Game Thread: Wolfpack Football at South Alabama Jaguars

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The undefeated Pack (3-0) ventures on the road for the second straight week as it travels way down south, nearly to the Gulf of Mexico.  Mobile, Alabama to be exact.  Mobile is the 3rd largest city in Alabama, is the only saltwater seaport in the state, and is considered a Gulf Coast cultural center.

Seriously.

Nonetheless, folks down there would still consider us yankees way up here in North Kackalacky.

Anywhoo….8pm on ESPNNews, the Pack will face the South Alabama Jaguars.  Or even Jaguras perhaps, if we can get a last minute venue change to London.*

USA (2-1) is coming off a big-ish overtime road win at San Diego State.  Not that the Aztecs appear to be their semi-usual selves this year so far….but still.

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Despite being a 17 point road favorite in Mobile, the Pack is not without some issues that deserve your attention.

The offensive line, already an area of question for the Pack even during pre-season camp, has already become pretty banged up with each successive week and is getting shuffled yet again to fill holes this week….

RALEIGH-Tyler Jones will get his first career start for N.C. State on Saturday at South Alabama.

It’s probably three games later than the redshirt freshman offensive lineman had expected before the season began.

Jones (6-3, 300) had won the starting left tackle job in the spring. He was displaced in August by redshirt freshman Will Richardson.

[snip]

“I told Tyler, it’s going to be a matter of time,” Doeren said. “You just need to be ready when it comes.”

Barr was injured in the second half of N.C. State’s 35-0 win over Eastern Kentucky on Sept. 12 and sat out last week’s 38-14 win at Old Dominion.

Kennedy started for Barr at left guard against the Monarchs and played 51 of 79 offensive snaps before leaving with a possible concussion.

Despite all the changes up front, the Wolfpack’s rushing numbers have been strong the past two weeks. N.C. State ran for 199 yards against Eastern Kentucky and 256 against Old Dominion.

 

Some useless information (Streaks)

Wolfpack Football is currently on a six game win streak dating back to the end of last season. I’m told that the Pack is also 6-0 vs Vegas during that stretch, though admittedly I haven’t done the research to verify that (so don’t yell at me if it’s not true, basically).  The six game streak is the longest for the Pack, since it opened the ’02 campaign 9-0.

It is also the longest current win streak of any ACC team (tied with Clemson).

The Pack is also on a four game ROAD win streak (’02 also happens to be the last time THAT happened).

Technically, one of those was a neutral site (UCF in St. Pete for the Bitcoin), but since it WAS UCF in St. Pete, I say we count it. The last time the Pack lost away from Carter-Finley was at Louisville on 10/18/14. Since then, in addition to UCF in last year’s Bitcoin Bowl, Carolina, ‘Cuse and ODU have fallen at home to the visiting Wolfpack.

Should the Pack prevail in Mobile tonight, the five game road streak would be the longest since Dr. Lou was drawing a paycheck from the State of NC.

 

Some more, even more useless information (Rankings and such)

The Pack is unranked, not surprisingly, in spite of an unblemished record thus far. They are in the “Also Receiving Votes” category in both major polls, however. Though to be fair, they have been pretty much all along, and have even lost some ground in the AP poll in spite of 3 lopsided wins (Damned sportswriters, with your rock and roll 8-track tapes and your makeout parties)**.

But again, not surprising. Or is it? No, it’s not.

On the other hand, even though NCAAF doesn’t utilize the same RPI type rankings like basketball and baseball do, WarrenNolan.com does have their own NPI metric, which is always essentially useless due to how the NCAAF post-season is constructed. And this early in the season, it’s not only useless but also pretty meaningless.

Nonetheless…

The NC State Wolfpack Football team happens to be ranked #5 in said rankings this week (that’s nationally, just to clarify). Not only that, but the Pack is sporting a very surprising SOS of #13 (ie, 5th most difficult of the 30+ FBS teams which are still undefeated…more or less).  At least such is true as I type this prior to any of Saturday’s games getting underway…lotsa shifting will happen this early as various teams win and lose.

But…interesting, no?

 

Other Semi-Interesting Filler

The Wolfpack will reportedly don their all white head to toe road unis tonight.

 

Mark Gottfried’s father, Joe Gottfried, was a long time AD at South Alabama.  He retired in ’09, two years before Gott came to NCSU, but was the AD who negotiated the 2 for 1 football deal with the Pack.

You can head over to the SFN forums and read about Wolfpack Football Legend Adrian Wilson here. It’s very much worth the time to read the linked article if you haven’t already done so.  (Hat tip to Pack78 for linking this for all of us to read).

Highlights from last week’s ODU win.

