North Carolina State University Athletics
Pack Turns Its Attention To North Carolina
9/24/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 24, 2001
By Tony Haynes
Two games into what has already been an awkward season, NC State head football coach Chuck Amato still isn't sure what kind of team he has. After disposing with Indiana 35-14 back on September 16, the Wolfpack had to wait a full 16 days for its second game against SMU. And while it emerged from Dallas with a hard-earned 26-17 victory, some of the questions Amato had about his team went unanswered.
"I'm still unsure," Amato said during his weekly press conference on Monday. "We're a young team that on the first game away from home didn't play as well as we could have. We made entirely too many mistakes. It's really like we played two first games. We went two weeks of school before we played our first game, and then we went 16 days before we played our second game. We've got to be more disciplined in what we do. But you know, the ultimate thing in any sport is to win. I'm so much more at ease sitting here when we win than if I was in Clemson, South Carolina or Tallahassee Florida, where those people lost games people thought they wouldn't."
And while Virginia's comeback win at Clemson was certainly a surprise, nothing could compare to what NC State's next opponent, North Carolina, did to nationally ranked Florida State. Not only did the Tar Heels upset the Seminoles, they spanked them.
The 41-9 final from Chapel Hill has been reverberating all across the college football landscape since it happened.
"The score surprised me," said Amato who spent 18 years as an assistant at Florida State. "It was 9-7 at halftime and then to see what the final was, that's an awful lot of unanswered points. But you've heard me say this: If you can play defense you've got a chance to win any football game you're in. They (UNC) have a great defensive football team. Their front four is as good as any front four I've ever seen."
Spearheading Carolina's front four is All-America defensive end Julius Peppers, whom Amato called "the most dominant player in college football."
NC State's offense, which has suffered through its share of early season inconsistencies, will certainly have its hands full when the Tar Heels (1-3) come calling on Saturday.
"The game is going to be won up front," Amato said. "Their strength defensively is their front seven and our weakness on offense is our offensive line. That's quite a match-up there. [Quarterback Philip] Rivers might be taking some Advil before the game as well as after it."
Injury wise, NC State should be completely healthy this week. Starting cornerback J.J. Washington, who sprained an ankle on SMU's first series and sat out the rest of the game, is probable for the contest against UNC. Defensive end Corey Smith, who banged up a shoulder, should also be ready for the Heels.
After taking a leave of absence to take care of some personal problems at his Florida home last week, freshman wide receiver Chris Murray has decided to rejoin the Wolfpack.
"Chris left for some personal reasons and he returned yesterday (Sunday)," Amato said. "I hope everything is straightened out and we can go forward from there."
In one scheduling note, the ACC announced on Monday that NC State's game at Wake Forest on October 6 win begin at 6:30 p.m. The game will not be televised.
