MCLAMB: Finley, Harmon A Dangerous Duo For NC State
Just three years ago, Ryan Finley and Kelvin Harmon would have seemed an unlikely pair. Now they will be indelibly linked together.
If there was any doubt before, the duo confirmed both their link together and the NC State immortality in the Wolfpack’s 52-10 trouncing of a hapless Louisville.
Finley’s 316 passing yards against Louisville moves him into second place on NC State’s all-time passing yards list. Meanwhile, Harmon, who finished with exactly 100 yards and a touchdown on seven catches against the Cardinals, now has two consecutive seasons of at least 1,000 yards.
Harmon is third on NC State’s all-time receiving list which, considering he will likely enter the NFL Draft after his junior season, is where he will probably finish his Wolfpack career behind Torry Holt and Jerricho Cotchery.
Finley and Harmon. One is from Phoenix and the other made his way to New Jersey from Liberia. The duo met in the middle at NC State and the partnership created magic.
Both work maniacally. They have used skill, precision technique, and intellect en route to greatness. It has been a sight to behold.
The final two games of the regular season represent chances for both – but not in terms of individual glory.
Neither will climb up the respective rankings any further. Finley will not catch Philip Rivers in passing yards unless the NCAA mysteriously grants him a seventh year of eligibility. Harmon would have to shun the riches of the NFL to come back for his senior season to pass Holt and Cotchery on the career receiving yards list.
The two regular season games remaining can cement their legacies in several ways. The matchup Saturday at North Carolina means a chance for the duo to close out their college careers undefeated against the Tar Heels. The season finale against East Carolina could see the Wolfpack end a three-game losing streak to the Pirates, a fact that annoys many Wolfpack faithful.
The end result would then be a 9-3 regular season campaign in 2018, a one-game improvement over last season, and would leave NC State with the chance to reach 10 wins for only the second time in program history.
Both Finley and Harmon will be honored by NC State after their college careers are over. It is not a question of if – but rather when – it will happen.
It is unlikely either knew about their status among the NC State greats, and they probably do not care, either. Perhaps that keeps it simple. They are two guys that train to be elite. All that is left to do is help the team inch closer to that level.
Closing out the regular season with wins over rivals, and moving NC State within a game of 10 wins in the process, is their chance to bolster both the program and their legacy within it. It is also a way to show their gratitude, although they will certainly have the desire to win without any added incentive.
The Wolfpack faithful would be wise to soak in the final contests of what has been two illustrious college careers. To have a Finley and Harmon together is not something that happens very often.
Ryan Finley and Kelvin Harmon probably did not know each other until 2016. They combined to form a unit that stands on its own. They will now be linked together in NC State lore forever.