Robert Kennedy wants more as he gets first taste of impact plays on NC State’s defense 

NC State nickelback Robert Kennedy III has done a lot in his college football career, from recording a sack to running back a botched field goal for a touchdown against Virginia Tech with Old Dominion last fall. But there’s one thing that he hadn’t done at the Division I level: record a pick-6. 

Well, luckily for the first-year Wolfpack player, it didn’t take long into his NC State career to check that box off the list. 

Kennedy, a former junior college player and Monarch, joined NC State before fall camp, and quickly became an integral part of the Wolfpack’s defense. But his start to his time in Raleigh didn’t have many explosive plays — that was until NC State hosted the Virginia Military Institute on Saturday afternoon at Carter-Finley Stadium. 

The Jeannette, Pa., native made his presence felt in the Wolfpack’s 45-7 win over the Keydets — and he kicked things off with his first interception returned for a touchdown as a Division I defender. 

“It was really amazing because that was my first pick-6 in Division I college ball,” Kennedy said. “I’m still feeling it, to be honest. It feels good, and we won, so it always feels even better.”

Kennedy watched as VMI quarterback Collin Shannon looked to find a receiver on a short slant on third-and-11 during the Keydets’ second possession of the game. The 5-foot-10 defensive back said he knew VMI wasn’t going to try to throw many deep passes against NC State’s secondary, so he expected the short pass. 

And he was right. The Keydets tried to find wide receiver Chance Knox on a five-yard route, but the ball went off Knox’s hands and directly into Kennedy’s. 

“Once I got the ball in my hands, it’s just trying to score,” Kennedy said. “It’s not really anything else.”

After that, Kennedy had green grass — and plenty of blockers down field — to dance his way past the VMI offense and into the end zone for his first-career touchdown at NC State. 

Kennedy, who was one of three transfers added to NC State’s secondary over the offseason, isn’t just a downfield defender. He’s physical, too, which allows the Wolfpack to use him all over the field. 

For NC State coach Dave Doeren, Kennedy has been impressive in the just under two months he’s spent on campus. 

“Robert’s been a really good addition to our defense,” Doeren said. “He’s been very consistent. He understands the defense, he’s learning it really quickly. … He’s a kid that can do a lot: can play man-to-man; can play the run; can play the deep pass; can blitz; can fit in the box in the run game; got a high football IQ. … We’re very thankful that we have him here, and we’re excited that he got that touchdown today. That was an awesome moment for him.”

That football IQ helped on the interception as Kennedy read VMI’s offense in real time to make the play on the batted ball. And it wasn’t coincidental either.

Yes, he’s a skilled defensive back, but it’s not all natural talent. Instead, Kennedy’s time spent watching film paid off.  

“I feel like, obviously God-gifted, but watching a lot of film and knowing offenses tendencies and stuff, it gives you a little inch of where you’re supposed to be and the angles you can take,” Kennedy said. “Just watching a lot of football, really studying the team’s tendencies, that gives you a little bit of an edge.”

In addition to his ability to find the ball in the air, which he did on the interception, Kennedy found himself in the VMI backfield multiple times on Saturday. And when he was back there, he seemed to make a play each time. 

Kennedy finished the day with four tackles, including 1.5 sacks. But while that’s the most he’s had with the Wolfpack this season, Kennedy isn’t satisfied with one standout performance. 

“I would say I’m probably one of the more confident dudes on the team, but I don’t always just say it, it’s kind of in me,” Kennedy said. “It obviously builds confidence, but to be honest, I’m a ‘want more’ type of person. One-and-a-half [sacks], why can’t that be three? And then one pick, why can’t it be two or three? I just feel like I’m a ‘more’ type of person, so it could always be more.”

Kennedy is driven, and more may be in store for him and the rest of the NC State defense has the Wolfpack prepare to open ACC play at Virginia next week. 

But for now, the pick-6 and multi-sack game seem like a good start for Kennedy, who’s had to work for his opportunities in college football — from Lackawanna Community College to ODU to this season at NC State.