Was NC State football’s offense perfect? No, but the Wolfpack showed what it could be
This was one of those games N.C. State’s offense needed, warts and all.
Some may criticize the performance — there’s plenty to learn from — but the Wolfpack showed a more positive version of itself. It scored the most points it has all season in the 48-41 win over Marshall with sophomore quarterback MJ Morris making his first appearance.
Morris recorded a career high in passing yardage (265) and touchdowns (4). He finished 17-of-32 in the pass game and three interceptions. Marshall recorded a first-half pick six off one of the turnovers, but Morris responded with a level head each time.
“Emotions were high. I felt good being out there with my boys,” Morris said.. I don’t think I was too nervous out there. I was really just trying to have some fun. I had the turnovers early, but I know that coach (Dave) Doeren always tells us to put it in the past. It’s behind you. Those plays aren’t going to fix the rest of the game.”
After the second interception, Morris put together a scoring drive with five straight completions and a season-high 18-yard rush from running back Delbert Mimms III. Mimms is known for being a short yardage guy but Doeren said the redshirt junior showed he can do more.
Morris also found tight end Trent Pennix for a 39-yard touchdown after the Pack defense snagged an interception of its own.
The young quarterback found himself throwing the third pick to start the second half. N.C. State’s defense helped him out, holding the Herd scoreless on the drive, and Morris was able to hand the ball off to running back Michael Allen for a 37-yard rush to the end zone.
N.C. State’s offense finished with 401 yards, the most in an FBS matchup this season. The 265 passing yards set a new season record, regardless of the opponent.
True freshman Kevin “KC” Concepcion accounted for 102 receiving yards, his second 100-yard game this fall. He and Pennix scored twice, with the rookie’s best catch being for 38 yards.
“That boy is a dog. He knows what he’s doing out there on the field,” Morris said of Concepcion. “He’s never nervous…He knows how to get open. He knows coverages. Me and him work all the time after practice, so our chemistry is definitely very high going into these games, but that dude is special. I love him.”
Doeren said he’ll take a win in any way and felt like N.C. State got the spark it wanted from Morris. It took a little time — Morris started 1-of-7 — but he praised the QB for his ability to respond after failure.
“Couldn’t have started any worse right? His first pass is picked and the guy was wide open. He’s excited to play, it was off target,” Doeren said. “He’s a mentally tough young man, so I wouldn’t expect anything less from him. He’s gonna respond. That’s who he is. He gets in a tough situation, and he’s going to fight.”
The Wolfpack defense did its part in the win, racking up 82 tackles, four sacks, one interception, six QB hurries and three forced fumbles. Morris said those players helped significantly, and it wasn’t just working to stop Marshall. They provided sideline support before the offense took the field.
“I don’t know if y’all can see, but they’ll come over to our huddle and give us motivation and give us hype,” Morris said. “That definitely shows a lot of love, knowing that defense got our back and just having that complementary football feeling. It’s not just on the field, but it’s off the field as well – leaning on each other, even though we’re on different sides of the ball.”
This story was originally published October 8, 2023 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Was NC State football’s offense perfect? No, but the Wolfpack showed what it could be."
