Tuesday Tidbits

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October 25, 2011

NC STATE FOOTBALL

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J.P. GIGLIO (N&O)
Pack builds morale

It only counts as one ACC win, one baby step closer to a bowl game, but N.C. State’s trip to Virginia yielded something more important.

N.C. State’s 28-14 win against the Cavaliers on Saturday gave Wolfpack players the kind of confidence it had lacked during a disappointing start to the season, even after wins over two lower-level Division I teams and Central Michigan.

“That (Virginia) win really showed the team that we’re better than a lot of people think we are,” said sophomore cornerback David Amerson, who was named the ACC’s defensive back of the week for his pair of interceptions, which included a 12-yard touchdown return. “If we put all the little things together, I think we can be a pretty good team. I think the team saw that.”

Akula Wolf (BackingthePack.com)
Victory Links: Notes And Reactions To NC State’s 28-14 Win Over Virginia

Akula Wolf (BackingthePack.com)
Week 8 By The Numbers

The defense’s performance on Saturday was easily their best of the season; they managed season lows in both total yardage and yards per play. They had a fair amount of help from the other team, of course–you don’t allow fewer yards per pass attempt than yards per carry without an extra special effort from the opposing quarterback(s).

As for the offense, it was technically their worst performance of the year on a per-play basis, but I suspect the final numbers wouldn’t look so bad had the Pack’s receivers actually caught the passes that hit them in the hands. Mike Glennon was good overall–in the first quarter especially–and should have had gaudier numbers to his credit.

Kudos to Tony Creecy, who more than quadrupled his season reception total in the Virginia game; he was targeted seven times and caught the ball each time. Bryan Underwood was boom or bust–his three receptions went for 125 yards, while George Bryan was invisible once again. Bryan’s been targeted just 19 times this year, and no matter the drops, that’s unacceptable. The coaching staff has got to find a way to get him more involved down the stretch; whether that means working with Glennon to get him to go through his progressions more consistently, or simply drawing up more plays for Bryan, something has to be done. Bryan’s just wasting away.

Austin Johnson (PackPride.com)
Pack ‘D’ Steps Up

The biggest improvement came in the Pack’s ability to limit the big play. Coming into Saturday’s game the Pack had given up 38 plays of 20 yards or more over six games – 10 on the ground and 18 through the air. Averaged out that’s more than six ‘big plays’ a game that the Pack defense has given up, one of the worst totals in the nation. On Saturday, the Pack reduced that number to one – the previously mentioned touchdown pass to Smith.

PackPride.com
Depth Chart: NC State vs. FSU

GoPack.com
Amerson Takes ACC Honors Again

GoPack.com
Amerson Enters Spotlight

In the Pack’s 28-14 win over Virginia, the NC State defense turned in its best “start to finish” performance of the season Wolfpack head coach Tom O’Brien said at Monday’s press conference. O’Brien praised the team’s total defensive effort, but gave special attention to cornerback David Amerson’s game-changing performance.

Amerson hauled in two interceptions on the afternoon, returning his second for a touchdown to clinch the game. The effort brought Amerson’s FBS-leading season total to eight, and earned him a second-straight ACC Defensive Back of the Week honor.

“Linebacker coach John Tenuta thinks he’s one of the top five corners that he has ever been around talent-wise, and he’s been around some good corners,” said O’Brien.

His eight interceptions on the year ties a 73-year old school record, set by Art Rooney in 1937 and again in 1938, and pulls him within three picks of the ACC single-season record of 11 set by UNC’s Dre Bly in 1996. With his next interception, Amerson will tie 2010 national leader Jayron Hosley of Virginia Tech for the most in a single season by an ACC player since Bly.

GoPack.com
State-UNC Game Set for 12:30 Kickoff

MULTIMEDIA/PODCASTS

microphone

PackPride.com
Mattes, Kuhn Meet The Media

PackPride.com
O’Brien: “It Was A Big Win”

[T.Y. McGill] is kind of like Bryan Underwood, those are kids that we have in our program that we know are good players that as they mature and grow they are going to be really good players. It’s not the time that we want them, because if they were really good players right now they’d be playing. But as a 300-pound kid he’s really light on his feet. He can run. He’ll only get stronger and when he figures it all out, our defense is complicated a lot of the things they have to do. He will get better as he becomes more experienced but he’s a powerful guy that can knock you back. Between him and Carlos Gray who we’re redshirting and Thomas Teal, those three guys are like the guys we used to play with at Boston College.”

GoPack.com
Watch the Tom O’Brien TV Show

In this week’s episode, Head football coach Tom O’Brien breaks down the Virginia game with host Tony Haynes. Mark Thomas visits with quarterback Mike Glennon and previews the Pack’s next game at Florida State.

