Tim Beck saw young quarterback mistakes vs. BC
Many NC State football fans were wondering what happened with true freshman quarterback MJ Morris in the 21-20 home loss to Boston College. Upon further evaluation, Wolfpack offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Tim Beck offered up a simple explanation: Morris’ youth showed.
“I think he played a little bit like a freshman starting his second game,” Beck noted. “I think he saw that. I think during the game you don’t realize it, and when you watch the tape afterwards you start to realize, ‘Should have gave that one, should have pulled this one. I missed this throw,’ and things of that nature.
“I think he tried to do too much at times, and I think he just needs to keep doing what he did previous games which was just kind of running the offense within the confines of the offense. He doesn’t have to be Superman. He doesn’t have to make incredible plays. He just has to distribute the football to the correct guy at the correct time.”
Morris completed 12 of 24 passes for 135 yards and a touchdown with a pick while rushing for 22 more yards and a score last Saturday. He also turned the football over four times, counting the game’s last play.
“I think sometimes that’s hard for a young player that’s been a star to come up,” Beck observed. “I’ve gone through this with other young quarterbacks that played. They can get away with those things in high school, and they can’t away with them in college.”
What probably didn’t help Morris either were the injuries around him. He lost star super senior center Grant Gibson in the first half with an injury. That led to fourth-year redshirt sophomore right guard Dylan McMahon sliding inside and being replaced at guard by third-year redshirt freshman Anthony Carter Jr., who was receiving his first extensive career action.
Beck added that McMahon probably received about “three or four reps every two weeks at center.”
Big-play threat and fifth-year redshirt junior tight end Trent Pennix also left the game in the second half after making a pair of receptions for 53 yards and a score.
“What a tough competitor,” Beck noted on Pennix. “My hat goes off to him. Just the respect you have for that guy playing through all the bumps and bruise and injuries he has and the love for his teammates and the game.
“He just keeps fighting. He certainly is a difference maker.”
Whoever lines up on the field offensively for NC State Saturday at Louisville will face an aggressive Cardinals defense. Beck noted that the Pack’s running backs and tight ends will be more involved than normal in trying to protect the quarterback against their frequent blitzes.
“They’re kind of feast and famine,” Tim Beck noted of Louisville. “They get a lot of tackles for loss, a lot of turnovers, a lot of sacks and they’ve given up some big plays. Sometimes that happens when you pressure.
“They’re good. They’re fast. They can run. They’re very multiple in terms of fronts and coverage. It’s going to be quite a challenge for our guys.”
