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2015 <strong>NC</strong> <strong>STATE</strong> <strong>FOOTBALL</strong> <strong>BOWL</strong> <strong>GUIDE</strong> / SEASON NOTES<br />
those, Brissett, Prescott, Memphis’ Paxton Lynch and Miami’s Brad Kaaya are<br />
the only ones to have thrown four or fewer INTS.<br />
For his <strong>NC</strong> State career, Brissett has thrown just nine interceptions in his 737<br />
attempts - a rate of just 1 INT for every 82 pass attempts. He has posted two<br />
of the top-8 interception-free streaks in ACC history.<br />
Here’s a look at FBS QBs with 350+ attempts and four or fews INTS:<br />
Player School Attempts INTs<br />
Paxton Lynch Memphis 407 3<br />
Dak Prescott Mississippi St. 435 4<br />
Jacoby Brissett <strong>NC</strong> State 367 4<br />
Brad Kaaya Miami 358 4<br />
TURNING THE TASSEL<br />
ROAD WARRIORS<br />
The Wolfpack played six road games for only fifth time in the last 45 years<br />
this season. State posted a 4-2 in games played away from home. No other<br />
Wolfpack squad has had more road wins since 1957 (5-0-1).<br />
Here’s a look at the Wolfpack’s best road records in school history.<br />
Rk Road Rec. Year<br />
1. 5-0-1 1957<br />
2. 4-1 2001<br />
4. 4-2 2015<br />
4-2 2002<br />
4-2 1974<br />
4-2 1967<br />
4-2 1963<br />
WOLFPACK TIES<br />
Two members of the Mississippi State coaching staff have <strong>NC</strong> State ties:<br />
defensive coordinator Manny Diaz and defensive line coach David Turner.<br />
Diaz’ first full-time coaching job was at <strong>NC</strong> State, when he coached the<br />
linebackers from 2002-03 and the safeties from 2004-05. He was on the<br />
staff when the Pack played in the 2005 Meineke Car Care Bowl in Bank of<br />
America Stadium. As a graduate assistant working with linebackers in 2000<br />
and 2001, he coached current Wolfpack safeties coach Clayton White and<br />
assistant head strength and conditioning coach Dantonio Burnette.<br />
Turner was on the staff at <strong>NC</strong> State as the DT/LBs coach from 1995-96 and<br />
was a GA from 1988-89.<br />
Hakim Jones<br />
There are nine scholarship seniors on the 2015 <strong>NC</strong> State roster. Six of those<br />
seniors graduated prior to their final season. Joe Thuney and Benson<br />
Browne graduated prior to their junior campaigns, while Alex Barr, Justin<br />
Burris, Hakim Jones and Mike Rose graduated last May.<br />
Transfer quarterback Jacoby Brissett and wide receiver Maurice Morgan<br />
will graduated in December while the final senior, transfer center Quinton<br />
Schooley, is on target to graduate in May.<br />
VS. RANKED TEAMS<br />
The Wolfpack faced three teams in 2016 that are currently ranked in the top<br />
10 of the Associated Press poll: No. 1 Clemson, No. 9 Florida State and No.<br />
10 U<strong>NC</strong>.<br />
FAITHFUL FANS<br />
<strong>NC</strong> State’s fans, (better known as Wolfpack Nation or WPN) are among the<br />
most passionate in the nation. That support was evident more than ever in<br />
2015, as season tickets and mini-packs sold out prior to the season. Three of<br />
the Pack’s six home games were sellouts in 2015.<br />
#WPN purchased the second-highest number of season tickets in school<br />
history in 2015 and attendance at Carter-Finley Stadium was at 98.9% capacity<br />
for the season. That mark ranks second in the ACC only to top-ranked<br />
Clemson.<br />
It marks the first time since 1981 that the Wolfpack faced that many teams<br />
ranked in the top 10 of the final AP regular season poll. That year, <strong>NC</strong> State<br />
faced four teams that finished in the regular season top 10: Clemson, North<br />
Carolina, Penn State and Miami.<br />
The five teams that defeated the Wolfpack in 2015 boast a combined record<br />
of 47-15.<br />
TOUGH NEIGHBORHOOD<br />
The Wolfpack faced some of the nation’s top defenses during the 2015<br />
regular season. Four of the Wolfpack’s ACC opponents finished the regular<br />
season ranked in the top 20 of the FBS in total defense (the Wolfpack<br />
finished 19th).<br />
The Wolfpack still managed to finish the season with 411.9 yards per game -<br />
the 5th-best total offense mark in the ACC.<br />
DOING IT DEFENSIVELY<br />
<strong>NC</strong> State’s defense has improved in every statistical category this season<br />
from last year. Here’s a look at a comparison to last year and the improvement<br />
in the ACC standings:<br />
2015 2015 ACC <strong>2014</strong> <strong>2014</strong> ACC<br />
Category Mark Rank Mark Rank Diff<br />
Scoring Defense 23.8 5th 27.0 13th +5.2<br />
6