WRALSportsfan.com
Mattes thinks Virginia win was “crucial” for Pack

After a slow first half of the season, Mattes thinks the Pack can turn it around after the bye week.

WRALSportsfan.com
Kuhn thinks FSU will seek revenge

The NCSU defensive tackle knows the Pack won’t be afraid of the Seminoles after beating them last year.

WRALSportsfan.com
Amerson calls the pick six at UVA “a dream come true”

The NCSU cornerback leads the nation with eight interceptions.

WRALSportsfan.com
O’Brien: The Virginia game “was by far the best defense we’ve played all year”

The NCSU coach hopes the win at Virginia is an indication of a strong second half of the season.

ACC FOOTBALL

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Jim Young (accsports.com)
Second Thoughts On The ACC Weekend, Oct. 24

Who’s No. 3?

Thanks to some disappointing early season losses, the Florida State-Miami game on Nov. 12 won’t have nearly the hype it’s had back in the day. But it may help serve to answer this question:
Who’s the third-best team in the conference?

The assumption here, of course, is that Clemson and Virginia Tech are 1-2, respectively. And yes, I know you’ve got an argument, Wake fans, thanks to your head-to-head win over FSU. But the ‘Noles are playing much better now and, as we just mentioned, the Deacs survived a nail-biter against Duke.

It’s worth noting again that FSU lost at Clemson without E.J. Manuel and that Manuel did not start – and was not 100 percent – in the ‘Noles’ loss at Wake Forest. That’s not an excuse, just some context to show you that FSU is clearly better than its 4-3 record would indicate.

The same holds true for 4-3 Miami, which is starting to show real progress under Al Golden. We’ve already written about the turnaround Jacory Harris has had this season. The ‘Canes under Golden have significantly cut down their turnovers (8 in 7 games in 2011, 25 in 13 in 2010) and their penalties (38-275 in 7 games in 2011, 107-909 in 13 in 2010).

I know the whole thing about ifs and buts, but … it’s hard not to think about how close the ‘Canes are to making this special season. First Miami lost to Maryland by eight with a lineup crippled by suspensions. (Yes, I know Miami is to blame for them. Just saying that if the suspended players had been available the game’s outcome very well could have been different.Then the ‘Canes came up just inches short of beating Kansas State – which remains unbeaten, by the way. Finally, Miami lost the lead – and the game – against Virginia Tech in the final minute.

The signs of progress are there in Coral Gables, and third in the ACC is an attainable goal for now. Unfortunately, whether Miami can advance beyond that in the near future may well depend on how the NCAA rules on the Nevin Shapiro case.

UNC FALLOUT

unc fallout

Editorial Board (TheDailyTarHeel.com)
Time to take responsibility: Davis has only himself to blame for issues with personal phone records

In his quest to quash a subpoena demanding personal phone records, former head football coach Butch Davis raises a sad consequence of the NCAA’s investigation into UNC. He explains how the investigation not only cost him his job but the privacy of his family’s cellphone numbers, as well. With a coalition of media organizations, including The Daily Tar Heel, now requesting his personal cellphone records, Davis raises the reasonable fear that those records would subject his friends and associates to the same media and “crank” calls his family endured. Yet as he pursues this motion, Davis has only himself to blame.

Davis received a University-issued cellphone for a reason: conducting his business as it pertained to UNC. But he neglects to recognize this in an affidavit released Tuesday, pleading that his family, associates and friends be protected if Wake County Judge Howard Manning Jr. correctly rules that some of Davis’ personal records are public.

In the affidavit, Davis continues his feeble attempts at absolving himself of guilt. “I did not have any knowledge of any NCAA violations, nor did I condone or promote an atmosphere conducive to ignoring NCAA rules,” he said.

It’s time for Davis to stop blaming his subordinates and take the responsibility for leadership. And, without anyone to blame but himself, it’s time for him to take responsibility for the legal issues arising from his phone records.

His explanation that he didn’t use the UNC cellphone because “friends, and associates knew the number I had been using for the previous six years (at that time),” is simply unacceptable considering his obligation to transparency.

KEN TYSIAC (N&O)
Withers won’t meet with NCAA

Interim football coach Everett Withers will not accompany University of North Carolina officials Friday in Indianapolis for the school’s hearing before the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions.

Withers had been scheduled to go to Indianapolis because NCAA rules state that the head coach of a team facing NCAA allegations must appear in front of the committee. But Withers was merely the Tar Heels’ defensive coordinator during the time that the major violations cited by the NCAA allegedly occurred.

