RALEIGH — When NC State heads to Charlottesville on Friday for its Week 4 matchup against Virginia, it’s not just another conference game.
The Wolfpack (2-1) are looking to prove their new-look offense can consistently produce, but facing the Cavaliers ups the ante as quarterback Brennan Armstrong and offensive coordinator Robert Anae return to face their old team.
The duo spent four seasons together at UVA, from 2018 to 2021. During that time, Armstrong set the school record for all-time career passing yards (9,034) and passing touchdowns (58), single-season passing yardage (4,449, 2021) and touchdowns (31, 2021) records, and the single-game passing yardage record (554, 2021).
“It’s going to be awesome, but I’m going to treat this week just like every other one,” Armstrong said when asked about facing his former team. “Prepare, get ready for them and then just take it all in when I get there. Whatever happens, happens. I’m just there to play a ballgame, but I am going to enjoy the moment. That’s what I’m going to keep my mindset as. Enjoy the moment, but be aware that it’s another game, another important game for the ACC.”
Anae left in 2022 to become Syracuse’s offensive coordinator, while Armstrong stayed one more season in Virginia. The quarterback struggled without Anae and then entered the transfer portal and chose to come to NC State.
“Regardless of who he’s playing, that kid is uber-competitive,” NC State coach Dave Doeren said of his veteran quarterback. “He’s going to be that way no matter what. It’s just getting him to understand the process, which he does already. It’s just a game to him once that whistle blows.
“Now, when he gets in that stadium for the first time though, I’m sure he’s gonna have some feelings. He loved that place, has great friends and memories there, but he’s playing for our team and he knows that. He’s going in there to win a football game and to make it about us.”
Virginia has been on a downward trajectory since winning the ACC’s Coastal Division in 2019. The Cavaliers followed that season with back-to-back .500 campaigns. Last year in new head coach Tony Elliott’s first season, they finished 3-7 with a 1-6 conference record.
This season hasn’t gone any better for the Cavaliers, who have started 0-3 with losses to Tennessee, James Madison and Maryland.
Despite that, the Wolfpack are being sure not to look past UVA.
“All games in this league, regardless of where people are in the standings, are games you really need to play well in,” Doeren said. “Every team is well coached and every team has talented guys, and these games mean a lot. You’ve got to show up, and you’ve got to play extremely hard and extremely well. Every game is up for grabs in this league. That’s the one thing I know being in this conference for my 11th year. Every single game is a one-possession game in this league.”
A key to making sure the Wolfpack starts off conference play right is a commitment to fundamentals.
“The biggest thing is for us to continue to improve and focus on the details of our play,” Doeren said. “There’s a lot of ways you win and lose football games. Execution is all about details and the fundamentals that come with being a better player each week, and that’s really a good recipe for our football team.”
Another key is tightening up the defense — especially the secondary, which has struggled with allowing big plays.
“The explosive pass we gave up, which we had poor eyes on a deep ball, is something we’ve got to work really hard on,” Doeren said. “There are some things we definitely can continue to get better at and work on defensively.”
A big boost to NC State’s defense will be the return of junior cornerback Aydan White. White missed Saturday’s win over VMI due to a “minor injury,” but Doeren said the veteran should be good to go against UVA.
Despite all the storylines, Doeren is focused on one thing: starting the ACC season with a win.
“It doesn’t matter that [Armstrong] used to go to school there,” Doeren said. “It doesn’t matter that we have coaches that used to coach there or they have coaches that used to coach here. What matters is can we execute? Can we win the ball security battle? Can we strain harder than them? Can we finish plays better than them? That’s what matters. We want to win a football game, so we’re going to focus on the things that matter.”
