N.C. State will be without one of its top defenders for the first half of Saturday’s matchup against Duke after an unsuccessful appeal of a targeting call from last week’s win over Wake Forest.
Head coach Dave Doeren confirmed Monday that the Wolfpack challenged the ruling with NCAA national coordinator of officials Steve Shaw, but the decision was upheld. Defensive end Sabastian Harsh was ejected in the fourth quarter when officials determined he lowered his head and made helmet-to-helmet contact with Wake Forest quarterback Robby Ashford, who was being sacked by N.C. State teammate Cian Slone. The on-field targeting call was confirmed by the replay center in Charlotte.
As a result, Harsh is required to sit out the opening half against Duke. Doeren expressed his frustration with the ruling after Thursday’s game.
“I was really disappointed in the targeting call,” he said. “I didn’t think it was a good call. Last year we lost Grayson McCall on a play that wasn’t targeting, but today’s was called. I’d love an explanation. I thought that was about as clean as you could do when the guy is running the football.”
According to Pro Football Focus, Harsh and Slone are currently N.C. State’s two highest-graded defensive players. Through three games, Slone holds an 83.7 overall defensive grade, while Harsh sits at 83, with 14 tackles and one pass breakup.
Harsh’s impact is well recognized by his teammates. During fall camp, offensive players Teague Andersen and Cody Hardy both described him as one of the toughest defenders to practice against, pointing to his combination of strength and technique.
Doeren likened Harsh’s first-half absence to the situation earlier this season when defensive lineman Brandon Cleveland was suspended for the opener against East Carolina. Cleveland missed that game after being ejected from the 2024 bowl for fighting, which created opportunities for Chazz Wallace and Josiah Victor to gain valuable reps at nose tackle.
“He’s a good player for us, so it hurts when you lose a guy like that for a half of football,” Doeren said. “But at the same time, that’s part of the deal. You’ve got to step up — next man up. You’ve got to take advantage of your opportunity, and I know the guys we have will be ready.”
Doeren did not say who would replace Harsh in the starting lineup. Behind him on the depth chart are Chase Bond and Texas Tech transfer Joseph Adedire. Bond appeared in the first two games, tallying five tackles, and despite limited snaps ranks as N.C. State’s fourth-highest-graded defender by Pro Football Focus, trailing only Cian Slone, Harsh, and Isaiah Shirley. Adedire, meanwhile, brings experience from the Big 12, where he totaled 44 tackles and two sacks during his time with the Red Raiders. Temple transfer Tra Thomas is also an option at edge rusher, though he usually backs up Slone in a hybrid defensive end/linebacker role.
“I’m not going to talk about who we’re playing, but there’ll definitely be opportunities for guys to get more reps in that first half with him out,” Doeren said.
Doeren also drew a comparison to a hit on quarterback Grayson McCall in last year’s Wake Forest game at Carter-Finley Stadium. McCall lost his helmet and mouth guard on the play, collided head-first with two defenders as he fell, and briefly lost consciousness.
Former Coastal Carolina transfer Grayson McCall was carted off on a stretcher and taken to a hospital after the hit. He medically retired several weeks later. The play was not flagged for targeting, nor was action stopped immediately, even as N.C. State players called for medical attention and urged officials to review it. Wake Forest recovered the fumble caused by the collision and went on to score. Though the replay center reviewed the play during the extended stoppage, no announcement was made. N.C. State ultimately fell, 34–30.
After reviewing film, Doeren said at the time he believed the hit was legal, noting McCall was not considered a defenseless player and the defender did not lead with the crown of his helmet. Still, Doeren has continued to question the targeting rule itself. He said he discussed it with ACC head of football officials Alberto Riveron, and the two agreed that the rule and its enforcement require further study.
“I think the language in it puts the refs in a tough spot, particularly on a play like that one,” Doeren said. “There aren’t many situations where a helmet comes off and, at the same time, another defender makes contact. It really highlights the issues with how the rule is written.”
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