Adams: "We Still Have Our Goals In Place"

The offensive line is taking shape. After the early tribulations, the hope is that NC State will be better off than initially expected.

The return of Will Richardson coupled with Terronne Prescod’s improving health bolsters the front in the Wolfpack offense.

With the running game not where the team wants it to be, the offensive line has taken the early season struggles personally.

There is also confidence that the loss of Matthew Dayes to graduation does not mean NC State is devoid of talent at the running back position.

“We pride ourselves on that,” Tony Adams said. “Last year we had a 1,000-yard back, and we have very capable backs this year in Nyheim and Reggie. They can run for 100 yards each game. We want to implement that into every game we play so we have got to do better on our part to get more effective in the run game.”

Many feel that a solid running game is the final piece to what could be a potent offense for NC State.

The Wolfpack has also pinpointed another area of focus.

In the victory over Marshall, NC State trailed for most of the first half before scoring late to take the lead. It was the second straight game this season where the Pack reached paydirt in the dying seconds of the first half.

Adams and his teammates are not interested in starting slow again.

“That is one thing that we hit on when we had our meetings [Tuesday], it is to start faster each quarter,” Adams said. “Be able to start where we can get something going as soon as we hit the field. The last couple of games we have been outscored in the first and the third quarter so when we come out for these next couple of games we want to get the ball rolling.”

Joe Sculthorpe and Justin Witt will slide back to reserve roles now that Richardson is back. Prescod is the listed starter at left guard for the Furman game.

The duo of Sculthorpe and Witt will continue to have an impact this season.

“It is great because it builds on experience,” Adams said of Sculthorpe and Witt. “We had a couple of redshirt freshman guys in there. They did a wonderful job but having Will back is going to be great too because he has played with the best, played with us for awhile, so it will be really good. It will be a huge part for him coming back so we can be more effective in the run game and be more cohesive as a group.”

The inclination is to think NC State could waltz in and pick up an easy win versus Furman Saturday.

With games against Atlantic Division foes Florida State, Syracuse and Louisville in the three following weeks, the Pack is nearing the point where big games are a weekly event.

In their mind, they have already crossed that bridge. Furman is the next challenge.

The loss to South Carolina, as painful as it was, did not eliminate NC State from any of its objectives for the 2017 season.

“We still have our goals in place, ACC championship,” Adams said. “Everything in front of us, we can achieve because of how hard we work in that building.and how hard we work on the field. We take each game step-by-step and we will get to each game at each point but we have confidence that we can reach every goal we hope to obtain.”