Pack’s schedule over UNC 34-17, #14 FSU 7-17 and #11 Notre Dame in the bowl finale 28-6.
Again, this is as close as it gets to being similar to todays expectations for the 2022 team. We have the pieces, lets win. We have a top ten defense in the country and an elite offense with a QB who could easily prove to be ‘Elite’ as well.
Winning the ACC is the goal. You do that and everything else will fall into place.
That is how you live up to expectations.
BONUS:
Prediction: 10-2
ACC contenders until the very end missing out on the championship game. The losses come from Clemson and a wild card loss somewhere to an unexpected team. likely a VT, @Cuse or @Louisville.
10-2 certainly should be the number or better with a bowl victory making 11-2.
If you add in a championship game appearance and a Clemson rematch you get to 12-2 or 11-3 and a really high finishing ranking likely top 15.
………….
If you want to get really crazy, getting to 12-2 puts the team in the Playoff conversation. But I’ll stop now. Whew.
#GoPack