N.C. State wasn’t supposed to need “wouldas” and “couldas” this year, not with so many of the same players back from last year and the promise of a breakthrough from the rut of mediocrity.
Instead, after Saturday’s disappointing 35-28 loss to South Carolina in Charlotte, the Wolfpack players (and fans) are left asking: what now? The dejection felt all too familiar to senior receiver/running back Jaylen Samuels.
“We’ve been through this a lot of times,” said Samuels, who equaled a school-record for catches with 15 (for 85 yards) and scored a touchdown.
Samuels is right, this group has experienced dejection before — notably in difficult losses to East Carolina, Clemson and Florida State last season — and it looked and felt a lot like this.