NC State was essentially a nine-win team hiding in a modest 7-6 record in 2016, and there were a number of factors involved there: special teams struggles (no details needed here), an inability to execute some game-changing plays late, and the offense’s occasional disappearances.
While it’s really difficult to imagine how the kicking game or clutch execution might change this fall, we can at least go into the season confident that the offense will get better.
In five of State’s six losses last year, the Wolfpack was held to 20 points or fewer. Granted, most of these losses came against good defenses—FSU, Clemson, BC, Miami—but if 2017 is to be a breakout season, the offense is going to have to produce more consistently against talented defenses like those.