Matthew Dayes is a Pass-Catching Back for NC State. Matthew's 2015 season ranks in the 90th percentile nationally by opponent-adjusted EPA per play across 152 plays — a elite rate for the RB.
Third-down weapon out of the backfield. Routes, hands, and separation in coverage define this role as much as rushing.
Players from 2014–2024 matched on EPA efficiency, play volume, and adjusted value tier — not just one metric.
| Player | Team | Yr | Plays | WEPA/play | Line val | Total EPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travis Etienne | Clemson | 2019 | 213 | 0.470 | 4.7 | 100.1 |
| Clyde Edwards-Helaire | LSU | 2019 | 216 | 0.490 | 5.0 | 105.8 |
| Saquon Barkley | Penn State | 2017 | 240 | 0.410 | 5.2 | 98.4 |
| Nick Wilson | Arizona | 2014 | 250 | 0.410 | 5.2 | 102.5 |
| Dalvin Cook | Florida State | 2015 | 228 | 0.450 | 5.8 | 102.6 |
Comps are statistical — efficiency, volume, and value tier all factor in. Style and conference context differ.
| Wk | Opponent | Result | Opp SP+ | Car | Rush Yds | Avg | Rush TD | Rec | Rec Yds | Rec TD | EPA/play |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | vsTroy | W49-21 | -7.0 | 24 | 126 | 5.3 | 2 | 5 | 65 | 0 | 0.47 |
| 2 | vsEastern Kentucky | W35-0 | — | 24 | 116 | 4.8 | 3 | 1 | -4 | 0 | 0.09 |
| 3 | @Old Dominion | W38-14 | -14.8 | 20 |
Usage = share of team plays (CFBD has no true snap counts).
Chart shows per-game EPA (bars) and rolling 5-game average (line). Season breaks marked with dashed lines. Line value = est. points over replacement per game.
Car 9 · Rush Yds 72 · Avg 8.0 · Rush TD 0
| 108 |
| 5.4 |
| 1 |
| 3 |
| 29 |
| 0 |
| 0.38 |
| 4 | @South Alabama | W63-13 | -10.4 | 8 | 104 | 13.0 | 3 | 6 | 46 | 0 | 0.80 |
| 5 | vsLouisville | L13-20 | 13.2 | 19 | 68 | 3.6 | 1 | 3 | 22 | 0 | -0.08 |
| 6 | @Virginia Tech | L13-28 | 11.4 | 14 | 66 | 4.7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | -0.01 |
| 8 | @Wake Forest | W35-17 | -4.5 | 16 | 205 | 12.8 | 2 | 1 | 16 | 0 | 0.77 |
| 9 | vsClemson | L41-56 | 24.0 | 9 | 72 | 8.0 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 0 | -0.07 |
