Wolfpack defense comes up big when it needed to

By Jacey Zembal

The reworked NC State defense played fast and aggressive, and came up big in the end.

Temple redshirt junior cornerback transfer Jamel Johnson preserved the win by making the tackle on East Carolina tight end Desirrio Riles on fourth-and-1 at the 10-yard line with 37 seconds remaining.

Showing resolve on the defensive side was an offseason goal after how last year ended. The Wolfpack went through major renovations on the personnel and coaching side, and a 24-17 win over East Carolina could lay a solid foundation moving forward.

Related links: Instant observations: NC State survives to beat ECU in season opener | NC State downs ECU to open 2025 season with a win

NC State coach Dave Doeren said the defense was prepared for ECU’s fourth-down play.

“I thought it would either be a repeat of their speed option, which they scored on earlier in a similar situation or what they ran — the naked crack screen that they ran on us last year in the bowl game,” Doeren said.

“I didn’t expect them to try to run the ball up the middle. I thought it’d be something off the edges. The defense did a great job. Coach [defensive coordinator D.J.] Eliot prepared them well for that play. We practiced that play throughout the week.”

When last seen, the Pirates gashed the Wolfpack’s defense with 39 carries for 326 yards and 3 rushing touchdowns in a 26-21 win in the Military Bowl last season.

Both teams have gone through changes, but it was clear NC State wasn’t going to get gouged in the run game during Thursday’s win. 

Eliot and a slew of transfers helped rebuild the defense. East Carolina had 10 carries for 25 yards in the first half, and the Wolfpack led 17-7 at halftime.

The Pirates finished with 29 carries for just 30 yards and a touchdown, and the Wolfpack had 9 tackles for loss and a sack. The last time NC State held a team to fewer than 30 rushing yards or less was against Wake Forest on Nov. 11, 2023. The Demon Deacons had 18 carries for 7 yards.

NC State was able to mesh new players to start the game fast defensively.

“It says a lot about the preparation that Coach Eliot and his staff did with the guys,” Doeren said. “It says a lot about the kids understanding the rules and how to adjust because you’re going to see things you don’t practice in the first few games. I thought we tackled really well in this game. That was impressive.”

The reworked defense had new starters with Wyoming senior transfer Sabastian Harsh at defensive end, senior nose tackle Chazz Wallace, a former Colorado transfer, Utah State senior edge rusher Cian Slone and a reworked secondary that didn’t have any starters back from the 2024 season opener. Senior nose tackle Brandon Cleveland had to miss the first half due to being ejected in the Miltary Bowl.

Former Villanova transfer Devon Marshall, a senior, was the lone experienced returnee at cornerback. He was joined by Jamel Johnson, Georgia State senior safety transfer Jeremiah Johnson, redshirt freshman safety Ronnie Royal and redshirt junior nickel Jackson Vick.

Another aspect missing in the Military Bowl was not having injured inside linebacker Caden Fordham, who returned to action Thursday. He led the team with 11 tackles, and returning linebacker Sean Brown had 10 tackles.

“Anytime you can get back to the sport you love so much and be able to play in any situation, it’s such a blessing,” Fordham said. “It was so much fun going out there with my brothers and fighting tonight and getting a win.”

Three key plays showed there is room for improvement for NC State’s defense.

The one gaffe was a big one, with former Ole Miss tight end transfer Jayvontay Conner slipping by the defense and having enough speed for a 79-yard touchdown catch. NC State had offered the Alabama native, who played his senior year at Kernersville (N.C.) East Forsyth, but his catch-and-run was still surprising. He entered the game with two catches for 9 yards between his two colleges, so his play proved to be the big outlier.

Take out the 79-yard touchdown, and the Pirates had 29 plays for 53 yards in the first half.

ECU’s lone “big” play in the third quarter was a 37-yard pass to wide receiver Brock Spalding against NC State’s secondary reserves.

Spalding came back and caught a 39-yard pass in the fourth quarter to the NC State 24-yard line that eventually set up a field goal.

NC State’s defense has a chance to get momentum over the first six games of the season. Duke threw for 389 yards in a 45-17 win over Elon on Thursday night, but the game was still competitive midway through the third quarter.

NC State hosts Virginia in a nonconference tilt at 12 p.m. Sept. 6. The Cavaliers host Coastal Carolina on Saturday.

“Really good win, and so proud of the guys,” Doeren said. “At the same time, there are a lot of things that we can do better.”

NC State holds on to defeat East Carolina 24-17 in the season opener. NCSU hosts Virginia in non-conference action next week. pic.twitter.com/SuMxoS0JDu

— Jacey Zembal (@NCStateRivals) August 29, 2025