TOB – No Clarification on Pack Injuries

Per the N&O writeup, Beck is still listed as the starter for Saturday:

“We don’t know [Wilson’s status],” coach Tom O’Brien said during his weekly news conference Monday. “We’ll have to wait and see. Right now Beck is the starter, and we’re going into the week with him preparing to play.”

My biggest fear was that Evans would somehow end up starting, due to a Beck injury. Thankfully, that doesn’t look to be the case. We all know that Tom O’Brien really wants this win, and right now, my gut says that Russell Wilson will be fine and starts this game.

What about everybody else? Well, that’s as clear as mud:

Along with Wilson, linebacker Nate Irving and left offensive tackle Julian Williams were missing from the depth chart released to the media Monday.

Does that mean anything? Not really – Wilson isn’t on the depth chart, either. I would be surprised if Williams played on Saturday. There is no cause for optimism regarding Nate Irving, either – in fact, we are hearing that Irving is very possibly done for the year. As I understand the “percent rule” for redshirting, Irving would be eligible for a medical redshirt – except that he already sat out his true freshman year. I don’t expect that he would be a candidate for a sixth year medical hardship waiver (Anthony Hill would have a better shot – and we continue to hear squat about his return to the lineup).

About BJD95

1995 NC State graduate, sufferer of Les and MOC during my entire student tenure. An equal-opportunity objective critic and analyst of Wolfpack sports.

'08 Football Tom O'Brien

53 Responses to TOB – No Clarification on Pack Injuries

  1. BoKnowsNCS71 10/01/2008 at 8:21 AM #

    The sad think to me about Burke was that when he was recruited there was a lot of hype about him. I now think that just reflects upon the inexperienced Offensive Coaching staff that Amato hired. (and hired, and hired). Maybe if Chuck had not had a turnstile of assistance coming an going every year, he could have kept staff who made better decisions about recruits.

  2. GAWolf 10/01/2008 at 8:28 AM #

    Our various staffs at NC State have struck out on QB recruits since Jay Davis. All of our guys were highly touted coming out of high school so you can’t totally blame the staff… other than they perhaps relied more on “stars” than personally observed substance.

    In fact, it’s yet to be seen what Glennon and Wilson will contribute. Hopefully the streak of QB busts has ended but there’s no guarantee at this point.

  3. Dr. BadgerPack 10/01/2008 at 8:51 AM #

    State is not the first, nor will they be the last, team to miss on a high rated QB. Happens all the time– QB is one of, if not the hardest position to project as you go up in levels. From facing high school defenses to collegiate defenses is a huge leap. You can look at accuracy, arm strength, etc. all you want– you won’t be able to gauge how the QB reacts to complicated defensive schemes.

    From college to the NFL is another leap- and another reason you see busts. The complexity is roughly the same, it’s just that the speed of the defenses is about 10 times faster than the college defenses. Of late, that is why you see SEC QBs drafted ahead of other conferences (whether rightly so or not). SEC has the speed defense reputation. Those two Manning boys worked out, we’ll see about Russell. That (conference reputation) is also why you can find a Tom Brady in round 6.

    The thing from high school you can measure in a QB that is directly translated is speed, and this is why fast, decent throwing QBs tend to work out well in college. They are usually one of– if not the– fastest guys on the field and can gain yardage themselves, or screw around until breakdowns in coverage occur. On occasion, you will find one who is a decent enough pocket passer as well. Of course, the majority of these bust in the NFL– they are no longer the best athlete out there. Hell, when Mike Vick hit the NFL he met defensive ends that could run with him.

  4. Wolf Dog 10/01/2008 at 9:52 AM #

    Wilson didn’t look like a bust against ECU, lets hope he continues that kind of play. I am more worried about our defense, losing Cash and Irving really hurt. Our defensive front is not near as strong without Cash and it was exposed this past weekend.

    As far as Beck, all I can say is dial it up again, operators are standing by, Call 1-800-INT-BECK.

    I hope Wilson plays, if not maybe Evans a better choice.

  5. tcthdi-tgsf-twhwtnc 10/01/2008 at 10:17 AM #

    “He won’t have any interceptions but we’ll never get a first down unless the receiver gets the yards after the catch.”

    Good receivers do that. A young man that once played at State by the name of Philip Rivers became famous by throwing 3-5 yard passes that would net 20-25 yards. The difference is Rivers can go long.

  6. dj9686 10/01/2008 at 11:27 AM #

    “When TOB came here, he said that he follows the Bilichek (I know I didn’t spell that right) method when it comes to injuries. It’s all part of the game and should be used to give your team an advantage when possible. Of course I don’t remember what he said exactly, but it was something along those lines IIRC.”

    I’m not sure what TOB thinks he’s gaining by saying a player is out indefintely and will not play this week, as he did with Russell and Nate against USF, but he won’t even say what the source or extent of some of the injuries. We have to get this through “inside” sources most of the time and it’s frustrating. He downplayed Hill’s injury last year saying he was out indefintely when he had had knee surgery. What’s the point? It makes it sound like we have an inept medical staff and training staff that cannot properly diagnose injuries and certainly the new “stretch-training” has done nothing to cut down on the knee injuries. As for Irving I’ve read on other blogs he has a broken bone in his lower leg. Could be it’s a rumor but they were right about Hill and Baker both this year and last.

  7. VaWolf82 10/01/2008 at 11:36 AM #

    he won’t even say what the source or extent of some of the injuries. We have to get this through “inside” sources most of the time and it’s frustrating.

    What would you do with the info even if you had it straight from TOB?
    How does you having that info help the team?

