Heartless End To the 2007 Football Season; Maryland 37, NC State ZERO

'07 Football Tom O'Brien79

* There is no more joking “is it basketball season yet”. It really is basketball season for the Wolfpack.

* In 2001, Maryland threw oranges on the field at the end of the game at Carter-Finley. Today, they threw statues of Mother Teresa, Gandhi and Bono on the field to celebrate their bid to the bowl that used to be the Humanitarian Bowl.

* Coach O’Brien should probably take some heat after this game. That ‘effort’ was pitiful today.

* Another Evans INT near/in the red zone changes the complection of the game.

* Will Justin Burke transfer?

* Can anyone PLEASE beat out Daniel Evans next year? There is little to no reason to have much excitement regarding the 2008 season if NC State cannot improve upon the quarterback position.

* Nice round of applause for Marcus Stone on senior day at the stadium

* Despite the embarassment of today, a 5-7 / 3-5 record that included wins over ECU and UNC-CH was about as good as could be expected heading into this season. I’ll take it.

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'07 Football Tom O'Brien

79 Responses to Heartless End To the 2007 Football Season; Maryland 37, NC State ZERO

  1. Rick 11/25/2007 at 9:36 AM #

    I am flabbergasted at some of the comments.

    Given what has happened this year (upteen knee surgeries to key players, three best offensive players lost, no Oline, no QB) I think 5 wins is almost heroic. When we were 1-5 and someone told you we would get 5 wins including UNC, ECU and a top ranked team you would have been thrilled.

    Granted this was a dissapointing end but the turn around in the middle of the year was very impressive.

    And how can anyone determine how good the coaches are based on this year? How can anyone criticize them? At least give them two years to get some players in.

  2. BJD95 11/25/2007 at 9:53 AM #

    I think it was a masterful coaching job all year. I also thought the energy was fine until the stupid INT (another floated ball giving the defense the chance to make a play). Even then, the defense held, only to have the offense totally wipe out any momentum.

    You must understand that this team was held together with duct tape and chicken wire. The talent situation (as far as football ability, not track and weightroom ability) was dire, and the mental aspect arguably worse. It didn’t take much for the house of cards to come crashing down, as it surely did yesterday.

    Tom O’Brien is a proven winner. I will not question him one iota. Anything he gives us the first 2 years is pure gravy. Wolfpack fans got a lot of damned gravy this year, IMHO. Thanks, TOB.

  3. burnbarn 11/25/2007 at 10:19 AM #

    ^agreed.. I predicted we would win 4 games and we got 5… I love this coaching staff and you really have to hand it to Archer with what he got from the d this year with nothing really proven behind a few Dline guys.
    Next year will probably be a struggle for bowl eligibility as well with either another frustrating ending or maybe that trip to Boise and the extra practices. Not to leave out Bible, as he had a great game plan for each game given our obvious limitations. But our obvious limitations we way too much to overcome.

    Q’s for next season…..

    Who is the QB?

    Are Baker and Brown really better than Eugene?

    Which freshman will see big minutes?

    With injuries to 2 incoming LB recruits, Who is going to play LB?

    Who is going to fill DMo’s shoes?

    Can we end our season with someone besides Maryland?

  4. PackerInRussia 11/25/2007 at 11:24 AM #

    For those still interested in “the business” here is the clip:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAMtCCezpfU (it’s on PackPride’s Web Run section if the link doesn’t work.
    Makes me smile every time. I love the comment by Gary Hahn (sp?) at the beginning of the game when Ron Cherry made some call and all you heard was echo. It was something along the lines of, “There’s the familiar echoey voice of Ron Cherry. After all these years of officiating no one’s taught him how to use a mic.”

  5. choppack1 11/25/2007 at 11:47 AM #

    Think about this – we were 3-0 when Evans played a solid game. We were 2-7 when our QBs struggled. Our OL struggled again today, but I really think that our team almost fell into the “what’s the point” trap after that first INT.

    If there’s one thing I fault TOB, Inc w/ today – it’s not pulling Evans and getting in Beck or even Burke. Granted – they haven’t performed any better than Evans w/ the exception of Beck’s 2nd half “tease” – but the game was slipping away so quickly I think it required drastic measures. Then again, I don’t think TOB and Dana are “drastic” guys. (At the midway point, I wanted Russell Wilson, but they used the off-week effectively and put in an offense that allowed us to beat ECU, UVa, Miami and UNC.)

    Good point on Wilson’s off-season. I am/was hoping to see him play in the spring game, so I can see w/ my own 2 eyes him play. I’ve spoken w/ someone who has seen him practice and he’s been impressed.

