Wolfpack Kicking Woes: What Went Wrong?

A major issue emerged for the Wolfpack during the win, one that nearly cost the team the opener. The kicking game proved to be problematic, as Doeren opted to roll with a surprise starter who struggled in his debut.

What Happened in the Game?

NC State opted to start redshirt freshman kicker Nick Konieczynski over graduate senior Kanoah Vinesett. The decision to roll with Konieczynski was a controversial one, as he made just four of his 10 field goal attempts in high school, with a long of 30 yards.

The decision looked fine early, as Konieczynski drilled 29-yard field goal with relative ease in the first quarter to give the Wolfpack a 3-0 lead. Things unraveled when it became more imperative Konieczynski make his kicks.

ECU rallied back to make things tight in the fourth quarter and Konieczynski had two attempts to essentially ice the game with field goals. The caveat was that these chances were from 40 and 46 yards out, well outside of Konieczynski's proven range. He missed both chances and forced the Wolfpack defense to make a fourth-down stop to win the game.

Improving Moving Forward

Doeren didn't address the kicking woes at length after the game, instead lobbing praise at his defense and his quarterback, CJ Bailey, for their efforts.

"We had two missed field goals, which hurt us, so that’s an area we’ve got to get better as well," Doeren admitted.

What that improvement will look like is unclear. Vinesett made 18 of his 24 field goal attempts in 2024 and was perfect on point after attempts. It seems likely Vinesett will take back the starting job after Konieczynski's disastrous outing. Doeren will keep the decision under wraps for as long as possible to preserve his fog of war ahead of the week two matchup against Virginia.