For NC State football, 2022 is year of 'unfinished business'

RALEIGH — Dave Doeren's facial hair is more than just a new look.

For NC State's football coach — now entering his 10th season with a contract extension that could keep him in Raleigh until 2026 — the salt and peppered beard is a daily reminder of last season's controversial end.

The Wolfpack were set to face UCLA in the Dec. 28 Holiday Bowl with a chance to win their 10th game for only the second time in program history before the Bruins pulled out hours before kickoff due to COVID-19 issues within the program.

Doeren told reporters later that day he "felt lied to" and said that UCLA was deceptive when it came to the health of its players. The NCAA later ruled the game a no-contest, leaving NC State with nine wins and prompting Doeren to give college sports' governing body a new acronym.

“The NCAA stands for No Clue At All in my opinion,” Doeren said in December.

Six months later, that anger remains.

"When I started it (growing the beard), it was just my protest of how our season ended," Doeren told the USA TODAY Network. "I was pissed off at the world when all that stuff happened."

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It's the perfect narrative for Doeren to adopt as the Wolfpack enters the 2022 season with the highest expectations of any team over the last decade. It's a program that thrives as an underdog but has struggled as a favorite; a place they find themselves this year.

"There is a lot of unfinished business," Doeren said in May. “There has been a huge chip on our shoulder because we didn’t get to the Charlotte game last year."

Doeren, 50, is on his way to becoming the program's all-time winningest coach and is the only one to lead the Wolfpack to three separate nine-win seasons, including finishing 18th in the final College Football Playoff rankings and 20th in the final AP Top 25 rankings last season.

But the game's biggest accomplishments have remained out of reach. NC State has never played in an ACC title game — the conference began playing a championship game in 2005 — and close losses to Miami (31-30) and Wake Forest (45-42) kept that streak alive in 2021.

This season, though, the Wolfpack are trendy picks to win the ACC's Atlantic Division after defeating Clemson, Florida State and North Carolina last season for the first time in 20 years. There is a certain level of trepidation with the preseason hype, especially after watching UNC stumble and fall last year after entering the season as a national title hopeful.

But NC State has the foundation for success.

All 10 on-field assistant coaches return with new contract agreements as well as the majority of the starters from last year's 9-3 campaign.

The excitement begins with returning quarterback Devin Leary, who Doeren has called the "best quarterback in the country" during several offseason interv

Leary returns for his fourth year in Raleigh after quieting his detractors with a breakout season in 2021. Coming off a broken leg in 2020, Leary became one of the nation's most efficient passers with 3,433 yards, 35 touchdowns and only five interceptions while completing 65% of his throws.

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This season, Leary's blind side will be more vulnerable with left tackle Ikem Ekwonu turning pro. The 6-6, 330-pound Anthony Belton, Ekwonu's backup last season, got the start at left tackle during the spring game and senior Bryson Speas and sophomore Timothy McKay could also be used at the position.

"There are a lot of guys here that are excited for their opportunity to compete," Doeren said. "By the time we get to August, we'll have a real good feel for where we're at."

The return of offensive lineman Chandler Zavala will provide a boost after the NCAA granted him a sixth year of eligibility. His initial application for a sixth season of eligibility based on injuries and a year lost due to COVID-19 was initially denied.

"I'm just so excited to have a chance to play another year with my brothers," Chandler told the USA TODAY Network. "We've got a chance to do something special."

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Leary will have some familiar targets at wide receiver with Thayer Thomas and Devin Carter. Thomas caught 51 passes for 596 yards and eight touchdowns last year, and the 6-3 Carter is primed for a breakout after 31 receptions for 556 yards and six touchdowns. Maryland transfer Darryl Jones could also make an early impact for the Wolfpack.

The biggest question mark on offense is who will run the ball for the Wolfpack.

Zonovan Knight and Ricky Person are both gone to the NFL, leaving NC State without a proven running back.

Junior Jordan Houston is the most experienced and the obvious candidate to be NC State's starting running back for the 2022 season. In 2021, Houston had a career-low 20 carries for 83 yards. He tore a ligament in his foot during the spring game that limited his abilities at the beginning of the season. In his first two seasons, he had double-digit catches. In 2021, he had three.

Sophomore Delbert Mimms and freshman Demie Sumo have six career carries between them and Michael Allen, NC State's four-star running back from the class of 2022, hasn't played a down of college football.

"Those young guys, Delbert, Demi, they are really good," Houston said. "But I'm now the oldest guy in the room, so I think just naturally, it's for the best if I step up and be a leader in that room. I mean, this is what I've been waiting for."

NC State lost six starters on defense last year, including All-ACC linebacker Payton Wilson and Isaiah Moore, and still only allowed 19.7 points a game. The Pack's defense finished among the best in every major defensive category.

Wilson and Moore return this season along with Drake Thomas, who stepped into the middle linebacker position to have 99 tackles, 13.5 tackles for a loss, six sacks, three interceptions and nine quarterback hurries. They'll also return All-ACC defensive tackle Cory Durden, cornerback Derrek Pitts Jr., safety Tanner Ingle and nickel Tyler Baker-Williams thanks to the extra COVID year.

David Thompson is an award-winning reporter for the USA TODAY Network covering NC State and Duke athletics. He can be reached at dthompson1@gannett.com, at 828-231-1747, or on Twitter at @daveth89.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: NC State football: 2022 is season of 'unfinished business' for Wolfpack