By BJ Bennett
SouthernPigskin.com

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There are a number of great running backs throughout the ACC. Healthy and hungry, Dayes will soon have a chance to make his case.

The ACC is home to some of the premier running backs in all of college football. Dalvin Cook, Wayne Gallman and Elijah Hood all rushed for over 1,400 yards a season ago and James Conner ran for nearly 1,800 yards two years prior. In all, the league has seven running backs with 1,000-yard single seasons on their resume and two quarterbacks who have reached that mark. Amidst all the talent, don’t forget about North Carolina State’s Matthew Dayes.

After 573 yards and eight touchdowns in 2014, Dayes promptly burst onto the national scene last fall. He opened the season with four-straight 100-yard games and an impressive nine rushing scores in that span. One month through the year, Dayes had compiled 454 rushing yards and 15 receptions as the Wolfpack jumped out to a 4-0 start.

Dayes, on NC State’s fourth play from scrimmage against Wake Forest, sprinted for an 85-yard touchdown run thar broke the contest wide-open in the Wolfpack’s favor. The Florida-native finished with 205 yards, the fifth-highest total in program history. NC State, with Dayes leading the way, moved to 5-2 with the victory.

In the Wolfpack’s biggest game of the season, a home clash with Clemson, Dayes got off to a strong start with 72 yards on just nine carries. An injury kept him out of the second half, and, ultimately, the remainder of the year; Dayes had foot surgery in early November and missed the team’s final five outings.

“I’m disappointed for Matt because he was having a really good year,” head coach Dave Doeren stated in a release.

At the time of his injury, Dayes led the ACC with 12 rushing touchdowns and ranked third in the conference with 865 rushing yards. His 108.1 yards per game were the most at NC State since 1981. A run at the record books, had Dayes stated healthy last fall, would have certainly been in play.

The 2016 ACC Kickoff will be Dayes’ initial return to action. As he and the Wolfpack ready for a schedule that includes Clemson, Florida State, Miami and Notre Dame, Dayes will first meet with the media in Charlotte later this week. Now a senior, Dayes has been rehabilitating for and working towards his highly-anticipated encore performance.

There are a number of great running backs throughout the ACC. Healthy and hungry, Dayes will soon have a chance to make his case.