Holliday: NC State needs to pick up pace of offensive evolution

By Bob Holliday, WRAL Sports contributor

ACC Network analyst Mark Richt watched NC State’s Jack Chambers at Syracuse and flashed back to his days as the offensive coordinator at Florida State. In 1992 the Seminoles had a “too small” quarterback named Charlie Ward. “We thought about benching him,” Richt said, “but the backup wasn’t any good.” So Richt and Coach Bobby Bowden changed FSU’s offense to capitalize on Ward’s exceptional quickness and his ability to throw on the run. They also pushed the tempo in between plays.

And so the Florida State fastbreak offense, which terrorized ACC opponents all through the 90’s, came into being.

Not saying Jack Chambers is a Heisman candidate – Ward, after all, did win the Heisman Trophy in 1993 – but Chambers is extremely quick and he can throw on the run. I’m sure M.J. Morris, likely NC State’s quarterback of the future, will also get some playing time. But Chambers has the ability and experience to win games now if Dave Doeren and offensive coordinator Tim Beck will play to his strengths.

First, NC State needs to play faster. Doeren, whose background as a coach is largely on defense, likes to control the ball, and rest Tony Gibson’s unit. And the Wolfpack did fashion a 10 minute advantage in time of possession at Syracuse. But, the value of resting the defense is offset by not scoring touchdowns.

With Chambers at the helm, the Wolfpack mounted three time-consuming drives for field goals, taking seven minutes to go 48 yards, eight minutes to move 50 yards, and nine and one-half minutes to march 56 yards. That’s just too long. State in effect shortened the game to its own detriment.

Even if the Pack had scored a couple of touchdowns on those three drives, this offense would have been hard pressed to tie the game at the end. Sean Tucker’s game clinching touchdown came with just 2:20 remaining. NC State had already killed most of the fourth quarter clock time with that nine and a half minute drive.

State did player faster in the final two minutes but could only reach the Syracuse 18.

Now the dome environment at Syracuse is extremely difficult to play in. And the Orange’s defense is stout—we saw that at Clemson in the Tigers’ narrow 27-21 win. But while caution may have been called for at Syracuse, there’s no reason why NC State can’t play faster Thursday night at home against Virginia Tech.

While playing more up tempo, State needs improvement in other facets of the game. There are too many pre snap penalties. Even five extra yards can be a drive killer.

Receivers struggle to get separation. Why is Thayer Thomas the team’s leading receiver? Simple. He gets open. Keyon Lesane had a nice game against Syracuse, with four catches for 39 yards. But Chambers, and Morris when he’s in there, need more options.

The pocket is not Chambers’ friend. Tall pass rushers will bat down some of his passes. Indeed, the 5’10 Chambers probably can’t see that well in the pocket. Once in the fourth quarter against the Orange, Chambers overthrew an open receiver because he had to change the launch angle to float his pass above the on-rushing linemen. Then, a couple of plays later, he rolled right and was able to operate without pass rushers in his face. He threw a 25 yard strike to tight end Chris Toudle. The Pack needs more of that.

Receivers need to help the quarterback – like Emeka Emezie did. State needs guys that can go high and jump to make a catch, or go low and dive to get the grab. The Wolfpack receivers need to be able to catch balls that are not perfectly thrown.

NC State has missed tight end Trent Pennix who was hurt early in the season. He is expected to play against Virginia Tech. The Pack also missed Devin Carter and Demie Sumo-Karngbaye at Syracuse, who were out with injuries. Maybe they’ll be ready to play some? Carter is a big target and also a deep threat. DSK is adept at catching passes out of the backfield, as is Jordan Houston. Running backs often have an easier time getting open and so if Sumo-Karngbaye is in the rotation with Houston that increases the chance that the Hokies, who of course will focus on the wide receivers, may lose sight of the subtle release of a running back into the pass pattern.

And speaking of running backs, State’s running attack should be more difficult to defend with Chambers at quarterback. Yet State could muster only 95 yards at the ‘Cuse. It would have been 107, but there was miscommunication on one snap from center that lost 12 yards; missed snaps are another negative that happen entirely too often for this team.

Chambers is a big threat when he decides to run out of passing formations. His quickness also makes him effective on the zone read and the O.C. Tim Beck has been quick to incorporate option plays following the season ending injury to Devin Leary-who was not a running threat. As defenses key in on Chambers, that should create opportunities for Houston, Delbert Mimms, and Sumo-Karngbaye.

Chambers passed for almost 6000 yards in four seasons at Charleston Southern; so he has passing ability. He’s just rusty. He looked better passing in the Syracuse game than in the Florida State game when he was pressed into service after Leary’s injury. Indeed, JC looked more comfortable passing against the Orange as the game went along. He only passed for 31 yards in the first half but tallied 129 yards in the second.

Maybe the Virginia Tech game will mark his coming out party as a passer at NC State.

One thing Chambers has not done in five and one half quarters of play: Put the ball in the end zone. JC has presided over six scoring drives against Florida State and Syracuse. All ended in Chris Dunn field goals—and Dunn is a very important weapon for this team.

But NC State’s touchdown percentage in the red zone is just 50%, 15-30. That’s too low. By contrast, UNC’s red zone touchdown percentage is 80%, 24 of 30. The Wolfpack must start scoring touchdowns again versus Virginia Tech.

And the touchdowns will come if the Pack can improve its offensive execution as outlined above and do it while playing faster.

Tempo tires out a defense and more importantly limits the defense’s ability to diagnose schemes and call signals. When a team mixes runs and passes while playing fast, there is a synergistic effect—the offensive components work together to produce a greater result.

State converted just 5-16 third downs last Saturday. That should improve as well with faster play. Chambers has shown he’s a playmaker. Did you see the pass he completed while being tackled and falling down? Wow.

Doeren said on tv at halftime in the JMA Wireless Dome “defense needs to score.” He’s right of course. Alas, in the second half the Wolfpack dropped an interception that might have become a pick 6.

So many great players who could have moved on returned to West Raleigh hoping to make this a special season. The losses—Clemson, Syracuse, and Devin Leary—have changed the landscape to be sure. But NC State’s defense is still as good as it ever was. If the offense gels this can still be a very good season.

The elusive ACC Championship is out of reach, but 10 wins and a top bowl bid are still theoretically possible.

It will be difficult for State to trade touchdowns in November with the high powered offenses of Wake Forest and UNC. But eight wins and a post season opportunity are definitely attainable. And who knows? Maybe the Pack can make something special happen against its Big Four rivals.

Going forward, much depends on how much NC State can reinvent its offense.