In Tom O'Brien's third year at NC State, the Wolfpack looks to build the success it found in the latter part of the 2008 season. After eight games a year ago, the Pack was sitting at 2-6 and staring at a rough four-game stretch. Rather than throw in the towel, a resurgent squad took the field during the last third of the season and ran off four straight wins. NC State became bowl eligible for the first time since 2005 and represented the ACC in the PapaJohns.com Bowl.
Though the Pack fell to the Scarlet Knights that game, the momentum gained from its late-season surge has brought a new level of enthusiasm to Raleigh. With first-team All-ACC quarterback Russell Wilson returning for his sophomore season, along with a balanced group of veterans and newcomers, this season already shows a lot of promise.
Pack on the Offensive
With the steady stream of defensive talent from the ACC consistently flowing to the NFL, it's hard to imagine a shift in power to the offensive side of the ball. The change does appear to be happening though, as the ACC is currently home to many electrifying stars on offense. With Wilson, wide receiver Owen Spencer and running back Jamelle Eugene, the Wolfpack looks to make a little noise of its own on the scoreboard. Last year, State ranked seventh in the league in scoring at 23.5 points a game. Look for that number to rise as Wilson gets more comfortable in the offense and more big-play threats step up for the Pack.
The "Young" and the Restless
Monday, Aug. 3rd, began the first full week of fall practice for the Wolfpack and senior defensive end Willie Young could not have been more ready. Young, a graduate student now after earning his degree this summer, is the most experienced player on the roster. "I'm excited about this camp," Young said at the ACC Football Kickoff. "It's two weeks of undivided Coach O'Brien time before school starts." Young also commented on the importance of fundamentals and getting the younger players 'on board.' "The faster we can do that," Young said, "the faster we can get down to business."
No Measuring Sticks
O'Brien has a lot to be excited about this year:
The first eight-game home schedule in Wolfpack history
A "much more competitive team" in his third year
A nationally televised rematch with Steve Spurrier and South Carolina
Those are just three reasons he and Wolfpack faithful should carry a lot of enthusiasm into this season, though, the South Carolina game isn't on O'Brien's mind as much as people might think despite the season-opening shutout loss to the Gamecocks last year. The leader of the Pack emphasizes that this is "a new season. Last year, we had a center and a quarterback who had never touched the ball," O'Brien said. "We don't need measuring sticks, we need wins."
Quarterback Russell Wilson
Wolfpack Offense
Backfield: This has the potential to be the Wolfpack's strongest area. Russell Wilson leads the way as he looks to build on his strong freshman performance a year ago. The difference this year is that the Pack has a reliable backup in redshirt freshman Mike Glennon. The rookie sat out last year but, according to O'Brien, will see playing time early on. "If Russell goes down, you don't want someone going in the game who's never played," O'Brien said. Glennon was a highly touted recruit coming out of high school, so he is a dependable backup.
The running back position should also be a major strength this fall. Eugene returns for the Pack after tallying over 650 total yards in his 2008 campaign. Also returning for NC State is senior running back Tony Baker. Baker, who hasn't played since 2007 due to a re-occurring knee injury, has amassed almost 1,600 total yards in his career. Baker and Eugene should bear the brunt of the workload for the Pack, with talented reserves in Curtis Underwood, Jr., Brandon Barnes and James Washington.
Receiving Corps: Spencer led the way in 2008 with almost 700 yards receiving and an impressive 22.3 yards per catch average, a new ACC record. Jarvis Williams also had a successful season last year, combining with Spencer for over 1, 100 yards and nine touchdowns. These productive receivers will work alongside sophomores Jay Smith and the speedy T.J. Graham. Other reserves Darrell Davis and Steven Howard are also on standby, making the wide-out position a deep one for the Pack. This lineup will also get a boost around mid-October, when redshirt junior Donald Bowens is expected to return from an ACL injury. Bowens has big-play potential and was dependable before he went down with injuries. At tight end, the Pack should be in good shape despite losing Anthony Hill to the NFL. Sophomore George Bryan has a good deal of experience at the position, as does senior Matt Kushner, who missed most of last season with a knee injury. Redshirt freshman Mario Carter could see time as well.
O-Line: The offensive line should be another strength. With a ton of experience including center Ted Larson and tackles Jake Vermiglio and Jeraill McCuller, this group of upperclassmen shows a lot of promise. These are all players who have familiarity with Coach O'Brien's system which should be an added plus to the stability of the offense.
Wolfpack Defense
Front Seven: The four probable starters up front for the Wolfpack are all seniors in 2009. Led by defensive end Young and tackle Alan-Michael Cash, this group showed tremendous improvement during the second half of 2008. They gave up fewer yards and seemed to gel as the year progressed. Shea McKeen will play at the opposite end, with Leroy Burgess filling in the other tackle spot. Audi Augustin and Jeff Rieskamp are the reserves on the ends, but the question mark here is depth and experience, especially at the tackle.
