The Confidential

2017 was a Year of What Could Have Been for NC State Football

Once again, NC State football fans are thinking “what could have been?” A chip shot field goal that goes through the uprights in Death Valley and an easy interception in the end zone against Florida State and NC State would have been 8-4 going into the bowl season. An eight win ACC team with wins over two of the top 15 teams in the country.

This seems to be the thought process for NC State fans almost every year. There were numerous years when Philip Rivers was quarterback and fans were left scratching their heads. How could State beat a top 5 Florida State team and lose to an unranked Wake Forest team. Well, not much has changed in the last decade as State physically dominated Clemson in Death Valley and turns around and loses to a Boston College team that had not one in the ACC in several years.

So, what can we make of the progress of Dave Doeren? It is quite clear that the team is more talented than the Tom O’Brien teams. The defense is very impressive at times and the offense shows signs of being fantastic when they gain momentum. Is this a coach that can get NC State into the top 25 and win 9 or 10 games every year? Or, is this a coach that is going to get to second tier bowl games and continue to make excuses for balls that happen to bounce into the opponent’s arms while they stride into the end zone?

Well, we will get another year to figure that out as Doeren will be back for the 2017 season. Maybe next year will be the year it all turns around for the Pack. Just maybe…

This blog post is supported by Gladwell Orthodontics and their Raleigh Offices. The Lane family is a huge supported of NC State athletics; especially NC State Football. You will notice their logo at many of the NC State sporting events you attend.