North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State Blanks SMU, 41-0
9/16/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
By Tony Haynes
North Carolina State quarterback Philip Rivers, right,
celebrates a first-quarter touchdown
against
Southern Methodist with wide receiver Bryan Peterson.(AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker) |
The 'Cardiac Pack' turned into the 'Sack Pack' on Saturday night as NC State recorded a surprisingly easy 41-0 victory over overmatched SMU. And while the Wolfpack offense set the tone early with a quick two-play scoring drive to open the game, it was a resurgent defense that carried NC State (3-0) to its first shutout win since last year's opening day 10-0 triumph over South Carolina.
The Wolfpack's defensive front hassled two Mustang quarterbacks throughout, recording a total of 10 sacks and helping to force three turnovers. That's not to suggest, however, that the NC State offense had an off night. After hitting wide out Koren Robinson on a 46-strike on the first play from scrimmage, freshman quarterback Philip Rivers went on to complete 16-of 24 passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns. Koren Robinson recorded his third straight 100-yard receiving game this season by hauling in five passes for 149 yards.
North Carolina State's Erik Leak is tackled near the goal line by Southern Methodist's Devonric
Johnson. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker) |
"We talked all week about not only finishing, but starting," said winning coach Chuck Amato. "We took the ball on the opening drive and scored in two plays and never really stopped."
It didn't take long for SMU to get a hint of what was to come. The 47-yard lightning bolt on the opening play was followed by a 22-yard scoring toss, again from Rivers to Robinson. Rivers changed the play at the line of scrimmage after noticing that SMU's corners were in bump and run coverage.
"That was a check off," Robinson said. "Anytime I get one on one press coverage, I tell him to get me the ball because I don't think anybody can hold me one on one."
The Wolfpack's first scoring drive lasted two plays; its second took all of one. Following a short SMU punt, NC State started from its own 38. On first down, receiver Brian Peterson took the ball on a reverse pitch, rolled to his right, and hit Robinson with a perfect pass in the right corner of the end zone. Kent Passingham's extra point made it 14-0 and the route was on.
North Carolina State quarterback Philip Rivers avoids the rush as he looks to throw the ball
downfield during the first half. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker) |
"They got the momentum going and then the defense came out and we stopped them," said Pack linebacker Levar Fisher. "That really got the crowd into it. That gave us the momentum, and once you give us the momentum in our home stadium, it's hard to stop us."
NC State's special teams unit also got in on the act early on when Craig Moody blocked a Mustang's punt with 13:18 remaining in the second period. The block gave the Wolfpack excellent field position at the SMU nine-yard line. Four plays later, tailback Ray Robinson bulled his way into the end zone from four yards out to make it 21-0.
It was 24-0 at the half and the only suspense remaining was whether the Pack could hold on for the shutout. The outcome certainly wasn't in doubt, especially after Rivers connected on a nine-yard touchdown pass to Eric Leak to give NC State a 31-0 advantage with 11:24 left in the third quarter.
From that point on, SMU quarterbacks Josh McCown and David Page were helpless to do much of anything against the Pack's relentless pressure up front.
"We got a good effort from the people up front," Amato said. "If we can get that kind of effort from the front four, it makes things a lot simpler for everyone else.
Said linebacker Levar Fisher: "Everybody was on the same page tonight. The lineman did a great job. We got Nate Goodson back and he did a terrific job."
Goodson returned with a vengeance, recording three sacks in his first game back from a two-week suspension. A full time defensive tackle last season, Goodson alternated between tackle and end against SMU.
Linebacker Corey Lyons also came up big, picking off two passes before going down with a shoulder injury in the second half. Lyons was starting in place of Clayton White, who missed the game with a foot injury.
"Corey Lyons is the smartest defensive player on our team, period," Fisher said. "He's not that big, but he can do anything; he knows my position and everybody's position. He read that quarterback like a book."
The lopsided nature of the game also allowed the NC State coaching staff to use several players who hadn't seen any action this season, including back up quarterback Olin Hannum.
"That was very important," Amato explained. "The last game he played was out there in a junior college game. We have to get him more experience. He adds a different dimension because he's got some mobility and he's got good athletic skill."
Overall, Hannum was 1-of-4 for 22 yards with one interception.
NC State piled up 430 yards of total offense compared to only 176 for SMU. Thanks in part to the sacks, the Mustangs averaged an anemic 2.1 yards per play. The Pack averaged 8.0.