  6. noah 11/25/2007 at 1:36 PM #

    “Given what has happened this year (upteen knee surgeries to key players, three best offensive players lost, no Oline, no QB) I think 5 wins is almost heroic. When we were 1-5 and someone told you we would get 5 wins including UNC, ECU and a top ranked team you would have been thrilled.”

    Absolutely. I think I said last week that win or lose (against UMD), I was pretty pleased with the season and was proud of this team. Considering our struggles early on, I was pretty worried we wouldn’t win another game after Wofford.

  7. hball57 11/25/2007 at 1:46 PM #

    For the comment about receivers, we rotate our top 4 pretty equally nd we use at least 6 during a game. I’m not sure what you are looking at.

    Secondly, when you are not able to run, any offense looks predictible.

    Then people are again on this anti=Evans kick. I’ve seen Beck and Evans is better. We haven’t seen Burke or Wilson, but like every team after a loss the most popular player is the back up QB. When will fans realize that they don’t really know football.

    And if you could play QB from the stands or from the TV, anyone could read a defense. But I bet if you were on the field you would sing a different tune.

  8. choppack1 11/25/2007 at 2:59 PM #

    “Then people are again on this anti=Evans kick. I’ve seen Beck and Evans is better.”
    I agree 100%.

    “We haven’t seen Burke or Wilson, but like every team after a loss the most popular player is the back up QB. ”
    Actually, I’ve seen Burke play. I saw him in the spring game, and he started very slow, but ended the game playing better. Still, Evans was clearly better. When I saw Burke vs. Clemson (or Louisville, I forget which), he completed his first 2 passes, then he threw one right to a defender.

    However, there are times when you’ve gotten every ounce of good football you’re going to get from someone, and you know exactly what they are capable of – we knew that w/ Evans. I didn’t have a problem w/ Evans starting yesterday or playing the entire game vs. Wake. He’d earned that opportunity. However, after the first half yesterday, it was obvious we needed some kind of spark. I would have preferred to see Burke or Beck – it probably didn’t make a damn bit of difference – and perhaps our staff thought that he alone earned the opportunity. That’s their right and their perogative – but I wasn’t going to come back for the second half to see a mirror of what I’d seen in the first.

    On Wilson -have you seen him practice at NC State? I haven’t. But I know someone who has – and he thought he looked good. I freely admit that I haven’t seen him practice either. After we started out strong vs. ECU and played great against UVA, there was no sense burning Wilson’s redshirt at that point in the season. Still, I hope that he can win the job in the offseason, because I’ve seen enough of Evans and Beck to realize that we’ll never be an exceptional football team w/ either of them throwing the ball. Especially in Evans case, I don’t dislike him and I admire his heart. However, his skillsets are too limited and his confidence is too shaky. Simply put, he’s a good QB when things are going well for us and our D is stopping the opposition. There may come a time when our team can have an Evans type at QB – and we can go 8-4, maybe 9-3. We’re not there yet and we won’t be there next year.

    I give the staff credit, Evans and other players credit…They developed gameplans and the players executed well enough in the second half of the season to give us wins in 4 of 6 games.

    “When will fans realize that they don’t really know football. And if you could play QB from the stands or from the TV, anyone could read a defense. But I bet if you were on the field you would sing a different tune.”

    These kind of comments don’t add much to anything. I guess you can’t comment on the problems of your house if you haven’t been a general contractor. If you’ve got a good counter argument – throw it out there.

  9. killdevilhillspackfan 11/25/2007 at 3:00 PM #

    What was the ref’s name??? Wally Cleaver??

  10. packgrad2000 11/25/2007 at 3:06 PM #

    Has anyone found a link to the “giving him the business” on Youtube or anything? I was rolling in my car listening to that. Mark Thomas (99.9 The Fan) said the press box was really quiet, but when he came out and said, “Personal foul on ___, 15 yards, he was giving him the business” the whole press box just erupted. I’ve got to see or at least hear that again!

  11. Octavian 11/25/2007 at 3:08 PM #

    I noticed last night that Auburn had 3 true freshman on the OL. Not comparing our talent to Auburn’s but I believe we currently have the talent/resources and the type of coaching staff to make quick/wholesale changes that produce good results. The focus in the offseason needs to be in the trenches and of course, QB (to Noah’s point this entails DE is not behind center).

  12. packgrad2000 11/25/2007 at 3:09 PM #

    ^OK sorry about that…I missed PackerinRussia’s link!!

  13. MatSci94 11/25/2007 at 3:35 PM #

    “the whole press box just erupted.”

    The crowd too. Later that drive there was a “Busi–ness” chant in the stands.

  14. MatSci94 11/25/2007 at 3:35 PM #

    “the whole press box just erupted.”

    The crowd too. Later that drive there was a “Busi–ness” chant in the stands.

