How The NC State Newcomers Performed Against Virginia
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How The NC State Newcomers Performed Against Virginia
Aug 29, 2026; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack linebacker LaCorian Hodge (35) and linebacker Harvey Dyson III (5) sack Virginia Cavaliers quarterback Beau Pribula (7) during the second quarter of the game against the Virginia Cavaliers at Scott Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg Atkins-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Andre Cherry·NC State Wolfpack On SI
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4 min read
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While the Wolfpack struggled as a unit againstVirginia, a few players made theirNC Statedebuts last Saturday.
We'll check in on a few newcomers who contributed in Week 0 and whose names you'll be seeing more of this season.
We begin with Special Teams since this unit was the busiest on Saturday, including Jackson Waller (P), who punted 7 times for an average of 46.7 yards.
He booted three that were over 50 yards while dropping another 3 inside Virginia's 20-yard line.
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Waller was a highly decorated punter coming out of high school. He transferred into NC State this season fromArkansas State. Waller has a nice boot. As a starter for the Red Wolves, 19 of his 59 kicks were inside the 20-yard line last season.
Waller has an opportunity to quickly develop into a fan favorite if the State offense continues to flounder.
Snow completed 2 returns against Virginia for 32 yards. His longest run was for 29 yards.
Snow's an experienced punt returner from his time at Buffalo. In his junior season, he led the MAC with an average of 14.5 yards per return.
Special Teams: King Mack, KR
King Mack's opening 32-yard return was one of the more exciting aspects of this game for NC State. Unfortunately, it turned out to be one of the only exciting parts of this game.
Mack only made 2 returns in the game. His 54 all-purpose yards led the team.While atPenn State, he averaged 28 yards per return last season.
It's early, but Mack showed flashes of explosiveness when he had the ball. Don't be surprised if he returns one or two kicks to the end zone this season.
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Offense: Victor Snow, WR
It's not flashy, but Victor Snow caught 1 pass for 5 yards against Virginia. Once Snow and Bailey get on the same page this season, it will spell trouble for most secondaries.
Snow spent three seasons with Buffalo, where he was the team's second-leading receiver last season (815 yards).
Snow's greatest attribute is that he's an endzone magnet. He led the entire Buffalo offense with 10 touchdowns in 2025.
Offense: Davion Dozier, WR
Dozier caught 2 passes against Virginia for 14 yards. His longest reception was for 14 yards.
Dozier played with Appalachian State last season and was one of the team's leading receivers. He hauled in 30 passes for 448 yards and five touchdowns for the Mountaineers.
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Defense: King Mack, S
Mack's 7 tackles tied for 2nd most on the team.
He's got a high motor, and it'll be fun to see how he continues developing while on this defense.
Defense: Harvey Dyson III, LB
He tallied 5 tackles, 1 solo, a half-sack, and 1 tackle for loss.
State fans hope that Dyson III brings his game-wrecking ability to NC State.
He led the American Conference with 8 sacks in 2025. He also ranked in the top three in the conference for forced fumbles (2) and tackles for loss (12).
Aug 29, 2026; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack linebacker Harvey Dyson III (5) during the second quarter during the game against the Virginia Cavaliers at Scott Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg Atkins-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Defense: Popo Aguirre, LB
Aguirre logged a career-high in tackles on Saturday (18). In his postgame comments, Aguirre said he's ready to get back to the lab andget betteras a team.
"Definitely not the outcome we wanted," Aguirre said. "But I believe in Coach Doeren, believe in Coach Eliot, and what we got going on."
