Is this a PERFECT opponent for NC State’s football season?

Bueno, nos vamos. A aquí tienes o cuenta. ¿Espero?

$10,000? No sí, las cervezas, hamburguesas, alitas, postre, la multa por conducir por racho a casa, lisencia suspendida, días de carcel, días de trabajo perdíos. Ya sabe, todo lo que imbolucro tenemos un DIY. Bueno, y lo que quiero dejar de propíne. No páges el presio de tomar y manigar. Te puede salir caro.

Manigar tomados y serás arrestado, un mincaje de netza. ¿Qué puede puede puede puede puede? Yeah, I think that's a very good way of looking at it because you talk about the level of competition. Now, UConn, when they went to NCC last year, I was at the game, I thought they were terrible. But as the season went on, they actually made a bowl game. So they're a decent team, you know, and this is all about getting ready for Notre Dame is kind of what I'm leading up to.

So you're playing against solid competition, but you're not having to, you know, do what Carolina's doing to have to play a team like South Carolina. But you're also not doing what Wake Forest is doing and playing a team like Elon where it's going to be a huge adjustment week two when Notre Dame comes in town. And then also, I kind of like the fact that they're on the road so that way when Notre Dame does come, it's going to be an electric atmosphere. You know, it's already going to be because Notre Dame, and I'm sure any time Notre Dame comes to any stadium, you're going to get their best shot.

But you know how Etsy Stay fans are. They're going to be so excited for the season opener to be at Carter Finley for the first time to tailgate and then also throw in, yeah, it's Notre Dame. So I think this is, like you said, the perfect opponent from a competition standpoint, from an on the road standpoint to, you know, getting our first look at Robert and I, Brennan Armstrong, and what this team is going to kind of look like when, you know, when we see them in Raleigh against Notre Dame. Mike Glennon is joining us here, legend of NC State.

I don't know if you were looking at my notes, but you led me into my next question. And I don't know how much you feel comfortable getting into it, but here's my thoughts on what I want to see from the Wolfpack, especially offensively this year. In the past, Dave Dorn has been allowing his defense to do the heavy lifting.

Let's not screw this up. Our defense is great. Let them win games for us. I don't believe that philosophy can really work in a big way in college football these days. You've got Brennan Armstrong, you've got Robert and I, who a couple of years ago put up, I don't know, like 5,000 yards of total offense because Armstrong can run.

He threw for over 4,000 yards two years ago at UVA. So what I want to see is for Dave Dorn to just kind of turn his head and take his medicine and let the offense go. Your defense is good enough to erase some mistakes, especially against UConn. So throw a little caution to the wind because I think if their offense can become legitimately exciting and productive, they have a chance to be very good.

I think you're exactly right. I think that in today's era of college football, that mentality of win with defense, run the ball, win the game 17-14, that's just not the way the rest of the league kind of plays. So I don't know the answer to this, but it almost wonders if that Boston College game last year when NC State lost 21-20 and it's like defense played great and all it took was one drive and a two-minute drill and they lose the game. It's like there's no reason why NC State can't score more than 20 points against a bad B-C team.

It's like, you know, let's be in the 30s and that way our defense doesn't have to grind it out all the way through and we can win a game, you know, maybe we do give up 28 points, but we can still win. So I think bringing Robert and I, Dave Dorn's kind of handing him the keys to the castle of the offense. You've got your guy and Brennan Armstrong.

Let's go out there and play. Tony Gibson, we know you do a great job with the defense. We might have to make a few more stops this year, you know, with a few more points, but at the end of the day, I have trust in Tony that we're going to get the job done.

So I do agree that I think that's where Dave's mindset is at. Alright, I want to get to the offensive players in a second, but let's go to, you mentioned the defense. Yeah, there's a bunch, Corey Durden's gone, there's some other guys who have gone on to bigger and better or just ran out of time. But there's still a lot of really good players on this defense. Peyton Wilson is back again. You've got White, you've got Battle in the secondary. The defense should be, I think, pretty dynamic and big play.

I agree. And I talked about that with Tim Donnelly on packed therapy was, NC State is good at the positions that matter most. And I compared it to kind of an NFL salary cap standpoint. When teams pay the most players, the most money goes to the defense line and it goes to the corners. They don't pay the linebackers. They don't pay the safeties as much.

And that's where NC State's strength is. They're really good at the front. They got guys like Davin Van, Trelawney Price, Savion Jackson.

And then on the corners, they got Aiden White, Shaheem Battle. And not to mention, Peyton Wilson is a very good linebacker. So, I think this defense is good. I saw Tony Gibson the other day say he thinks this is the best defensive line he's coached his entire career.

I mean, that's high praise for a guy that's been around for a long time. So, I feel like team, you know, I guess the media of Vegas is kind of sleeping on this NC State team because they're kind of looking like, oh, they lost their best players, Drake Thomas and Tanner Angle. And there's, you know, Isaiah Moore. You know, there's guys that they've lost, but I don't think they realize how much is truly returning. Yeah, look, across the defensive front, they should be great again.