Butch Davis, who was the head coach, was fired in July. Team spokesman Kevin Best said that after conversations between the NCAA and UNC, it was determined that Withers did not need to appear.

Joe Ovies (WRALSportsfan.com)
Oh, are we back to blaming Holden Thorp for everything?

Apparently it’s time to blame North Carolina chancellor Holden Thorp again.

Sorry, but I’m done with any conversation about Thorp and the timing of Davis’ dismissal. Yes, it was an awkward public relations train wreck. However, that was back on July 27th. College football is headed into its 9th week of the season, deep enough in where those issues should have a minimal impact at best.

Go ahead and play all the hypotheticals, but don’t be intellectually dishonest and only hash out the positive outcomes.

Let’s say Davis were still the coach of the Tar Heels. From a strict football point of view, would they be better? Remember this is still Withers’ defense. Would the secondary not be a glaring issue? Keep in mind John Shoop would still draw the ire of fans who don’t get his play calling. Would the offensive line still be a point of frustration? And let’s not pretend Butch Davis was a master game day strategist.

WILSON WATCH

Wilson Watch

Joe Ovies (WRALSportsfan.com)
The Russell Wilson Hype Machine grinds to a halt

It was fun while it lasted.

Michigan State’s Hail Mary victory over Wisconsin not only knocked the Badgers our of the BCS Championship discussion, it also poured cold water all over Russell Wilson’s Heisman Trophy hype.

It’s the nature of the business. The quarterback of a winning team that puts up better than decent numbers will always rise to the top of any Heisman discussion. Until said quarterback of said winning team finally loses a game. To the back of the pack you go, Wilson.

About 1.21 Jigawatts

Class of '98, Mechanical Engineer, State fan since arriving on campus and it's been a painful ride ever since. I live by the Law of NC State Fandom, "For every Elation there is an equal and opposite Frustration."

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24 Responses to Tuesday Tidbits

  1. tuckerdorm1983 10/25/2011 at 9:03 AM #

    is it friday yet???

  2. codebrown 10/25/2011 at 9:05 AM #

    So who’s this “Wilson” guy that people keeps referring to?

  3. TeufelWolf 10/25/2011 at 10:10 AM #

    I actually found myself routing for Wisconsin. Regardless, I was hoping they would’ve let that one go to overtime so that a decisive victory could have been achieved. That was way to close of a game to be decided by a stupid ‘hail mary’ that barely touched the line. Lame ending to a good game.

  4. TruthBKnown Returns 10/25/2011 at 10:50 AM #

    I wanted that Wisconsin game to go to overtime. I hated that finish. It was such a well-played game, only to end abruptly on a flukish play. If that pass had TIED the game, then ok. But it won the game. What an awful way to lose.

  5. Packfan28 10/25/2011 at 11:01 AM #

    1st time RW was pressured all season. Result – he looked good, not great. 2 INTs, overthrew a guy that would have been a sure TD, locked in on a receiver and threw to him instead of a wide open guy that would have been another TD, and an intentional grounding / safety.

  6. wolfbuff 10/25/2011 at 12:19 PM #

    Yes, the Hail Mary was the final, spectacular play of that game. And, yes, it involved some luck. But let’s not be hypocritical and say it’s not legitimate. Every game involves some luck. That pass could have just as easily been batted down. But it wasn’t. The ending was more fun to watch the way it played out And let’s not forget last year’s play in the end zone to beat UNCheat. Or Evans’ Hail Mary to beat BC. Or Eric Kramer’s unlikely toss to Danny Peebles to beat South Carolina. It’s part of the game. Besides, it’s not what beat Wisconsin – or took Russell out of the Heisman race. That game was lost in the 2nd and 3rd quarters cumulatively by poor decisions and poor play.

    I was pulling for Russell and the Badgers too. But, as a mostly objective (for this game) fan of college football, what a fun game to watch! No way is OT a more exciting or legitimate way to end a game than a Hail Mary.

  7. NCSU84 10/25/2011 at 1:04 PM #

    I have to agree with wolfbuff. The college OT rules make the OT period a game of attrition – who can last the longest. College OT is not really fun to watch and I usually don’t.

  8. TruthBKnown Returns 10/25/2011 at 2:12 PM #

    wolfbuff, it’s legitimate. A legitimate HAIL MARY pass. The other examples you cited involving a pass to an intended receiver that was caught (well, except for the lucky pass we caught against the Holes last year — that was just as lucky, if not more lucky).

    A hail mary is when you send every receiver you have to a general area, sling it, and pray. Not throwing it to the corner of the end zone where you told Dunlap to go to make the catch. That’s a little different.

