Wolfpack Football Q&A

'12 Football College Football25

The Orange & White has a little Q&A Session with Raleigh’s N&O JP Giglio about 2012 NC State football. Here is a portion of it.

Q: Who is the one player who is totally indispensable to the Wolfpack, the guy State couldn’t do without in case of an injury?

A: State would be sunk without quarterback Mike Glennon. Coach Tom O’Brien and coordinator Dana Bible have a four-year succession plan in place for Colorado State transfer Pete Thomas (for the next two years) and freshman Manny Stocker (for the 2015 and ’16 seasons) but if something were to happen Glennon this season, it would be impossible to build on the momentum of the past two seasons.

Q: Who are two or three newcomers who could make the biggest impact, and why?

A: Caldwell, for sure, on defense and redshirt freshman receiver Hakeem Flowers (from your neck of the woods? Simpsonville?) has a chance to help at receiver because of his size (6-3, 182). Glennon has good slot receivers to throw to in Tobais Palmer and Bryan Underwood, but needs bigger targets down the field and over the middle of the field.

Q: Its biggest weakness?

A: Running the football was a problem last year. The Wolfpack ranked 109th in rushing offense with just 104.8 yards per game and its per carry average dropped by a half of a yard. The offensive line wasn’t quite as good as expected, at least not consistently and not until the final month of the season, and the loss of running back Mustafa Greene, the leading rusher in 2010, to a foot injury did not help.

Q: What is a best and worst-case scenario for the Wolfpack in 2012?

A: “Best,” of course, is relative but I think State can realistically win 10 games, which would only be the second time in school history (2002).

“Worst” would start with a loss to Tennessee in the opener, include O’Brien’s first loss to UNC and end with no bowl game.

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."

'12 Football College Football

25 Responses to Wolfpack Football Q&A

  1. I-Like-Tacos 07/15/2012 at 12:06 PM #

    I think he pretty much nailed the worst-case scenario, because that’s pretty much what it is every year.

  2. Greywolf 07/15/2012 at 12:49 PM #

    Pretty much every year no bowl game and losing to Carolina? I don’t think we’ve lost to UNX in about 5 years. Who’s that in your avatar, Julius Kangaroo?

  3. old13 07/15/2012 at 12:59 PM #

    I think he’s talking about yearly worst-case scenerios, Greywolf, not actual records.

  4. tuckerdorm1983 07/15/2012 at 1:41 PM #

    I got us down as 8-4. Lose to TN, FSU, CLEMSON AND ????. I think we need to be realistic about the defense. We have been devastated at LB. Somebody will have to step it up at the LB spot. Defensive line and Secondary will have to make up the difference. We are gonna have to run much better. I am hoping Mustfa can come back full force. Questions linger about the WRs. I am cautiously optimistic. I do not think the worst case scenario is really possible unless we get a dozen or so season ending injuries. (BITE ME TONGUE!!!) As always I have us beating the Holes. I know we go over there again. I predict they will suck now that no one can take Swahili and all the really bad apples have gone.

  5. travelwolf 07/15/2012 at 2:39 PM #

    Giglio knows his “stuff” – excellent assessment! I don’t believe that TOB was anywhere close to getting fired or put on the hot seat if we’d lost the MD game last year. Well, at least in my mind, he wasn’t. I’ve thought since his 2nd year that he’s a great coach and that we are lucky to have him. Every year, the teams have gotten better since then. Besides wins, one has to include the players’ character and other non-athletic attributes – that’s probably the main reason why I back him.

    NC State football has suffered for so long… Since his first year, TOB one has shown that he is an improvement over any of the coaches since Sheridan. I find it hard to believe that our fans don’t see that.

  6. highstick 07/15/2012 at 3:17 PM #

    Why lose to Clempson? Do you guys really buy into that annual hype?

