August 11, 2011
NC STATE FOOTBALL
Jacey Zembal (TheWolfpacker.com)
Wolfpack learning from first scrimmage
NC State coach Tom O’Brien compared the transition from the first scrimmage to the second as similar to what happens after the first game of the season.
O’Brien and the coaching staff reviewed the film of Monday’s scrimmage, and in turn, the players are learning what they can do better. He pointed out that the defense had a few missed tackles, but overall played with the poise of veterans.
“The thing that concerns you the most is that you want to hold on to the ball on offense, which we did, and you want to tackle on defense,” O’Brien said. “Guys were running the ball and we were gang tackling and being around the ball. We aren’t perfect and probably still had half a dozen [missed tackles] in a 80-play scrimmage, which is still too much, but it’s better than what we had last year.
“That’s all part of the experience of being in the system and being in the defense and knowing where they are supposed to be.”
Luke DeCock (N&O)
N.C. State not counting on freshmen
“As of today, I would say no,” O’Brien said. “After the first scrimmage, we’re really happy with the freshman class and we’re finally to a point where we don’t have to count on them, where they can redshirt and get themselves academically better off after one year without all the pressures of playing in the games. Now, that doesn’t mean a week from now I won’t change my mind, but right now, at this point, it’s a good freshman class, it rates up there with any of the freshman classes we’ve had, but now we’ve got some depth in the program and we don’t have to count on them.â€
Akula Wolf (BackingthePack.com)
TOB Likes Your Hustle And That’s Why It Was So Hard To Redshirt You
RiddickandReynolds
Episode 13 Podcast
It’s episode 13 of the podcast, and we’re lucky* enough to continue our series of conversations with Chuck Amato. For all you young parents out there with a son starting his first foray into football, Chuck shares his advice for parents of young athletes and how he began a career in sports.
Luke DeCock (N&O)
Snapping back no problem for Wentz
In all the talk, debate and hand-wringing over N.C. State’s change in quarterbacks from Russell Wilson to Mike Glennon, just about everyone has ignored the person it impacts the most.
When you get right down to it, no one is more affected – in a very personal way – by the switch than Wolfpack center Camden Wentz.
Whether heaving the ball between his legs to a quarterback in the shotgun or engaging in the oddly intimate hand-to-hand exchange known by the phrase “under center,” Wentz has the responsibility of getting the ball to the quarterback, no matter who he may be: short or tall, new or old, Wilson or Glennon.
GoPack.com
Opening STATEment: Episode 4 (video)
DAY 8
On Monday, the Wolfpack squad sprinted across the turf at Carter-Finley for the first time this season, during the opening scrimmage of camp. These few preseason scrimmages offer the coaching staff a chance to see how players will respond in a game environment by adding referees, down and distance, and play clocks to the mix.
Secrecy comes at a premium for coaches during this time of the year, so filming is prohibited at Pack scrimmages. In place of footage from the scrimmage, Taylor Gentry and Dean Haynes treated the Opening STATEment to a tour of some of their favorite places in the Murphy Center for this episode’s video feature. In the section below, Norman, Gentry, and Haynes share their thoughts on the first scrimmage.
GoPack.com
Inside Wolfpack Sports (video)
Don Shea visits with a few NC State Wide Receivers to discuss the teams progression during camp.
WRALSportsFan.com (Video)
Extended Interview: Tom O’Brien
NC State’s football coach talks about his team’s progress one week into practice.
WRALSportsFan.com (Video)
Extended Interview: Mike Glennon
NC State’s quarterback says the ‘Pack’s receivers have a comfort level with him.
WRALSportsFan.com (Video)
Extended Interview: T.J. Graham
Graham says State’s receivers corps will be smaller, but faster this season.
Christopher Smith (Chargers.com)
Perfecting the craft
Though No. 17 is a stabilizing force to the franchise as a three-time Pro Bowl selection, he isn’t infallible. Expect more from Rivers than an attempt to duplicate last season.
“There’s always room for improvement. Until no balls are hitting the ground ever, you’re not doing it perfect,†Rivers said.
Whether it’s moving over three feet in the pocket instead of one, or facilitating the coaches and players getting the ball snapped a split-second earlier, the quarterback said he and most of the veterans on offense are working on “fine details,†things even the most ardent fan likely will not notice.
“The league is a game of inches,†Rivers said. “That’s the difference in a third-down conversion. That’s the difference in scoring a touchdown instead of having to kick a field goal. Ultimately, that’s the difference between wins and losses.â€
NCAA BASKETBALL
Terry Hutchens (Indianapolis Star)
NCAA postseason participation faces stricter academic bar
Under potential future rules, college athletic programs that fail to meet stricter academic standards annually could be barred from competing in postseason tournaments, including the high-profile men’s basketball event, NCAA President Mark Emmert said Wednesday.
Emmert spoke of beefing up academic standards for member schools at the end of two days of meetings involving more than 50 university CEOs. He said the baseline acceptable Academic Progress Rate (APR) score could be raised from 925 to 930 and that he hoped a decision on that issue would be reached by January or sooner.
But more important, Emmert said schools not meeting the APR requirements would not be allowed to participate in postseason play.
“We came to a strong agreement that we want to make a decision to set clear academic expectations for participation in any of our tournaments,” Emmert said. “If you don’t meet those expectations, you will not be allowed to participate in our tournaments, including the men’s basketball tournament.”
UNC FALLOUT
VaWolf82 (Statefansnation.com)
So What CAN You Do?
When things get tough at work, I have a friend that likes to say “Don’t tell me what you can’t do, tell me what you CAN do to help out.†I don’t know why it took me so long to connect that phrase with the steady stream of excuses flowing out of Chapel Hill over the last year, but I finally did. Unfortunately, since I have to work for a living, I didn’t get the piece finished before the N&O stole at least part of my thunder. But let’s look a little deeper than that commentary and summarize what UNC could have done to have prevented (or at least limited) the Great Unpleasantness.
Michael Marot (AP Sports Writer)
NCAA looks at smaller rulebook, tougher penalties
The NCAA is planning a major rewrite of its complicated rulebook to shed regulations that many in the meetings agreed were unenforceable or nitpicky.
Instead, the presidents plan to put coaches, school administrators and boosters on notice: Breaking the rules now will be costly, though Emmert would not speculate on any possible new sanctions.
The infractions committee could bring back the postseason bans and television bans that became the norm in the 1980s, punishments that never came off the books but have rarely been used over the past decade. Last year, Southern California became the first Football Bowl Subdivision school to get a postseason ban since Alabama’s two-year ban ended in 2003. No FBS team has faced a TV ban since 1996.