  8. dj9686 10/01/2008 at 11:44 AM #

    I’d simply like to know if a player is done for the year and if it’s a serious injury or not or something nagging. In otherword’s I wouldn’t keep getting my hopes up that either Beck or Evans will not be at QB and know that we have more than one scholarship TE available. Also if Irving doesn’t have a chance to play the rest of the year, we know our D, which kept us close for a while in the first two games when the offense wasn’t working, may be more like it appeared in the USF game the rest of the season. I guess I just don’t see the need for some of the secrecy. I understand with Wilson since it’s harder to prepare for him than anyone else that’s not red-shirting at QB, but someone of the other positions where we won’t even divulge the type of injury at times and we know they are playing this week… just doesn’t make sense.

  9. projWolfie 10/01/2008 at 12:02 PM #

    Wilson practicing. Will he play?

    http://www.wralsportsfan.com/ncsu/story/3650672

  10. Ed89 10/01/2008 at 12:10 PM #

    ^^^Hell, when Mike Vick hit the NFL he met defensive ends that could run with him.

    DrBP, while I agree with the entire premise of your comment wrt to the speed at the different levels, I’m not sure I saw any DL’s that could run with Vick. That guy still looked fast as lightening in the NFL. If he could throw the ball more accurately, he would have been impossible to stop.

  11. Dr. BadgerPack 10/01/2008 at 1:11 PM #

    ^Well, Julius Peppers did run Vick down from behind. 🙂

  12. mikeD 10/01/2008 at 1:22 PM #

    A side note:

    “Following this Saturday’s noon Homecoming game at Carter-Finley, the NC State Marching Band will do something different: it will play the Boston College fight song.
    It’s part of a new sportsmanship initiative sponsored by the Atlantic Coast Conference office. All 12 ACC schools have agreed to play the opposing team’s fight song following football games.”

    http://www.gopack.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=9200&ATCLID=1594145

    I don’t really like that idea…

  13. b 10/01/2008 at 1:28 PM #

    I’ll say there were DBs in the league that couldn’t run with Vick.

  14. PackerInRussia 10/01/2008 at 2:15 PM #

    Dr., I will try very hard to avoid the temptation to relate your comment to Vick’s time in prison.

  15. Dr. BadgerPack 10/01/2008 at 3:06 PM #

    ^Guys who can’t escape pressure defense are screwed in the joint?

  16. Scooter 10/01/2008 at 3:12 PM #

    Just curious why we give a happy damn about Mike Vick?

  17. VaWolf82 10/01/2008 at 3:30 PM #

    I’d simply like to know if a player is done for the year and if it’s a serious injury or not or something nagging….where we won’t even divulge the type of injury at times and we know they are playing this week… just doesn’t make sense.

    It makes perfect sense to me. It’s debatable whether or not detailed injury reports gives the opposition some advantage that they wouldn’t already have. But there is no way that you could argue that divulging that type of information does anything positive for our team.

    So why would you expect TOB to do something completely unnecessary that might give State’s opponents an advantage?

  18. old13 10/01/2008 at 3:41 PM #

    Check out “Desperate Times “:

    http://sectionsix.blogspot.com/

  19. Par Shooter 10/01/2008 at 3:58 PM #

    To me the whole “shroud of secrecy” business on injuries just comes across as Mickey Mouse. It’s exactly the type of thing I’d come to expect from Amato. I had always taken TOB as a guy who believed you beat teams by out-executing them on the field rather than trying to fool them with silliness during the week. I doubt any opposing coaches are game planning us any differently or altering their practice schedules based on what is being said.

    I guess TOB must have some reason for acting so bizarrely about all of these injuries but I’m not sure what it is. It sure as hell didn’t help us on the field last week. I hope this isn’t all a product of watching Bellichek up close for many years in Boston and trying to emulate him in certain ways. If so…ugh.

  20. choppack1 10/01/2008 at 4:19 PM #

    Par Shooter – I really don’t care how he handles injuries. First off, HIPAA laws complicate this crap a lot. Secondly, criticizing a coach for something like this falls in the category of “not important at all” when I evaluate a coach.

  21. Ed89 10/01/2008 at 4:55 PM #

    I personally think the whole injury report is worthless. You have a roster…if a guy is ON your roster, he MAY play that week. IF you know he is out for the year, he is taken off your roster. If not, he MAY or MAY NOT play, but he’s on your team, so if he’s ready, he may play. I don’t think it should be a requirement to let the other team know anything. To me, that’s part of the game. Show up and play– and win!! And don’t divulge anything you don’t have to.

  22. basspacker812 10/01/2008 at 6:11 PM #

    Not only is the coaching staff acting bizarre, the band is to. Following the pre-game national anthem at Saturday’s noon Homecoming game at Carter-Finley, the NC State Marching Band will do something different: it will play the Boston College fight song.

    “I think it is a great sign of sportsmanship to play the opposing team’s fight song,” said Paul Garcia, the director of the NC State Marching Band. “It shows a high level of class and respect.”

    What a dumb idea.

  23. WolftownVA81 10/01/2008 at 6:19 PM #

    ^Maybe the band is trying to fake them out too. You know, make them think they have the home field advantage, lull them into a false sense of security. Then, when they least expect it – we …. Ok, delusion over. Concur with bp, what a dumb idea.

  24. b 10/01/2008 at 6:57 PM #

    Ohio St plays the opposing teams fight song, but I always thought they did it under the premise of “Hey, wanna hear what your fight song SHOULD sound like?”

  25. john of sparta 10/01/2008 at 6:59 PM #

    by the numbers:
    1. Burke. sorry ’bout that.
    2. NI. screw up a MLB contract? good luck with that.
    3. DE? Clay Aiken was Gay…who knew?

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