Take me on a blatant doom trip

How good is Jacoby Brissett? No one knows. That's all part of the fun. The terrifying, I'll-be-in-a-closet-crying sort of  fun. NC State is at least a couple of years away from resembling a good football team, but that doesn't mean the Wolfpack is incapable of surprises between now and then. Brissett, for his part, has been an ideal addition:

What about your trip to Tallahassee? Coach Doeren told me you drove down there by yourself for the FSU game. What was that trip like to you and why did you feel like you had to do that?

JB: That trip, it meant a lot to me to be there because I honestly thought we were going to win, and I wanted to be with the guys even though I couldn't play. I just wanted to say we beat the No. 1 team in the country and I was on the field that day. I just felt like whenever it was my turn to play, I would go through great lengths to be there for them and had their backs, just to know I'm there for them regardless of the situation. I was with them till the end of the game. I felt it helped me grow as a leader, made me mature more.

The legend of Brissett's road trip should escalate--I heard he drove from Alaska--but every team needs this stuff to fill the emotional void that alternate helmets can't. Ultimately this is a statement about what Brissett can do for the team's psyche if he manages to couple a fast start with his genuine enthusiasm for towels, people, football, and every combination thereof.

It's going to be a fragile team. Painfully young. Painful with no qualification necessary. I like the idea of driving to Tallahassee as a symbol. We will be there and we'll believe we'll win in part because we're in denial, but mostly because where else are we going to be?, and hey, coach, we're ready to hop in if you need us. Here we are again, probably dead, but maybe not. Damned maybes.