GAME TIME: NC State vs UCONN tonight!!

It is game night. That's right. It is.

I'm not kidding. Corey Smith is joining us. He is on the road with the Wolfpack as they are in Connecticut to take on the University of Connecticut. So let me bring in Corey Smith. There he is. Very handsome.

All right, sir. Your thoughts just going into this game, not only this game, but the opportunity for this game to start what could be a very good season. Yeah, I mean, you think about what happened last season. You go into that year where there's so many expectations of this team is going to go to the ACC championship and you have all the injuries and I think that's kind of not to say the feeling is like they can get to the ACC championship this year, but you feel like this is a pretty good team from top to bottom.

At the very top of that depth chart. The concern is, hey, if there's injuries, how does that change things? And so it's nice to be able to go into week one and say, all right, you're pretty healthy across the board with the exception of the guard position along the offensive line. And so we begin a new going. All right, this is this is a very good team.

Now just hold it together and and, you know, meet those expectations that you have for yourself going into the year. Corey Smith at our Corey Smith. Oh, you always sound smarter when you put an initial before your own first name from pack pride and 24 7 sports is joining us here in the Adam Gold Show.

All right, you're your your thoughts, your hopes about the offense with a brand new offensive coordinator. Robert and I was got a ton of history on his resume and recent history with the new quarterback, Brendan Armstrong. Well, first of all, my dad's very proud of that name.

It was handed down to me first name, Robert. So I put the are there to be a little more original. There's a lot of course, like an author when you do that. Yeah, that's actually, you know, I think the biggest thing going into this year with this offense is like, all right, what are we what Britain Armstrong are we going to see? We know what Robert and eyes offense looks like and it can be very flexible. You know, it's a very versatile offense.

You've seen it in different ways, you know, Virginia for a couple years there in the last year at Syracuse and he's able to, you know, kind of flex this thing around to have a lot of different weapons and really be able to utilize them. The biggest question mark now is, you know, can Brendan Armstrong step up and be the Brendan Armstrong not not be 2021 Brendan Armstrong like we're not expecting to pass for almost 4500 yards or, you know, account for 40 touchdowns. But man, like just, you know, getting back to his norm of just being a reliable quarterback. You know, yes, he's going to have the interceptions. But, you know, I think Robert and I's offense is going to be dictated by that and by the playmakers around him because, you know, these playmakers around him are at most unproven. You know, you've got Jordan Houston back. He didn't rush for a single touchdown last season. So can he get can he do that this year? You got guys like Michael Allen that you saw in spurts last year, but you don't exactly know what you're going to get in him when he's asked to be more of a full-time back. And then there's a lot of dynamic playmakers. But, you know, can those guys truly step up? Kevin Concepcion is the guy that we've heard. He's a true freshman. So can he be the guide? Can you know, Terrell Timmons Jr. that we saw from last year finished strong down the stretch?

Can he be more of a reliable consistent wide receiver and a downfield threat? All of those questions will find out. Maybe not tonight, but over the next few weeks. All right. I want to get back.

I didn't want to interrupt and I want to interject and ask one question. When you said we don't we don't expect Brennan Armstrong to be the 4,500 yard passing guy. I'm like, why not? I mean, now that's that's the way I look at this season because I think that the potential is there. If the offensive line should be good. I know that there's issues right now in the interior of that offensive line, but the offensive line should be good. You got tackles.

You have a center. They should be, for the most part, good. There's not a lot of returning production at wide receiver. But as you pointed out, there is a lot of potential and I loved what little we saw from Terrell Timmons last year. So especially with the variety that they can do, the variety of looks that they can provide, like I don't want to put any limits on what I can see from this offense.

Yeah. You know, the biggest question mark is is whether or not he can duplicate that with the playmakers that he has around him. Because, you know, when you look back at that 2021 season that he had, there were so many guys from that Virginia team that returned from the the previous year that were already proven playmakers, guys that he had chemistry with and he had built that time with.

You're coming into a new system. Yes, he came back in the spring, but, you know, there was a few guys like Takari Collins that came over from Clemson that wasn't healthy enough to play in that system. I mean, your biggest outside receiver, a guy that you have returning, is a 5'11 outside receiver in Keyon LaSanne. Like, is he able to take that next step and be that guy? So it's not necessarily that we're saying like, hey, Brennan Armstrong can't throw for over 4,000 yards, can't be a guy that accounts for 35 to 40 touchdowns. I think he can. It's a matter of can the guys around him truly step up and be those guys and, you know, look, actually take the governor off this offense, which is something that Dave Dorn has struggled with it. He's talked a big game and said, hey, you know, this is Robert and I's system. We're going to allow him to do it. But until we see it on the field, like, I'm just, I had to be proven otherwise.

You know, so you and I are on the same page with that because that's my biggest fear. And I said this before last year started. I said, let Devin Leary go. I mean, you've got a quarterback who has NFL potential. He's got a great arm.

He's a smooth operator. You just could tell as Leary was trying to break through that when he threw the ball, it just looked different, right, than the other guys. And you, you now have another good quarterback and a different offensive philosophy, but it all stems from will the head coach just take them, take the reins off and let it happen and know that you could rely on your defense to bail you out of a situation.