    I just hated to see Russell do what it took to tie the game, only to have it ripped away from him on ONE lucky play to which he had no opportunity to respond. Yes, I said lucky. Because it was.

    Our catch against the Holes last year was just as lucky. When a defender bats a pass, and it ends up in YOUR receiver’s hands for a score, yes, it is LUCK. Pure luck. But at least the Holes didn’t lose on that play. They had every opportunity to increase their lead or further stop us, and did not. Plus, it took another score to give us the lead in that game. They didn’t lose at the buzzer because we made that lucky catch. They still had a shot to win the game and couldn’t get it done. Russell didn’t get that shot.

    It’s not illegitimate. But it was pure luck. Let’s not sugarcoat it, or compare it to a 30 yard TD pass to Danny Peebles. It certainly was NOT anything like that. Peebles got open and Kramer hit him for the score. Totally different. Totally.

  9. Khan 10/25/2011 at 2:22 PM #

    I wanted to see OT in that game, I admit. I still believe there was NOT enough video evidence to overturn the call on the field. There was one angle where it looked like the ball MAY have touched the goal line, but you couldn’t really tell, and when it was zoomed in, it was grainy. While I belive that the ball probably crossed the plane, and the right call was probably made in the end, there was certainly no indisputable video evidence…not from any replay I saw during the game.

  10. Ed89 10/25/2011 at 2:33 PM #

    ^^The college OT rules make the OT period a game of attrition – who can last the longest. College OT is not really fun to watch and I usually don’t.

    I don’t get this…IMO, college OT is much more exciting than NFL. What exactly makes college OT no fun to watch??? NFL OT is decided by the first team that gets one big play, and gets in FG range. Then they run it 2-3 times and kick a FG.

    I may be in the minority, but college OT is MUCH more exciting than NFL OT. Anyone remember us vs. Ohio State in the Horse Shoe. No comparison to your average NFL OT game….

  11. TruthBKnown Returns 10/25/2011 at 2:36 PM #

    I like the college OT rules MUCH better than the pro rules.

    And Khan, I believe it was the right call. I think that ball easily crossed the goal line. I just hated to see it happen. When they ruled him down inside the one, and showed the replay, my wife and I both agreed that replay was going to overturn it. You could tell just by how he was standing, feet right on the line, and he whipped his body clockwise, and the ball easily broke the plane. I hoped it would not be conclusive, but I was sure it would be overturned, and it was. It’s the right call. I just hated to see Russell lose in that manner. Plus, it was such a good game, I didn’t really want it to end!

  12. packalum44 10/25/2011 at 3:03 PM #

    RW is a decent person by all accounts, but he unintentionally divided the fan base and made State look foolish in the national media (for the 90% of posters who don’t live outside of NC people ONLY know State as the school that let RW go).

    RW winning the Heisman only hurts State and further divides the fanbase. Glad his team lost.

  13. lawful 10/25/2011 at 3:39 PM #

    Wow! What’s left? UConn? Does the world really need a Big East Conference?

  14. primacyone 10/25/2011 at 3:45 PM #

    SAD. . . .

    All of it.

  15. wolfpackdawg 10/25/2011 at 4:11 PM #

    I’m gonna enjoy this win until Clemmons hangs 60 on us.

  16. wolfbuff 10/25/2011 at 5:47 PM #

    TBK Returns, I disagree that the Kramer-Peebles play was totally different than MSU’s Hail Mary. It was. I was there. Sounds like you were too. Either way, my point is that it’s a play, and it’s part of football. No more legitimate or illegitimate than an off tackle run into the end zone. Psychologically, it may be more painful (for the loser) for it to happen at the end of the game. But it counts no more than the same play at the end of the first half or a lucky play like last year at chapel hill in the middle of the game. And no one play loses or wins a game. So, the Badgers and their fans can play what-if on that play all they want. But there were 59 minutes and 56 other seconds for them to have won that game. And they failed to do so. One could make the argument that they never should have had to come back in the first place after being up 14-0.

    And my other point is that from an objective fan, the end of game Hail Mary is a way more exciting way for a game to end.

  17. TLeo 10/25/2011 at 5:48 PM #

    Well, lucky or not, MSU outplayed Wisconsin for almost the entire game and in my opinion let up somewhat and let Wisconsin close in. I admit I was pulling for MSU to win since I have grown sick and tired of all the hype about RW and Wisconsin this year. Prior to MSU the only decent team they played was Nebraska so their win total was padded by wins over mediocre to bad teams.

