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NC State DE Sabastian Harsh’s targeting suspension upheld by NCAA, will miss first half at Duke

image_6483441 (3)by: Noah Fleischman10 hours agofleischman_noah
Sabastian Harsh
NC State senior defensive end Sabastian Harsh and the Wolfpack defense had just four missed tackles in last Thursday's win over East Carolina in Raleigh. (USA Today Sports photos)

NC State will be without graduate defensive end Sabastian Harsh for the first half against Duke this Saturday (4 p.m., ESPN2) after the NCAA upheld the decision upon appeal of his targeting ejection, Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren said Monday evening. 

The process involves the NCAA’s National Coordinator of Officials Steve Shaw, who hears the appeal to make the final decision, but he elected to keep the penalty as it was called and enforced on the field.

Harsh’s targeting penalty came late in the fourth quarter of the Wolfpack’s 34-24 win at Wake Forest on Thursday night. He pursued Wake Forest quarterback Robby Ashford, who tucked the ball to take off as a runner. Harsh was tripped up from behind, causing his body to fall towards the ground as Harsh tried to finish the tackle. 

As he went to wrap up the signal-caller with both hands, his helmet made contact with Ashford’s, leading to the penalty being called and upheld by replay review. 

In the moment, Doeren wasn’t pleased with the call on the field.

“I was really disappointed in the targeting call,” Doeren said postgame. “I thought that was not a good call. Last year, we lost Grayson McCall to a play that wasn’t targeting, but that was today? I’d love an explanation on that.

“I thought that was about as clean to do what he did when the guy was running the football. And now we lose Sabastian for the first half of next game. I got to stick up for my guys. That doesn’t make sense to me.”

Now that NC State has the official ruling from the NCAA, the Wolfpack can move forward with preparing for Duke on Saturday. 

“It’s a next-man up kind of thing,” Doeren said Monday. “It’s no different when Brandon Cleveland couldn’t play the first half for us in the ECU game. It gave Chazz Wallace and Josiah Victor a chance to play. You’re going to see that with our guys. … There will definitely be opportunities for guys to get more reps in the first half.”

NC State has several young players that will likely see an increased workload in the opening two quarters at Duke. Redshirt freshman Chase Bond, who has five total tackles with two for a loss this season, has been Harsh’s primary backup and is a likely candidate to start. Texas Tech transfer Joseph Adedire returned to practice last week, but could have a chance to see the field for the first time in his Wolfpack career. 

Redshirt sophomore Isaiah Shirley is listed as a defensive tackle now, but he has played at defensive end before. The 280-pound defender is athletic and versatile as he showed with his 41-yard interception return for a touchdown to give NC State its first score at Wake Forest. 

No matter who takes Harsh’s snaps, he’ll be tough to replace with his 14 total tackles, including 3.5 for a loss, and 10 total quarterback pressures through the first three games. But it’s the name of the game, and the Wolfpack will be ready to go ahead of its road tilt with the Blue Devils.

“He’s a good player for us,” Doeren said of Harsh. “It hurts when you lose a player like that for a half of football, but at the same time, that’s part of the deal. You’ve got to step up, next-man up. You’ve got to be able to take advantage of your opportunity, for one, and I know the guys we have will be prepared to do that.”