Going into Saturday, NC State’s offense had failed to score more than 21 points against an opponent with a pulse—and that was with Devin Leary. So I suppose what we got in his absence wasn’t shocking, but it was still disappointing.
The same problems that plagued the unit all year were there against Syracuse, when they really really could have benefited from not having those problems for once. Bafflingly bad execution in spots, pre-snap penalties—the whole standard mess but exacerbated by Leary’s absence. It left chunk plays, and points, out on the field.
The pace at which this offense plays has been killing me all year, but particularly as the struggles have mounted.