Clemson will begin spring practice Wednesday, but the Tigers aren’t the only ones in the ACC taking the field over the next couple of months.
With early preparations for the 2022 season on the horizon for teams throughout the conference, The Clemson Insider is going around the league to take a look at where other teams stand going into the spring starting with the eight teams on the Tigers’ schedule. Next up is North Carolina State.
Head coach: Dave Doeren (10th year)
2021 record: 9-3, 6-2 ACC
Key personnel losses: RB Ricky Person Jr., RB Zonovan Knight, WR Emeka Emezie, OT Ikem Ekwonu, DL Daniel Joseph
Key returners/additions: QB Devin Leary, WR Thayer Thomas, WR Darryl Jones, C Grant Gibson, DL Cory Durden, LB Drake Thomas, LB Payton Wilson, DB Tanner Ingle, DB Cyrus Fagan
Spring gleaning: With four wins in its last five games, N.C. State took some momentum into the offseason as the Atlantic Division’s co-runner-up, a distinction it shared with Clemson. The Wolfpack head into the spring with Leary back at the controls of the offense after he finished fourth in the ACC in passing last season. N.C. State has multiple starters along the offensive line back, too, as well as nearly every starter on defense, so there’s plenty of experience and familiarity returning for coordinators Tim Beck and Tony Gibson.
That doesn’t mean the Wolfpack don’t have some significant holes they need to start trying to fill this spring, particularly on offense. There’s little game experience left at running back with Person and Knight gone. Emezie was Leary’s top target in the passing game, and the loss of Ekonwu, who’s widely projected to be a top-5 pick in this year’s NFL Draft, leaves a massive void at left tackle. Thomas, the Wolfpack’s second-leading receiver, and Jones, a Maryland transfer, should help out wide, but only Virginia rushed for fewer yards than N.C. State a season ago in the ACC, so finding a way to achieve offensive balance with fewer experienced pieces to work with in the running game will be a primary task for the Wolfpack, who will travel to Clemson on Oct. 1.
Spring game: April 9 at Carter-Finley Stadium
Clemson Variety & Frame is doing their part to help bring you some classic new barware and help one of the local businesses that helps make Clemson special.
Order your Nick’s barware and do your part to help. #SaveNicks