 

This is always a fun one to watch 🙂

 

And wrong sport, yes…but Yogi Berra deserves a shout out that wasn’t done by some know nothing journalist in the past four days, most of whom don’t know shit about his career and merely did a wiki search on some of his (in)famous sayings…

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Footnotes (AKA, explanations for some of my above insanity/stupidity…which doesn’t discount said instanity/stupidity, only explains it)

*Jaguras….

jaguras

Hee hee…never gets old. NFL’s Jags should make the “Jaguars Jumble” a weekly contest to boost fan interest. I would submit “Suga Jar”. And then turn down the free tix to see them play when declared the winner by a landslide.

 

** Rock and Roll 8-tracks….

You’re going down, young man.

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We haven’t done this within the entry for awhile so…some cuties from the PAC12 (bcuz…Oregon)…

Oregon-Ducks-Cheerleaders

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

arizona-state-cheerleaders

 

 

 

 

 

USCCheers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And even some of our own….woot!!!!

NCSCheers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Go Pack!!!!

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About Wufpacker

A 2nd generation alumnus and raised since birth to be irrationally dedicated to all things NC State. Class of '88 and '92.

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Home › Forums › Game Thread: Wolfpack Football at South Alabama Jaguars

Viewing 22 posts - 151 through 172 (of 172 total)
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  • 09/27/2015 at 11:04 AM #89322
    tjfoose1
    Participant

    “It’s time for Russell to move on. He’s no longer focused on football and is just hurting the team. Glennon will be better anyway.”

    09/27/2015 at 11:15 AM #89323
    Wufpacker
    Participant

    “Tol Avery once broke Lawrence Taylor’s nose.”

    09/27/2015 at 11:29 AM #89324
    tjfoose1
    Participant

    Jacoby Brissett has a higher NFL ceiling than Philip Rivers or Russell Wilson.

    Higher ceiling? Can’t say I see that, or even considered it as a possibility. But I’m no QB guru.

    The Wolfpack was/is certainly blessed to have each one of them, no question.

    Though both are great leaders, I don’t see Jacoby carrying the teams that Wilson did.

    Those Wilson lead teams win 3 games w/o him. His one year in Madison showed what he could do with an OL and running game.

    But anyway, to be a QB in the NFL requires greater accuracy than JB has shown to date. If Jacoby is to have any chance of a career in the NFL, he’s got to show better accuracy and consistency in his deeper mid to long passing game.

    Not a knock, not at all. Love the guy and what he’s done for the team and program. Just an honest assessment.

    Also, though they had their faults, TOB and Bible deserve much of the credit for developing RW and getting him NFL ready. I LOVE Canada as a college OC, but he has yet to show how/if his tutelage and system/concepts translate to effective NFL prep.

    09/27/2015 at 2:10 PM #89326
    tractor57
    Participant

    I think Brisett has NFL potential. Rivers and Wilson are beyond that. Higher ceiling? Maybe but I honestly doubt it. I hope he can take that step but that’s a wish and not an expectation.

    09/27/2015 at 3:28 PM #89327
    BJD95
    Keymaster

    The ceiling part is that if it all comes together for Brissett…he’s the COMPLETE package. He has absolutely everything on the checklist. No “needs to overcome questions about X.”

    09/27/2015 at 3:36 PM #89328
    TheCOWDOG
    Moderator

    I’m inclined to agree with Beej. There’s more I’d say to back this up, but I don’t wish to jinx the dude going into the Loovuhl game.

    09/28/2015 at 3:51 PM #89359
    Tau837
    Participant

    To say Brissett’s ceiling is greater than Rivers and Wilson is to say that Brissett is talented enough to not only start in the NFL for 15 years but also to play at a Pro Bowl level or better. I hope you guys are right, but I don’t see that level of talent and potential when I watch him play. I also think this comparison is selling both Rivers and Wilson short by a lot.

    09/28/2015 at 5:45 PM #89362
    BJD95
    Keymaster

    You’ve got to understand that saying “ceiling” means there’s maybe a 10-15% shot he hits it. Just that such a ceiling exists. VERY different from the floor. PR and RW have set the bar very high, no doubt whatsoever.

    But if Jacoby’s accuracy stays this good, on top of his insane arm strength…just watch the dude’s mechanics. And his measureables are straight out of central scout casting.

    09/29/2015 at 1:29 AM #89370
    Tau837
    Participant
    BJD95 wrote:

    You’ve got to understand that saying “ceiling” means there’s maybe a 10-15% shot he hits it. Just that such a ceiling exists. VERY different from the floor. PR and RW have set the bar very high, no doubt whatsoever.

    I understand what ceiling means. But to say you think there is a 10% chance that he will be better than Rivers is to essentially say you think there is a 10% chance that he is a HOF QB. In the NFL’s modern era, which dates back to the 1950s, there have been 23 QBs selected for the HOF, and we know that Favre, Peyton, Brady, and Brees will join them, and also probably Warner, Roethlisberger, Eli, and Rodgers. So you are saying you think there is a 10% chance that Brissett is one of the top 35 or so QBs to play in the past 60 years.

    It is possible, but I think you are overstating both his ceiling and the likelihood that he reaches it. That caliber of QB is usually much more of a standout in college than Brissett has been.