  15. choppack1 11/25/2007 at 3:50 PM #

    I’m really concerned that Russell will not be able to do both baseball and football in the spring. I’m afraid that this will send the wrong message to our staff and he’ll once again be behind the 8-ball w/ his competition for the starting job. Evans will continue to be OK in practice but won’t be able to duplicate the results on the field.

    Selfishly, I’m also hoping to see how Wilson compares to our existing crop of QBs.

  16. redfred2 11/25/2007 at 5:25 PM #

    Oh well, it was a very disappointing ending to a tough football season. Not mention that TOB’s bowl streak officially ended as of yesterday. BUT, we did beat ALMOST everyone in our neck of the woods while ending up with a better W/L record than some people around here were expecting before the season started.

    I hope TOB has put this season in proper perspective eventhough his last effort for 2007 pretty much wiped out every one of the subtle break throughs that I THOUGHT I was beginning to recognize in the team. Either way, we just need to stay optimistic, straightening out a whole football program will take time. I hope the coach was/is prepared for the long haul.

  17. noah 11/25/2007 at 5:36 PM #

    “I’ve seen Beck and Evans is better.”

    That’s not really saying much. It’s true…but it doesn’t really get us anywhere.

  18. travelwolf 11/25/2007 at 5:37 PM #

    i get it… i’ll be TOB won’t be asking for an extension after today’s game… i thought i saw fowler meeting with the team on sat. morning:)

  19. vtpackfan 11/25/2007 at 5:57 PM #

    Red, his Bowl streak ended but that ‘aint all. He is off probation in my book. 9 to 12 months is all you get the real world, and these people who say “you need to give atleast 2 or 3 years” are full of it.

    He is willing to admit he walked into a place with great facilities this and that, so that means that he needs to readily admit he is now responsible for the personnel left over. Enough with the “dead wood” horse crap, it should have ended at STATE 0 VISITOR 37 4th 0:00.

  20. redfred2 11/25/2007 at 7:32 PM #

    ^vt, I didn’t go to the game but even before watching it on TV, I couldn’t get excited about it at all. I don’t know why that was, but either way, I expected the team to represent better than that cluster %*#@ we all witnessed from wherever we watched it.

    TOB needs to work some magic in the upcoming off season and figure out how to give this program some stability and continuity from week to week. In reality though, I’d say it’s still too early in his tenure to start placing any expectations on him, but we’re fans, and that kind of pressure is why he gets paid the big $$$’s. But, if there isn’t some very noticeable improvement in execution and basic football technique in evidence early next season, I’m pretty sure TOB will begin to notice at least a slight chill in the air.

  21. bTHEredterror 11/25/2007 at 9:44 PM #

    If you want the difference between Evans and Beck, its where they throw INTs. Beck throws them in a crowd of three defenders on an ill-advised pass. Evans throws them in the flats to avoid a hit, and gives up pick sixes.

    When Evans throws an out the WR has to wait on the ball, when Beck throws it he has to defend himself. Where Beck needs to improve is touch passing, which is the one strength I’ll give Evans. I was thrilled when he was celebrated on Senior Day, proud of a young man who out-performed his ability, but happy we may actually threaten a defense over 10 yards from the LOS.

  22. gumbydammit 11/25/2007 at 10:43 PM #

    My only question is: how did that penalty for “giving him the business” not make ESPN SportsCenter’s Top 10 Plays of the Day? That’s just classic. A game that bad, you have to look for the gems. After all, it’s entertainment, folks, and that was the only entertaining thing I witnessed all game.

  23. gumbydammit 11/25/2007 at 10:43 PM #

    My only question is: how did that penalty for “giving him the business” not make ESPN SportsCenter’s Top 10 Plays of the Day? That’s just classic. A game that bad, you have to look for the gems. After all, it’s entertainment, folks, and that was the only entertaining thing I witnessed all game.

  24. PackerInRussia 11/26/2007 at 12:11 AM #

    Another difference b/t Evans and Beck: in the games I’ve seen, Evans never steps into a throw. At best he stands upright. If a defender is coming towards him, you can bet he’ll throw it fading away rather than step into the throw. This causes the ball to take an hour to get to the receiver/tight end/DB. Unless he throws a perfectly timed ball (which he was able to do often during the winning streak) or the receiver is wide open, then it is ripe for the picking. I wish someone would just teach him to step into his throws.

  25. Ismael 11/26/2007 at 11:16 AM #

    There were a couple of throws Beck made when he came in that DE just can’t make, those ones in the middle of the field that need alot of zip and to hit the receiver in-stride. Of course anything more than 40yrds with accuracy/velocity is out of the question. I really like DE, and he’s provided some amazing moments but Chris Turner outplayed him. That kid is gonna be good

    PackerInRussia, exactly right

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