North Carolina State University Athletics
Gary's Game Notes: Tangerine Bowl Edition
12/18/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 18, 2001
NC STATE (7-4, 4-4) vs. PITTSBURGH (6-5, 4-3)
DATE: Thursday, December 20, 2001
TIME: Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. (EST) at Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium (66,000)
RADIO: Wolfpack Capitol Sports Network. AIRTIME: 6:45 p.m. (EST)
TELEVISION: ESPN (National)
OPPONENT--After a 1-5 start, Pittsburgh head coach Walt Harris switched from a no-huddle, shotgun offense to a more conventional style and the Panthers won five straight games to earn a bowl trip. The change immediately paid dividends on both sides of the ball. Comparing the first six games to the last five, Pitt improved its offensive production from 17 to 32 points a game and its rushing offense from 106 to 144 yards a game. It also cut its turnovers from 18 to 7. Just as remarkable was the defensive improvement. In its first six games, the Panthers yielded an average of 31.5 points and 370 yards. In the final five contests, Pitt gave up only 7.4 points and 183 yards.
The biggest improvement came in stopping the run. During its five game winning streak, the Panthers allowed only 41 yards rushing a game compared to 183 yards during the 1-5 start. Only West Virginia rushed for more than 100 yards against Pitt in the last five games of the regular season. Virginia Tech was held to 15 yards rushing on 25 attempts. A better pass rush also developed. Of the Panthers 38 quarterback sacks, 25 came in the last five games.
Pitt's most dangerous offensive weapons are a big and improving offensive line, a veteran quarterback, and two outstanding wide receivers. Redshirt senior quarterback, David Priestley, was second in the Big East in passing (193 ypg.) and third in total offense. His favorite targets are R.J. English, who led the Big East in receiving yards per game (69) and Antonio Bryant. Bryant, the 2000 Biletnikoff Award winner, finished second in the Big East in receptions per game (4.20) despite ankle injuries that limited his playing time.
Defensively, Pitt is a blue collar group with no real stars. However, linebacker Gerald Hayes, free safety Ramon Walker and defensive end Bryan Knight were All-Big East selections this season. Walker leads the team in tackles with 120 while Knight was No. 1 in tackles for loss (18) and sacks (8.5). Cornerback, Shawntae Spencer, a sophomore, led the Big East in passes defended (17).
This will be the Panthers' second straight bowl and third postseason appearance during Walt Harris' five-year tenure as head coach. Pitt's five game winning streak to end the season was its strongest finish since 1983 when the Panthers went 6-0-1 down the stretch.
A WIN -- Would give NC State eight victories for the second straight season and extend its bowl winning streak to two consecutive games with both bowl victories coming in Florida. It marks the second Tangerine Bowl victory for the Wolfpack over Pitt. NC State beat the Panthers 30-17 in the 1978 Tangerine Bowl behind Ted Brown's 126 rushing yards. The Pack would end the season at 8-4 overall including wins in five of its last six games. NC State's record away from Carter-Finley stadium this season would improve to 5-1.
A LOSS --Would be the first in a bowl game for NC State during the Chuck Amato era and the sixth bowl loss for the Wolfpack in its last eight post-season appearances. NC State would finish the season at 7-5, its second consecutive winning campaign under Amato. Pitt would improve to 5-2-1 in its all-time series with NC State.
OFFENSE JELLING -- In the last five games of the year, NC State averaged nearly 32 points and 400 yards of total offense a game (398.6). NC State finished the regular season 7th in the ACC in total offense (358 ypg.), 3rd in passing offense (246.5), and 5th in scoring offense (27.3 ppg.). In Pittsburgh's last five games, the Panthers averaged 32 points and 390 yards a game of total offense, including an average of 144 rushing yards.
RIVERS IS AN OFFENSIVE OASIS -- Quarterback, Philip Rivers, the 2000 ACC Rookie of the Year, had a solid sophomore campaign. In his last five games, he completed 71 percent of his passes for 1,109 yards and 6 touchdowns. He became only the fourth NC State quarterback to throw for more than 5,000 career yards and first to compile six career 300-yard passing games and is the ACC's all-time sophomore passing leader (5,640). In just his second college season, Rivers is in second place in NC State career completions ,TD passes and passing attempts. A total of 286 passing yards against Pittsburgh will move Rivers past Terry Harvey and into second place in NC State career passing yards.
RALLY ON... -- NC State has come from behind to win in 10 of its 15 victories under Chuck Amato and has either trailed or was tied in the fourth quarter in six of those wins. In 2000, six of the Pack's eight wins were of the come-from-behind variety.
THE MAGIC NUMBER IS ...20 -- Only five times in the Chuck Amato era has an NC State team been held below 20 points (four times this season vs. UNC, WFU, GT and MD). Since 1997, the Wolfpack is 32-9 (including bowl games) when scoring more than 20 points in a game.