    Just look at the first page of his Rotoworld page: http://www.rotoworld.com/recent/cfb/130836/jacoby-brissett. There are criticisms about inconsistency, fundamentals, accuracy, needing to get faster at progressing through his reads, spraying throws, getting rattled by pressure, and fumbling. One analyst rated him as the #18 QB in the nation in August. There are many positives noted as well, of course, but the point is that QBs of the caliber you are referencing don’t normally have these types of flaws in their game after 4 years of college football.

    BJD95 wrote:

    But if Jacoby’s accuracy stays this good, on top of his insane arm strength…just watch the dude’s mechanics. And his measureables are straight out of central scout casting.

    I seriously doubt he will maintain his current accuracy of 77.9%. He is obviously going to face much better defenses going forward and also will not have the luxury of playing with a comfortable lead like he has had throughout this season so far. His accuracy was below 60% last season and was a weakness. I certainly hope it will improve this year given the experience he gained last year, but it isn’t reasonable to believe it will stay as good as it has been this year.

    Anyway, having said all that, I’m a big JB fan and I hope you are right.

    09/29/2015 at 10:33 AM #89379
    BJD95
    Keymaster

    No, won’t maintain 77. But if he stays 65-70, he will rocket up draft boards.

    Fair points, all.

    09/29/2015 at 11:35 AM #89380
    TheCOWDOG
    Moderator

    Not so fast. If receivers had managed to hang on to a mere half of the 34 drops…Brissett is at 64%, and we ain’t having accuracy issues here.

    09/29/2015 at 12:14 PM #89383
    Tau837
    Participant

    All teams drop passes.

    I don’t want to be drawn further into a discussion that sounds like I’m criticizing Brissett, so I’ll stop now. I made my position clear enough. And, again, I’d love to be wrong on this.

    09/29/2015 at 12:46 PM #89386
    Wolfanatic
    Participant

    Cowdog, (off the topic) does the number 12 have special meaning to you? I wasn’t aware of SFN in 2009 when you wrote that excellent piece that Paki recently re-posted under the Bo Rein topic. It came to me after reading that…I think.

    09/29/2015 at 1:47 PM #89395
    TheCOWDOG
    Moderator

    Yes,Wolfanatic. #12 was king. Check out the vid of the ’73 ACC Anniversary. Near the end, 2 guys are doing something different than the rest.

    Tau. All teams do drop passes…but not at that clip.

    09/29/2015 at 2:13 PM #89397
    Wolfanatic
    Participant

    Not sure where to find that video.Checked gopack dot com, but nothing from search. Funny, but a couple months back we were talking about Sam and his “rules” on hair. You asked me what word he used for our hair and I recounted a brief testimonial. Little was I aware, at the time, that it was you that he “spoke” to after me that day. Still laughing.

    09/29/2015 at 2:42 PM #89398
    TheCOWDOG
    Moderator

    Youtube has it…easy Google. Funny thing…Sam and Lou both seemed fixated on my “moss.”

    Speaking of #12…Bruce Shaw 12,he and current #12,JB, throw exactly the same ball. Crisp, zip, mustard,all describe it.
    No gloves in my time, so Shaw could leave your fingertips smokin’. I’m pretty sure Jacoby’s would,too.

    09/29/2015 at 3:48 PM #89401
    Wolfanatic
    Participant

    Cowdog, found it. Thanks. Speaking of Shaw, I still have a fairly pristine Technician special 1972 Peach Bowl Edition. The cover is Shaw talking to a much younger, bespectacled Lou. Shaw was good, as was that 9-3-1 team. A tough 1 pt loss to the Cheats, and a tough 6 pt loss to the Dogs in Athens (which I went to), but a total thrashing of Bobby Bowden’s Mountaineers in the Peach Bowl. Good ol’ days…

    09/29/2015 at 5:09 PM #89403
    Texpack
    Participant

    I understand the “Brissett has a higher ceiling” stance. He has a better delivery and mobility than PR and he’s taller than RW. Hopefully we will see him throw a saddle on his back at some point this season in a clutch spot. That’s the biggest missing entry on his resume’.

    DD was very smart to go sign him when he did. Thank goodness for Will Muschamp too.

    09/29/2015 at 9:31 PM #89409
    pakfanistan
    Participant

    09/30/2015 at 3:07 AM #89413
    Wufpacker
    Participant
    TheCOWDOG wrote:

    Sam and Lou both seemed fixated on my “moss.”

    Is you a hippie, son? Take some pride in yourself and cut that mop. And also…because I SAID SO!!!

    09/30/2015 at 5:30 AM #89414
    redisgood
    Participant

    Shad arrested again Tuesday night. Seriously?

    09/30/2015 at 5:59 AM #89415
    redisgood
    Participant

    The charge sounds like what Jerry and his friends got arrested for in the final Seinfeld episode.

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