  7. blpack 07/15/2012 at 3:44 PM #

    Ten wins seems realistic. We look at each season every year and see games we can/should win and it doesn’t work out. Then we will beat someone we shouldn’t as well. Tennessee is crucial to the whole season. We all know that. I feel good about winning that one and having a great season with a chance to play in Charlotte in early Dec.

  8. sholtzma 07/15/2012 at 5:19 PM #

    Most indispensable? Perhaps Glennon; he’s an obvious choice. But I have some confidence in Brosius at this point. I might go with Sterling Lucas. Lose our last experienced LB, and I’d say we are up the creek without a paddle.

  9. Greywolf 07/15/2012 at 5:47 PM #

    Thanks old13, sorry I-like-Tacos.

    @sholtzma
    We have RSJR and SO moving up. We may not be outstanding or great but we have men who have been training under Tenuta for 3 years. By the time the meat of the ACC schedule comes along, ALL those LBs will have experience. Don’t count them out just yet. Remember coaches all poor mouth this time of year. Even Reed that DB coach is poor mouthing. It’s the coaches way. Our hybrid LB, Rodman Noel can be an exceptional football player. He comes from an athletic family. His brother will be a freshman basketballer at UK.

  10. choppack1 07/15/2012 at 9:00 PM #

    if our LBs show, we’ll be very stout on D…and I think we know from experience, when our D is solid, we can hang with anyone.

  11. highstick 07/15/2012 at 10:06 PM #

    http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-football/story/2012-03-17/clemson-details-ncaa-violation-4-game-suspension-for-lb-townsend

    Guess this fellow won’t be getting any of that early year experience.

  12. tuckerdorm1983 07/16/2012 at 8:33 AM #

    I have the heels down at 4-8 for 2012. I have them beating Elon, the Pirates, Idaho and Duke. This is just about my best case scenario for them. I think with a little luck the pirates and the devils could beat them. I would love to see them at 2-10. I think at the very very best they could be 6-6. I just don’t see it that happening and I sure would not bet on a 6-6 record. I would love to see them pull Bryn Renner after about mid-season and put in Marquise Williams and then he starts against us and we knock him out. Oh I do get carried away.

  13. TheCOWDOG 07/16/2012 at 8:39 AM #

    Linebacker this, linebacker that.

    Holy Mary, Mother Theresa doin’ the Charleston on the head of a pin.

    Just where in Sam Hill do you think the best 3 tool defender, Dontae Johnson, is gonna play.

    Do you think he’s gonna mysteriously disappear into a down and distance cat?

  14. sholtzma 07/16/2012 at 2:23 PM #

    Dontae Johnson? I don’t know. I guess I assumed we’d play a lot of 4-2-5, especially early in the season, either to cover our LB weakness or (as with Tenn) to handle a passing-oriented offense. And in a 4-2-5, then players such as Johnson and Noel would have significant roles.

  15. TheCOWDOG 07/16/2012 at 2:56 PM #

    Any questions regarding Johnson coming from me are completely rhetorical.

    Johnson playing a significant role is like saying ” Lobster is OK . ”

    There ain’t gonna be no 4-3, unless #25 is one of the outside backers. 🙂

  16. Greywolf 07/16/2012 at 3:04 PM #

    @Dog
    The Charleston doin’ Mother Theresa in a side car…
    You know DJ is going to play some nickel, some corner, some safety and likely some of that hybrid LB. On the sideline he’ll be serving Gatorade and taping ankles. Just your average 3* recruit being coached up.

  17. TheCOWDOG 07/16/2012 at 3:59 PM #

    Unless I missed the sarcasm, I completely disagree, Mr. Grey.
    Johnson is an excellent football player under ” starred ” , from the get go.

    This is not a coached up guy, just another example of the accuracy of the star charts.

    And it’s Jesushchristinasidecar. Durn it.

  18. highstick 07/16/2012 at 6:44 PM #

    Don’t forget my favorite from “Big Bang Theory”…”Holy Crap on a Cracker”!