  18. TruthBKnown Returns 10/25/2011 at 5:52 PM #

    wolfbuff, that was not a hail mary pass to Peebles. And you’re right, I was there! 🙂 It was a 30 yard pass where Kramer threw to where Peebles was supposed to be. He didn’t step back and sling it 50 yards in the air where it would come down into a group of receivers and defenders, and you PRAY one of your guys gets it.

    It’s a legitimate play. Some plays are lucky. Hail mary passes are usually not answered prayers. Sometimes they are. I never said it wasn’t legitimate, but it was sheer luck. The ball was batted right into the waiting arms of a receiver who was in the right place at the right time. It could have been knocked down or intercepted, too. But it wasn’t.

    I’m just saying, sometimes it just “feels like” a game deserves to go to overtime. This was one of them. It was a shame that Russell brought the team back, only to lose like THAT, on a lucky hail mary pass. These things happen, but it seems like an unjust way to end that game. The Badgers deserved to get an overtime game out of that. But it was stolen from them due to sheer luck.

  19. runwiththepack 10/25/2011 at 8:13 PM #

    If O’Brien doesn’t survive this season, i have to give him credit for one thing – i like the kind of players he recruits. (i.e. they aren’t hotshot dickheads). I just listened to the videos. I sure like these guys playing for us. High likeability factor. Low penalties and taunting displays.

    Nonetheless, O’Brien must win. I get that. But i like to see good guys win, esp. a career Marine. A couple good pals of mine were Marines. My Marine nephew just got back from Afghanistan a few months ago, and will likely return to Afghanistan after he’s done with more training. Contrast that with the politicians who bring “prominence” to the Hill.

    It would be really cool if Kuhn makes it in the NFL. What a story there – a kid from Germany who likes “NFL” football, comes to the US of A, and NCSU is the school he arrives at. Keep working hard, Marcus, and hopefully you will get a shot.

    And hopefully if O’B can salvage this season he’ll breathe a little easier, not play so conservatively, and show a more relaxed side. Plus, NCSU has a lot of good players returning next year who he recruited. Only a few seniors again this year. Can O’B shake up his staff?

    I was very ready for a game like we had @UVA. Thank you, Amerson!! Keep it up! I want to go to a bowl, dammit.

  20. runwiththepack 10/25/2011 at 8:18 PM #

    Oh, and I was kind of relieved Wisc. lost, especially since it wasn’t Russell’s fault. He had a good game. I’m really tired of the Wilson thing, which is doing more to give NCSU a black eye than anything else.

    That said, I really hope he makes it in the NFL – REALLY makes it and not a benchwarmer. I don’t think his winning the Heismann would make all that much difference in how the NFL sees him. I hope he kicks ass the rest of the season.

  21. 61Packer 10/25/2011 at 9:28 PM #

    There are several QBs out there who are better than Russell Wilson. He is overall a good to very good quarterback who happens to be an even better runner, but as a passer, he is only good except in really clutch situations, when he makes either a great play or a boneheaded one.

    I didn’t want Wisconsin to lose, and a bad coaching decision to call timeouts at the end cost the Badgers a chance to get to OT. WTF was the Wisconsin coaching staff thinking when they called those late timeouts? MSU appeared content to let the clock run out and take their chances in the OT. The Wisconsin timeouts gave Sparty time for a few extra plays that led to the last one. Didn’t understand it.

    As far as the Heisman is concerned, the nation’s most valuable player and best QB, Andrew Luck, will probably win this award, possibly even if Stanford doesn’t get to a BCS bowl. The ONLY way, however, that Russell Wilson could’ve won the Heisman would have been for the Badgers to finish 14-0.

    We need to quit worrying about Wilson.

  22. Packfan28 10/25/2011 at 10:21 PM #

    The MSU game confirmed my earlier belief he is not an NFL caliber QB. If he was bigger he’d maybe have a shot. He does not have a Cam Newton or even a Vince Young build. He would get seriously hurt.

  23. TeufelWolf 10/25/2011 at 11:59 PM #

    TBKR says exactly what I’m thinking; well said.

    I don’t understand why any football fan would rather see a game end with a junk ‘hail mary’ than to have it go into college football overtime. That boggles the sports fan’s mind. I’m in the military, where I work with other football fans from all over the country and in all my travels, I have never heard a football fan say that college football overtime is not fun to watch. It is widely accepted as the most exciting thing in sports. There are no excuses; both teams earned and get an equal shot at scoring. You at least have a shot at a FG unless you have a holding penalty or get TFL. I can’t understand what’s not to like about college football overtime.

  24. NCSU84 10/26/2011 at 8:44 AM #

    Packfan28, I’m not so sure RW “is not an NFL caliber QB” based on size and build. The facts:

    Drew Brees 6’0 209lbs

    Russell Wilson 5’11 191lbs

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