The linebackers were in great shape until Nate Irving's June car crash. The redshirt junior was arguably State's best defensemen and had a keen nose for the ball. With his return uncertain, sophomore Dwayne Maddox will get the first crack at Irving's weak-side position. Senior Ray Michel will now be looked to for leadership from his middle linebacker spot. Michel, a solid and capable playmaker, led the Wolfpack in tackles last year with 102. A pleasant surprise came from redshirt sophomore Audi Cole. His rapid progression at the field linebacker spot this spring led coaches to make him the starter heading into fall camp. These three players will have talented, young backups in sophomore Sterling Lucas and redshirt freshman Terrell Manning. Though Nate Irving's absence is a huge blow to the NC State defense, there are other options at linebacker.
Linebacker Ray Michel
Secondary: Probably the biggest area of concern for the Wolfpack coaching staff is the defensive secondary. NC State was ranked last in passing defense a season ago, allowing almost 250 yards a game through the air. The secondary was just too inconsistent last year. They would string together a couple of well played games only to give up 300 yards the next. The veteran of the group is redshirt junior DeAndre Morgan at cornerback. His backup will be former walk-on Koyal George who has a fair amount of experience himself. Things are less clear at the other corner. Sophomore Dominique Ellis was the projected starter until he recently. Redshirt freshman Gary Grant was his backup, but he has zero experience at the college level. Look for George to possibly slide into that spot while Grant gets acclimated.
At safety, NC State has senior Clem Johnson, who had a nice season last year despite fighting through injuries. Johnson will get some help from redshirt junior Javon Walker, who missed all of last season with a knee injury. Free safety is the spot currently held by redshirt sophomore Justin Byers, who started eight games last year. Depth is a concern here as well since Jimmaul Simmons decided to leave the team. The loss of Simmons and Ellis mean little or no depth for the secondary. Some incoming freshmen will have to learn fast as the coaching staff looks for able bodies. The talent the Wolfpack has in the secondary is good. The only problem is there's not much of it.
Special Teams: The place-kicking duties are in the capable hands of redshirt junior Josh Czajkowski. Last year, Czajkowski made 84 percent of his field goals. A spot is open for a punter as reliable Bradley Pierson graduated. Jeff Ruiz, Carl Ojala and Chris Ward will battle for punting duties, though none have kicked in a college game. The return men for State are some of the best in the league with T.J. Graham returning punts with Clem Johnson and kickoffs with Jamelle Eugene. Graham had a 25.1 yard kick return average last season, fifth in the conference.
Looking Forward
The Wolfpack and its faithful followers have a lot to look forward to this season. Two non-conference opponents from two power conferences, along with a challenging ACC schedule, should make this season a very memorable one. An eight- or nine-win season is certainly a possibility; as is a trip to Tampa Bay. If NC State can stay healthy and remain fundamentally sound, it should be as Coach O'Brien said, "a much more competitive football team."
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Tom O’Brien heads into his third season
as the 33rd head football coach at
NC State in the 116-year history of the
program. In only his second year in
Raleigh, O’Brien led the Wolfpack to
their first bowl appearance since 2004,
as State fi nished the 2008 regular season
with four consecutive victories including
a stunning 41-10 upset over its
25th-ranked arch-rival North Carolina.
In each his first two seasons at State, O’Brien’s Wolfpack teams have
overcome a spate of injuries to rebound and record a four-game winning
streak. His record in the second half of the season the past two
years has been 8-4, a .667 winning percentage.
O’Brien came to Raleigh
after spending 10 seasons as the head coach at Boston College,
where he won more games than any coach in BC history. His squads
also boasted some of the nation’s highest graduation rates during his
tenure there.
A 1971 graduate of the U. S. Naval Academy, O’Brien
posted a 75-45 mark with the Eagles, engineering one of the most
remarkable turnarounds in recent college football history.
His 2006 squad won nine games for the third consecutive season and the
fourth time in five years (the Eagles won their 10th game following
O’Brien’s departure). It marked the sixth straight year and seventh
time in eight years that BC had won at least eight games.
The Eagles
advanced to eight consecutive bowls under O’Brien’s tutlege and
had won their last eight bowl appearances-six coached by O’Brien to
record the longest active bowl game winning streak in the country
prior to last season.
O’Brien, 58, was the recipient of the American
Football Coaches Association’s 2004 Academic Achievement Award
for posting an 100% graduation rate. He received Honorable Mention
status seven additional times during his tenure at BC. Boston
College was ranked No. 1 in the country by USA Today when that
publication recently re-ordered its 2005 regular season poll and the
final 2005 Top 25 by APR score (Academic Progress Rate) to measure
a combination of athletic and academic success.
Before coming to BC in 1997, O’Brien served as the offensive coordinator at the
University of Virginia for six seasons, during which time the Cavaliers
were consistently ranked among the top offensive teams in the
ACC. He came to UVa in 1982 from Navy with George Welsh.