  19. bTHEredterror 07/16/2012 at 10:22 PM #

    Well slap me twice and call me susie, Sterling Lucas would have been hard to keep off the field minus that inury LY, IMO the middle will be just fine.

    If one other LB shows serviceable, let alone two, to run alongside him when the cirumstances warrant (I.E. short yardage, 1st downs inside the either twenty) well then Katie bar the damn door.

    The key to me is if the solid D line that showed toward the end of last year can stay healthy, and the LBs will have a better time of it.

    And those saying DJ will be on the field often are dead on it.
    If he reads like a LB and hits like a LB and covers like a safety, Why let size deter you? It’s football. Ain’t the size of the dog in the fight…..

  20. gcpack 07/16/2012 at 11:06 PM #

    Someone asked why we would lose to Clemson. After what we did to them last year they will be loaded for bear. I think losing to the tigers and fsu are pretty much locks. We can definitely win the other ten if we play to our capabilities.

    Recruiting is the issue I have with obrien.
    The last two recruits I have read who committed to State picked us over UNCCharlotte???? & NC.A & T!
    Why he refuses to go after top recruits pisses me off. This isn’t Boston College. He can get more athletes here than at BC.

    He should take a clue from Mark Gottfried.
    Maybe you don’t get many of them but you never get those you don’t try for . I may be wrong but I don’t get the impression that he tries very hard for the top recruits.

  21. Greywolf 07/17/2012 at 4:23 AM #

    @Dog
    Well, butter my ass and call me a biscuit. The Gatorade and taping comments should have given away the sarcasm…

    @gcpack
    O’brien does go after any great recruit that qualifies… that being Champions in the classroom, in the community and on the field. Look 28 miles west if you want to see what you get when you don’t factor in the classroom and the community. Clempson is having a little trouble, too. We lost a commit (Ford Howell IIRC)to Wake Forest when they offered. He has nothing but love for NC State, but thought WF was a better academic situation for him.

    Let’s not compare apples to oranges. Recruiting in our tradition rich basketball environment is different from recruiting in our not so rich football environment. Keep the faith. TOB is creating an environment of champions in the classroom, in the community and on the field.

    14 days to start of fall practice. 44 days to Tennessee in Hot-Lanta.

  22. DC_wolf 07/17/2012 at 3:32 PM #

    Pretty good scouting report by Giglio… I hope the orange & white don’t take it to heart & go no-holds-barred after our indispensible player… And leave us without him for any part of the season.

  23. bTHEredterror 07/17/2012 at 10:04 PM #

    DC, in the SEC it is SOP to do that anyway, since 99 of a hundred teams are in a similar situation. Gotta trust in the system and the O-Line to hold up well enough. Also, Glennon might be a string bean, but he’s wirey. A little sprinkle of some smashmouth would be right on time, too.

    I got a hunch we try to run a more than recent years regardless. TOB built his name on that style and to me it never grows old. Plenty of horses back there, an experienced (if underacheiving) O-line, and new weapons on the outside so it just makes sense. At least early on.

    That’s not to say the Pack doesn’t unleash its best offensive player, just use stragedy to make him more dangerous/less exposed until some of the new show ponies make themselves known as thoroughbreds.

  24. McCallum 07/17/2012 at 11:19 PM #

    State will not lose to Clemson.

    I’ll be at that game and I’ve never seen State lose to Clemson at a game I’ve attended. State WOULD have beaten Clemson 2 years ago down here BUT I was forced to go to Disney World.

    Clemson has major issues on the offensive line and defensive line. The running game is highly suspect as well.

    They probably have the best group of receivers in the country but that is about it.

    Wait a second……………TOUCHDOWN WEST VIRGINIA!!!!!

    McCallum

  25. JSRy2k 07/20/2012 at 10:47 AM #

    Next to the secondary, the LB’s are the second easiest defensive unit to fill with inexperienced players. That’s no guarantee we’ll be adequate but there is some potential LB talent on the roster and at least it’s not our DL returning next to nobody.

Leave a Reply