MCLAMB: Living in the Moment
Someone had to lose. Someone had to deal with the disappointment of letting a winnable game get away. Someone's weekend was going to be ruined.
Trailing by 13 in the fourth quarter, NC State found a way late to make the biggest rally of Dave Doeren's tenure as head coach while also laying the angst on California. Entering a bye week after eight games at 4-4 overall and fresh off a first ACC win probably has never felt this good for the Wolfpack.
Perhaps the most rewarding aspect for NC State during its fourth-quarter climb up the hill is the individual plays made by skill guys. All the defenders cannot be blocked on a play. Someone will be free at some point. The same goes for defensive skill players. Eventually, they will meet a ball carrier and it will be 'mano a mano.' In recruiting, coaches look for the kids who win these individual battles.
In the fourth quarter, NCSU won almost all of them, and as such, the Pack brought the 'dub' back from the West Coast. Davin Vann’s two sacks, Hollywood Smothers on the touchdown reception, the trio of Bishop Fitzgerald, Devon Betty, and Temarcus Cooley on Cal’s penultimate drive, and Sean Brown’s solo tackle on special teams when NC State punted late. They all qualify as solid skill plays, and the Wolfpack needed every one of them.
Cal's entry into the ACC has been a seesaw of emotion. The Golden Bears have brought excitement, enthusiasm, and a wonderful fan base to the conference. Northern California and the Bay Area are also a terrific part of the world to visit. The Bears seem genuinely thrilled and appreciative -- especially to NC State -- for its acceptance into the ACC after the Pac-12 dissipated so quickly last academic year.
On the field, Cal has come up just short. Like NC State, the Golden Bears are looking at their first seven games and thinking 'What if?' – and in their case, it might be more merited. Cal has lost winnable games all season, and it is not hyperbole to say that they could (and probably should) be a top-10 team heading into November.
When facing a team that consistently wilts, give them game pressure late and see if they will find more ways to fold.
There are reasons Cal has come up short. It is their job to sort that, but NC State was responsible for acknowledging that and fighting the good fight.
And that is exactly what the Wolfpack is left to do with the remainder of its season. The goals are readjusted, and now it is a fight to get back to where they were in the last four seasons -- an eight or nine-win team and a program hopeful that they have left a sturdy base for the teams of the coming seasons to build off of.
It isn’t ideal for NC State, but it is realistic at the moment. Going forward, living in the moment is probably the best way for the Wolfpack to grow.