Ricky Person loves a season-opener.
Bam Knight wasn’t bad, either.
Person had another big first game for the Wolfpack on Thursday night. He scored three touchdowns to help NC State to a 45-0 win over South Florida.
Person ran for two 11-yard scores and caught a 33-yard touchdown in the first half. He scored twice and threw for a touchdown in last year’s season-opening win over Wake Forest at Carter-Finley Stadium.
Knight was quick to help out. He added a game-high 163 yards and a 46-yard touchdown.
NC State’s defense dominated the Bulls, who started former UNC quarterback Cade Fortin. Fortin completed just three of his first nine passes for 0 yards before second-year USF coach Jeff Scott benched Fortin and went to Timmy McClain to run the read option.
Fortin returned in the second half to throw one of the three interceptions by USF.
NC State is coming off of an 8-4 season and 7-3 mark in ACC play during pandemic-ridden 2020 season.
The Wolfpack returns 20 starters from last year’s group and has more depth than ninth-year coach Dave Doeren has had at any point in his tenure.
Quarterback Devin Leary, in his first game since last October, completed 17 of 26 passes for 232 yards and two touchdowns.
Leary, who missed the final seven games of the 2020 season with a broken leg, looked good in his return. He did throw an interception in the second quarter.
NC State scored on its opening drive, a perfect pass from Leary to Person, and led 24-0 at the half. The second half was a chance for Knight to stretch his legs and tight end Christopher Toudle added a 7-yard touchdown catch.