You seem as show me as from Missouri as I am about that because until it happens, I'm not going to believe it's going to happen. Yeah. And, you know, you talk about Devin Leary, like the big thing going to last season was, hey, Devin Leary is great at not making mistakes. He didn't throw for many interceptions the previous year. Brendan Armstrong is a guy that makes mistakes like and Dave Dornan is going to have to live with that and figure out a way to say, hey, you know, our defense is going to be able to go out there.

They were one of the most, the biggest or the highest turnover margin teams in the ACC last year. Can they do that again? And you're going to have to again, you have to live with those mistakes from Brendan Armstrong. And I think that may be where, you know, the push comes to shove like the C step in and say, hey, we've got to, we've got to, you know, maybe, maybe limit the playbook a little bit more to say, hey, we're not going to make these same mistakes. Let's not do the same things because we know how much he loves to, you know, he, he really treasures being able to hang on to that football. Right.

I am. I think that the Wolfpack, if they want to have a great season, they have to live with the mistakes that you, you already said, live with the mistakes. Let your defense take care of them.

Look, if you, if you turn it over in your own end, hold them to three, get a, get a moral win out of that. And on the defensive side of the ball, there aren't many teams in the country that line up at cornerback better than the Wolfpack do, but they've got playmakers all over the place. Other than the obvious and the Peyton Wilson's and whatnot.

Some of the guys that you are honing in on this year. 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 Capitol 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.

Living a busy, full life. MitoQ is a science-based cell health supplement that helps your cells generate renewable daily energy. Discover more at MitoQ.com.

That's MITOQ.com. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Yeah, I mean obviously Peyton Wilson coming back. Aiden White, a guy that I think has the most potential. Maybe out of Dylan McMahon on this entire roster, I'd put Davin Vann in for two. A guy at defensive end thought that we've heard a freak.

I mean, you know, obviously we've seen it on the field. He's a former wrestler. A guy that's extremely athletic in Davin Vann.

Just earned the number one jersey as the biggest leader on this team too from Dave Doran earlier this week. So high expectations for him. And again, like you said, Peyton Wilson is a guy that comes back.

Sadion Jackson. We'll see how healthy he is this season. He was playing great football last season.

C.J. Clark, a guy that's like second year back from a touring ACL the prior season. So we'll see what his true potential is at a nose tackle position. And we mentioned Aiden White, but I don't want to forget about Shaheem Battle. Shaheem Battle is a guy that we've heard throughout fall camp has had one of the best fall camps of any defensive player. And then Jalen Scott being right there with him, who's taking over that Drake Thomas spot from last year. So there's really high expectations for him too. And then, you know, the safety positions.

There's not a Tanner angle. There's not a Cyrus Fagan, but we can played a ton back there. Joaquin Harris has played a ton back there to those guys as your starters. And then you got the number one JUCO safety in the country that just came in.

Bishop Fitzgerald. That's going to be backing them up. So there's there's a ton of, you know, again, top line players. It's just the question is going to be really depth of the linebacker position on the defense. I feel good about the depth across the board everywhere. Obviously, you can't afford to lose a Peyton Wilson, Aiden White, Daven Van guys like that.

But there's a lot of depth behind them that can rotate in and there won't be a ton of drop off. There's about five teams in the country that can afford to lose frontline players, right? I mean, Georgia, Alabama, Clemson, Michigan, Ohio State. If they lose a frontline player, they've got another frontline player about to be to just kind of slot in and take over that. So I mean, the Wolfpack are in the same boat with just about everybody else, but they've got a lot of good players on the front line. Corey Smith, a good player in his own right are Corey Smith on Twitter.

Somebody criticized me for calling it X. So we'll just call it Twitter since everybody knows what we're talking about from pack pride. Twenty four, seven sports in Connecticut. Enjoy the game tonight. Seven thirty start on CBS Sports dot com. And over if you're listening on the radio over a mix, one of one point five in Raleigh. Corey, thank you so much, man. I'll talk to you soon. Yes, sir.

Appreciate you, Adam. You got it. Are you struggling to lose weight and keep it off? Tired of wasting time and money on starvation diets that lead to more frustration and stress?

If there was a weight loss solution that could actually work for you, would you try it? Then head to Golo dot com. I'm Steve. I lost one hundred and thirty eight pounds in nine months on Golo.

I'm Amber. I've lost one hundred and twenty eight pounds with Golo taking release. If you're ready to take back control of your life, head to Golo dot com now and see how Golo can work for you.

That's Golo dot com. My sleep is way better. My inflammation has gone way down. Golo saved my life. I was way overweight. That's what sent me down the path.

I wanted to make sure and live for my kid. I have literally tried everything. I was on the verge of getting gastric bypass surgery and I saw the Golo commercial and it was the last thing I tried because it worked. Join over two million people who have found a better way to lose weight with Golo. Your healthier and happier life begins at Golo dot com. That's Golo dot com. Again, Golo dot com.