And when we look at the ACC and you compare them to the other leagues, I think that's the biggest separator, right? You know, do you have guys who are disruptive who can cause havoc on the defensive line? And I think when you see teams that fall short of expectations, and I'm not trying to poke fun at North Carolina here, but over the last few years, the biggest difference, why do they have a bad defense?

Because they don't have impact. They haven't had impact guys on the defensive front. And why does State have great defenses over the last several years? Because I think they have had those guys along the defensive front. Let me get to the offensive side of the ball. There are guys to replace, but is Trent Penix healthy at tight end? Because I thought in the second half of the year, when Penix finally got back and got healthy, I thought State's offense, without a quarterback at that point, automatically started looking better.

And I think he kind of sets up everything on the outside. Hey Carolina Panthers fans, Chris Lee and Dennis Cox here. We're excited to offer you all the inside information on your team with the newest member of the Capital Broadcasting Podcast Network, Panthers Playbook. Twice a week, we'll keep you updated on your Carolina Panthers. We're talking about locker room insight, exclusive interviews, and of course, in-depth looks at all of the Panthers' wins.

Touchdown Carolina! Panthers Playbook, download and subscribe today at wrelsportsfan.com or wherever you discover your favorite podcasts. I completely agree with that, that Trent Penix needs to stay healthy because, one, he may be the most dynamic player, but I think he's also that kind of wild card, that player that Robert and I is going to want to be creative with. So they need someone that they can run kind of, I wouldn't even call them gadget plays, it's just finding a way to be creative to get your best playmaker at the ball. And Trent Penix has the potential to be that guy. So they need Trent Penix to stay healthy. The thing that I found interesting about the depth chart coming out was the true freshman, Casey Concepcion, was listed as a starter. And talking to them in the spring, I know they were high on him, he was an early enrollee, but I didn't expect, you know, game one as a true freshman for him to be listed as a starter. So I'm assuming he's had a great camp and maybe that's a guy that becomes that dynamic playmaker that they're going to need.

Well, they certainly need them. By the way, I recall a time where Jalen Samuels was listed as a tight end, and we all knew that he wasn't really a tight end, but you can call a player whatever you want, I guess. And Penix, if I'm not mistaken, former running back, so can be used in a variety of ways.

Mike Lennon is here. Final point about the Wolfpack who again opened up on Thursday against Connecticut, at Connecticut. The schedule sets up, it's not an easy schedule by any stretch of the imagination, because you play Clemson, you play North Carolina, you have Notre Dame. But those are the three most difficult games, and they're all at Carter-Finley Stadium. As is Louisville, which is going to be a swing game. As is Miami, who knows what the Hurricanes are going to be like, but that's also at Carter-Finley. A, it's an attractive home schedule, to say the least.

But those are important games, and you get them all in front of your own fans. 100%, I mean, when you look at the schedule, the most difficult games are all at home. Notre Dame, UNC, Miami, Clemson, Louisville. Not to sleep on Duke and Wake Forest, but you feel good about the crowd that's going to show up down the road in Durham, and that could really turn into somewhat of a home environment for NC State. Obviously, I have a history of struggling in Winston-Salem, but from a home and away standpoint, I don't think you can ask for a better schedule for NC State. And that's why I feel like they're flying under the radar, and this could, you know, everyone had high expectations last year, which I understand. But I feel like this year, flying under the radar, this could sneaky be, you know, a true competitor come late November to get in that ACC Championship, especially with the way that divisions are no longer around. Not playing Florida State for the first time in forever. I mean, this is setting up for, not to get our hopes too high, but I do have my hopes up. Are you okay with that? I understand that there is this notion out there that if there are expectations, and maybe there aren't wild expectations for a lot of people, but the expectations have not traditionally gone well for the Wolfpack. I do not play those games.

I never have. My prediction does not impact what they will do. I could be wrong. I've been wrong before.

But I think the makings of a nine-win team are here. I completely agree. Why don't we agree on everything, Mike? This is bad sports radio. We keep agreeing.

We see it the same way. I'm sorry, Adam. You're just such a smart guy. Oh, stop. By the way, Mike is also going to be seen on the Pack Therapy podcast with our friend Tim Donnelly. Unless you are comfortable doing so, is there anything special to promote coming up when the next episode drops, or is it just you and Tim? We have a special guest.

We're working on finalizing the interview, but we may have a special guest with some Yukon ties. Oh, no. Oh, my gosh. Jim Calhoun.

He'll be on the next Pack Therapy podcast. That's Mike Glennon. A legend of NC State, number eight. I appreciate your time, sir.

Ten-year NFL veteran. Amazing. We all knew that would happen, though, to be perfectly honest. We knew it. Thank you so much for the time. We'll be looking for the Pack Therapy podcast down the road. All right. Thanks, Adam.