2009 Preseason Information
2008 In Review
Head Coach Tom O’Brien led the Wolfpack
to their first bowl appearance since 2005, winning
their final four regular season games, before
dropping a 29-23 decision to Rutgers in
the Papajohns.com Bowl to finish 6-7 overall,
4-4 in the ACC and tied for 3rd in the Atlantic
Division... After an injury-plagued 2-6 start,
State caught fire at midseason behind freshman
QB Russell Wilson and defeated Duke, Wake
Forest, North Carolina and Miami in successive
games to claim a bowl invitation...Wilson
became the first freshman to earn first-team All-
ACC honors as a quarterback, leading the conference
in passing efficiency (133.9) and total
offense (213.0)... DE Willie Young, LB Nate
Irving and KR T.J. Graham all earned Honorable
Mention All-ACC...Graham, who set a
school record for kickoff return yardage by the
7th game of the season, totalled 1,028 yards, the
3rd best total in ACC history...WR Owen Spencer
set an ACC single-season record averaging
22.3 yards per catch on 31 receptions...Nate Irving
finished 4th nationally among LBs with 4
interceptions in 10 games.
Who’s Gone
State lost 9 starters overall, four each on offense
and defense and P Bradley Pierson...Offensively,
the Wolfpack lost G’s Jon Bedics and
Meares Green, a two-time All-ACC Football
Academic team member, as well as NFL Draft
picks TE Anthony Hill and TB Andre Brown,
who rushed for 767 yards and 7 TDs...Defensively,
State will be without DT Keith Willis,
LB Robbie Leonard, S J.C. Neal and CB Jeremy
Gray.
2009 Preview
O’Brien welcomes back 15 returning starters including
7 each on offense and defense and junior
PK Josh Czajkowski, who fi nished 4th in the
ACC in fi eld goals... Offensively, Wilson, who
ran and passed for 2,343 yards and 21 TDR in
just 10 games, enters the year as one of the top
signal callers in the nation... He will have a bevy
of fast targets in WRs Owen Spencer, Jarvis
Williams and T.J. Graham, who combined for
73 catches, an 18.8 yards-per-catch and 9 TDs...
The ground game should be improved with the
return of TB Jamelle Eugene (442 yards) and
TB Toney Baker, who ran for a total of 1,272
yards in 2005 and 2006, but missed almost all
of the last two seasons with injuries... The offensive
line should have a veteran look with Ts
Jake Vermiglio and Jerraill McCuller returning
as well as C Ted Larsen... Defensively,
State should be improved with two of its top
three tacklers returning in LBs Ray Michel (85
tackles) and Nate Irving (80 tackles) as well
as its best pass rusher in DE Willie Young, who
had 6.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss... Irving’s
status for the fall is clouded, though, after suffering
injuries in a mid-summer car accident ...The
Wolfpack’s run defense improved at the end of
the year, holding its fi nal 5 foes to an average of
just 98 yards per game, after allowing 173 yards
a game in the first 8 contests... Two starters return
in the secondary in CB DeAndre Morgan,
who led the team in pass breakups with 10 and
S Justin Byers.
Numbers and Notes
1st - QB Russell Wilson became the first
freshman in the 57-year history of the Atlantic
Coast Conference to be named the All-
ACC fi rst-team quarterback. Wilson was also
named the ACC’s 2008 Rookie of the Year.
.667 - The winning percentage of Head
Coach Tom O’Brien after mid-season in his
first two years as Head Coach of the Wolfpack.
O’Brien is 8-4 in his final six games in
each of his first two years in Raleigh, a .667
winning percentage.
.842 - The percentage of field goals junior
PK Josh Czajkowski made in his first season
as the Wolfpack’s starting field goal kicker.
Czajkowski made 16 of 19 FG’s and 33 of 34
PATs to finish with 81 points and 7th place in
the ACC in scoring.
5 - NC State center Ted Larsen is one of
five ACC pivotmen named to the pre-season
waych list for the Rimington Award, presented
annually to the nation’s top center.
9 - NC State will face nine opponents in
2009 who went to bowl games last year, including
non-conference foes South Carolina
(Outback Bowl) and Pittsburgh (Sun Bowl)
and seven ACC opponents with Wake Forest
(EagleBank), Boston College (Gaylord
Hotels Music City), Florida State (Champs
Sports), Maryland (Roady’s Humanitarian),
Clemson (Konica-Minolta Gator), Virginia
Tech (FedEx Orange) and North Carolina
(Meineke Car Care) who participated in postseason
play.
22.3 - The per-catch average for NC State
junior WR Owen Spencer. Spencer led all
ACC receivers and set an ACC single-season
record, in per-catch average last year, carrying
31 receptions a total of 691 yards with 5
resulting in TDs.
249 - NC State QB Russell Wilson enters the
2009 season having thrown 249 consecutive
passes without an interception. He is just 21
passes shy of the current ACC standard of
270 without a miscue, set in 2007 by FSU QB
Drew Weatherford. Wilson led the nation in
2008 in interception avoidance.
