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RALEIGH (AP) — N.C. State is shaking up its defense after being unable to get needed stops in the Wolfpack's weekend loss at Wake Forest.

Coach Tom O'Brien said Monday that redshirt freshman Terrell Manning will likely start at linebacker against Duke this week. In addition, the secondary that gave up 361 yards passing to Riley Skinner could have four new starters against the Blue Devils, who boast their own four-year starter at quarterback in Thad Lewis.

"We've made (mistakes) the last couple of weeks back there (in the secondary) that I don't think we can afford anymore," O'Brien said. "Hopefully we can get it settled down. Until they step up or someone steps up and grabs the job and takes hold of it, we'll keep looking until we find the right combination."

Statistically, the Wolfpack (3-2, 0-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) boasted the nation's top defense (201 yards) heading into Winston-Salem. But those numbers were inflated by wins against a pair of overmatched Championship Subdivision teams, somewhat masking the Wolfpack's ups and downs in the secondary.

Against the Demon Deacons, the Wolfpack allowed Skinner to throw for a career-high passing total to go with three touchdowns. So O'Brien plans to start seniors Bobby Floyd and Clem Johnson at the safety positions against Duke to add some experience, replacing redshirt freshman Earl Wolff and true freshman Brandon Bishop.

Wolff had started the past four games, while Bishop had started the past three.

The depth chart also shows former safety Justin Byers starting over Koyal George at one cornerback. Junior DeAndre Morgan, who has two starts, is listed as a possible starter along with redshirt freshman C.J. Wilson at the other corner.

Those struggles in the secondary have undermined the strong play up front, where the Wolfpack sacked Skinner six times and is holding opponents to 67 yards rushing per game.

"The thing is you really can't get outside the scheme and try to do too much," end Willie Young said. "That can really hurt you when you start to get frustrated a little bit, but those are things that a defense deals with.

"Right now, they're going to be out to get us whether we're the No. 1 defense in the nation in all phases or not, or because we have a young secondary. Regardless of how you look at it, they're going to be out to get us, so as a defense, we're just going to have to buckle down a little tighter and play ball."

Manning's move into the starting lineup continues the Wolfpack's search for steady production at the position once held by star linebacker Nate Irving, who is out this season with injuries suffered from an offseason car wreck. Dwayne Maddox earned the job in the preseason and started the first five games.

"He has natural recognition skills in there," O'Brien said of Manning. "He's starting to play a lot faster. He's starting to play a little more comfortable in our terminology. He plays downhill and attacks the line of scrimmage well. We're going to give him the opportunity to start a football game and see how he does."