What can N.C. State’s veteran defense do better in 2021?
N.C. State defensive coordinator Tony Gibson doesn’t see any need to reinvent the wheel.
His unit is loaded with experience and, with 10 starters returning as well as a bunch of guys in the two-deep who have played a lot of football, Gibson doesn’t have to get too fancy.
Entering his third season with the Wolfpack, Gibson won’t make the mistake of over complicating things. He won’t add a lot of exotic blitzes and schemes, or different fronts from what N.C. State has done in the past.
Yes, he wants the defense to play faster, but complicating things by throwing more on their plates won’t accomplish that goal. This fall camp, even with all the experience, has been about getting back to the basics and perfecting their craft.
“Getting guys in the right position,” Gibson said. “Cleaning up technique wise that’s the biggest thing; getting them in a good stance, getting their eyes right. What happens with that is we allow them to play so much faster now that they know it. I don’t want to add a lot of stuff, I want our guys, number one, to play fast, play hard, play physical and all those things.”
N.C. State’s defense was ranked No. 7 in the ACC a year ago, surrendering 415 yards per game - middle of the pack in the league against the run and pass, with lots of room for improvement. It helps to have 10 starters returning and 13 of the top 15 tacklers from a year ago back. That group includes All-ACC linebacker Payton Wilson, who led the team with 108 tackles in 2020, and safety Tanner Ingle, who missed a chunk of time a year ago due to injuries or ejections.
Ingle was a co-captain last season along with linebacker Isaiah Moore, who will be entering his third season as a starter. The defense also returns corners Chris Ingram and Teshaun Smith, both former starters back from serious injuries. At every position on defense, there is a guy who knows what to do. Gibson isn’t too concerned about expanding on the playbook, but is more focused on taking care of the little things to improve the defense.
“I want to perfect in what we do,” Gibson said. “That’s been a really big emphasis for us.”
Finding consistency
The N.C. State defense had its moments last season - four forced takeaways versus Virginia, or the way they defended the goal line (and the run) versus Pittsburgh. There were also some games they would like to forget. The Wolfpack gave up a total of 1,198 yards in consecutive losses to UNC and Miami and had a hard time stopping the run against Kentucky in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl.
With 10 starters back, on paper, there should be improvement, right? Head coach Dave Doeren realizes the expectations placed on his team with so many familiar faces, but added another layer to that is getting guys on the practice field consistently through camp.
“I think there’s a little bit of misconception that we’ve got all these guys back,” Doeren said. “We do but we also need them all to be out on the field at the same time working together for consecutive days after days.”
Liberty and Syracuse in late November marked the only time N.C. State started the same 11 guys on defense in consecutive games. Doeren wants to see more continuity throughout camp, from both sides of the ball, before he’s able to properly evaluate whether they have the potential to be better.
One thing that helps for the defense is there hasn’t been any changes on the staff this off season.
“They’re all with the same coaches on defense that they had the year before,” Doeren said. “Same system, same terminology and playing next to the same player in many cases, that’s helped them play faster. I think there’s trust. There’s built experience, not that we’re playing perfect football. We’re not. There’s a lot of things we have to do better, but they are playing fast.”
Not only playing fast, but processing what’s happening on the field a lot quicker. Doeren has noticed his defensive guys talking more situational football ahead of the next play. Down and distance, red zone, field position conversations have replaced questions of where to line up or what’s the assignment.
“We’re not having those conversations with the ones (starters),” Doeren said. “Most of the time not with the twos.”
Daily competition
The defense gets a lot of attention for the players returning, but the offense is no slouch. Eight starters are back, including all the running backs and receivers. Quarterback Devin Leary is also back behind center.
That kind of production, on both sides, makes for some good back and forth in practice and at the first full scrimmage of the season.
Offensive coordinator Tim Beck has seen first hand how much faster Gibson’s unit has been playing this camp.
“The players know the system better,” Beck said. “So they are playing faster. And it’s tough. It’s a tough go. I mean, they do a great job against us.”
Gibson likes the level of competition at position groups throughout the defense. At linebacker, Wilson, Moore and Drake Thomas more than likely aren’t getting dethroned, but there’s a room full of guys at defensive line who can rotate and things are even more crowded in the secondary. That makes it hard for guys to take a day off in practice.
“Every day is an interview for those guys as well,” Gibson said. “So, you know, we’re not just going to crown a guy, this is your spot and you could play however and you’re going to keep that spot, so there’s a challenge every day for those guys to keep getting better.”
This story was originally published August 18, 2021 at 9:59 AM with the headline "What can N.C. State’s veteran defense do better in 2021?."