RUNNING DOWN THE STRETCH-- In its last five games, NC State averaged 156 yards rushing. (576), it's best stretch of the season. Tailback, Ray Robinson, has carried the ball for more than 100 yards in three of his last five games and scored 6 rushing touchdowns. Robinson finished the season 6th in the ACC in rushing (67 ypg.).and tied for second in rushing TDs with 10. However, overall NC State finished next-to-last in the ACC in rushing (111.6 ypg.)
RUSH FOR 200 AND WIN --NC State is 45-3-1 since 1988 when rushing for 200 yards or more in a game. The defeats were: at UVA (211 yds. on 10/24/98) vs. Miami (297 yds. on 12/29/98) and at Maryland (218 yds. on 11/4/00).
FISHER IS A CATCHER OF BALL CARRIERS --Linebacker Levar Fisher, who was named to five 2001 All-America teams including first team AP and Football Coaches, finished second in the ACC in tackles (13.5 tpg.) this season. He set the NC State all-time record for tackles vs. Duke on November 3rd and now has 492 for his career. With eight stops vs. Pittsburgh, Fisher will become the first player in the history of NC State fooball with 500 career tackles. The aggressive senior won ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2000, the first time in history that a NC State player earned the award. Fisher was named first team All-America by Football News and the Football Writers Association in 2000 after leading the nation in tackles.
BETTER VS. RUN--In its last five games, NC State allowed opponents an average of only 110 yards rushing. For the season, the Pack allowed 142 rushing yards a game. That's an improvement from last season when the Pack finished 98th nationally against the run (191.0 ypg.). The Pack has allowed only 10 rushing touchdowns (No. 2 in the ACC behind Maryland's five). Pittsburgh rush defense was stout in the last five games, allowing an average of only 41 yards per game. The Panthers held Virginia Tech to 15 rushing yards on 25 attempts.
GETTING UP FOR THIRD DOWN- The Pack had some problems converting on third down earlier this year, but lately there has been improvement. In its last five games, NC State converted on nearly 45 percent of its third down opportunities (30-67). For the season, the Pack is 40 percent on third down. Pittsburgh finished the regular season converting 37 percent of its third down attempts.
TAKE-A-WAY, BUT NO GIVE-A-WAY -- The Wolfpack was 13th nationally in turnover margin this season at +0.91 per game (+10 overall) and turned the ball over only 13 times this year for a single-season school record. In its last five games, Pitt turned the ball over just 7 times compared with 18 times in its first six games.
HARD TO SACK 'EM-- NC State is one of the ACC's best teams in protecting the passer, allowing only 17 sacks by opposing defenses. Pittsburgh has allowed 25 QB sacks. The Panthers have sacked opposing quarterbacks 38 times, including 25 in its last five games. NC State had 28 sacks during the regular season.
KICK....BLOCKED! --The Pack has blocked a school record nine (9) kicks this season ( 3 punts, 5 field goals and 1 PAT). NC State has blocked 17 punts and 10 field goals since the start of the 1998 season. Terrence Holt has blocked 7 field goals and two punts in his career. Brian Williams has 5 career punt blocks.
THE LEG AND THE TOE-- Sophomore Austin Herbert was No. 3 in the ACC in punting this season with an average of 40.9 ypp. Against Duke on November 3rd, Herbert broke Johnny Evans single game punting average record of 53.7 yards set in 1975, by averaging 55 yards in four punts. Before suffering an ankle injury Herbert kicked and punted. In the field goal department, Herbert was 3-3 with a long of 28 yards. A 37-yard attempt against Indiana was blocked. For most of the season, Adam Kiker has handled all place-kicking for NC State. He made 24 of 27 extra point kicks and was 13 of 14 in the field goal department with a long of 41yards. Kiker, who is a walk-on, finished fifth in the ACC in scoring (7.0 ppg.)
THE COMEBACK PACK -- Since 1993, State has rallied from a two-touchdown deficit to win 6 times.
RED HOT IN RED ZONE --The Pack scored on 41 of 43 opportunities inside its opponents 20-yard line this season (26 touchdowns, 15 field goals). On first and goal, the Pack scored a TD in 18 of 20 opportunities.
ALL-ACC PERFORMERS--Linebacker Levar Fisher and safety Terrence Holt represented the Wolfpack on the first unit of the All-ACC team this season. Fisher was the league's No. 2 tackler while Holt blocked four field goals, tying a national record. Runningback Ray Robinson, defensive end Corey Smith and tight end Willie Wright were second-team All-ACC selections.
WOLFCUBS -- There are 104 players on the Wolfpack roster, but 36 are newcomers. That means 35 percent of the squad is made up of new players.
INJURIES--NC State: QB Philip Rivers (broken toe)-probable, WR Andy Bertrand (shoulder) -out for season. Pittsburgh: None reported.
