NC State looks to get ‘best back on the field’ against Florida State. What to watch for

There has been much talk this week about N.C. State letting go of the Clemson loss, resetting, refocusing, having productive practices, being ready for Florida State on Saturday.

Such was the message.

The response?

“I think guys were anxious to get back on grass Tuesday and start working on the next thing,” Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren said Thursday. “The hardest part is the Sunday, Monday after a loss. Once you get into the next team and the game plan, the guys came out and gave real good energy.

“There’s a lot of football left. You can’t let one loss turn into another because you’re not focused. We need to get our best back on the field and go play as well as we can.”

It has been a week of some introspection, of making changes deemed necessary. There is a respect level for Florida State and what the Seminoles have accomplished this season — a 4-1 overall record and 2-1 mark in the ACC — and no time to dwell on the what-ifs of the 30-20 loss in Death Valley.

“We flushed it,” Pack linebacker Payton Wilson said. “We know we can’t play how we played, we can’t make the same mistakes we made. We need to get it fixed.”

In an interesting twist, both Wolfpack coordinators admitted to coaching misjudgments in the loss to the No. 5 Tigers.

For defensive coordinator Tony Gibson, it was being too conservative and the coverage too soft after the Pack had taken a 10-6 lead with 1:51 left in the first half. The Tigers then went 75 yards in eight plays, DJ Uiagalelei completing passes of 14 and 26 yards and then scoring from the 1 as Clemson grabbed the lead.

“The kids played their tails off,” Gibson said this week of the Wolfpack defense. “We’ve got to do a better job coaching. The drive before the half, that was 100 percent on me. We should have been more aggressive.”

For offensive coordinator Tim Beck, it was going into the game expecting the Tigers to play tighter, press coverage on the Pack receivers — as Clemson did the week before against Wake Forest. Instead, the Tigers had two safeties deep and the cornerbacks giving up a little more cushion.

“Teams are playing us a little bit deeper,” Beck said. “Three of the first five games you’re getting a lot of two high deep shell where they’re helping, and trying to make you throw the ball underneath and run it. My biggest critique of myself is to be patient and keep taking what they’re giving us. I’m used to throwing the ball down the field.

“Clemson’s plan versus Wake Forest was completely different than what they did against us. Completely. They helped their corners, they played two high shell. We were trying to game plan for some of that and it didn’t work. It wasn’t the plan.”

That said, the Wolfpack (4-1, 0-1) figures to remain aggressive defensively and more patient on offense against the Seminoles. The Pack must pressure FSU quarterback Jordan Travis and try to establish more offensive balance when it has the ball.

“They’re big, fast, physical,” Beck said of the FSU defense. “They’re very similar to Clemson. They don’t do as much defensively, but what they do they’re good at and they know it. They line up and play.”

As for the Pack defense, Gibson said. “I told the kids Sunday nobody feels sorry for us. What we have to do is jump back on the horse and ride again.”

Injury update: Pennix close to return

Tight end Trent Pennix, injured in the opener at East Carolina, could return for the Syracuse game next week or the Oct. 27 home game against Virginia Tech, Doeren said Thursday.

Pennix had three catches for a team-high 97 yards and a touchdown a year ago in the Pack’s 28-14 win at FSU.

“Trent in this game last year was huge,” Doeren said. “We miss him. He’s a weapon at that position.”

How to watch

The game will be shown on the ACC Network and streamed by ESPN+. Mike Monaco will handle the play by play, Tim Hasselbeck will be the analyst and Kelsey Riggs the sideline reporter.

Latest Vegas odds

The Wolfpack is a 3-point favorite and ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) gives the Pack a 60.5% chance of winning.

Florida State (4-1, 2-1) at No. 14 N.C. State (4-1, 0-1)

Where: Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh

When: Saturday, 8 p.m.

TV: ACC Network

Stream: ESPN+