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NC State football could be without pair of key starters against Louisville

image_6483441 (3)by: Noah Fleischman09/25/23fleischman_noah
Devan Boykin
Oct 30, 2021; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack defensive back Devan Boykin gestures after a missed Louisville Cardinals field goal during the first half at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports

NC State will be without two key starters — redshirt junior center Dylan McMahon and junior safety Devan Boykin — against Louisville due to injuries, coach Dave Doeren announced Monday evening.

Doeren said both players are considered day-to-day, and Boykin has a long shot chance to play against Louisville.

“They’re both getting better,” Doeren said. “Devan’s actually doing a lot better than expected, and so there’s a long shot, but there’s a chance he’ll play. … Dylan’s doing a lot better. I just saw him upstairs watching film. It’s not a long term thing, just how fast their bodies will allow them to get back.”

McMahon was injured in the first quarter of NC State’s 45-7 win over VMI in week 3. He has not returned to the lineup since. McMahon was spotted with a soft brace on his right leg on the sideline before the Wolfpack’s win at Virginia last Friday night.

While McMahon has missed time, NC State has used left guard Lyndon Cooper at center. The Carrollton, Ga., native recorded the Wolfpack’s fourth-highest overall offensive grade (67.9) against the Cavaliers, according to Pro Football Focus. He recorded a 75.3 pass blocking grade with a 63.8 run blocking grade across 68 snaps at center. 

“We’ve known for a while, we’ve kind of set ourselves progression-wise with the guys we have,” Doeren said of the center situation last week. “I think putting [Cooper] at guard allowed him to get playing, and he didn’t have to worry about the snaps and all that. We feel great with him in there [at center]. He understands the system and what to do with it. There’s great confidence if he’s the guy we have to role with.”

McMahon was previously listed day-to-day by Doeren and appeared on NC State’s depth chart ahead of the contest at UVA. He was not listed on this week’s depth chart. 

Boykin was injured in the first quarter at UVA, and he did not return to action. He was one of two injured safeties in Charlottesville after redshirt junior Cecil Powell departed the game prematurely as well. Powell was listed on this week’s depth chart as the second-string strong safety behind junior Bishop Fitzgerald. 

Boykin, a Greensboro, N.C., native, appeared in the Wolfpack’s first three games and recorded 16 tackles with 0.5 tackles for a loss.

NC State’s secondary will be tested this week by Louisville quarterback Jack Plummer, who has been explosive within the Cardinals’ offense so far this fall. The Cardinals’ signal-caller has thrown for 1,120 yards and 10 touchdowns through his team’s first four games.

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