North Carolina State University Athletics
Rivers Report - Sept. 16
9/16/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 16, 2002
Reliable Rivers: Wolfpack junior Philip Rivers is currently the most efficient quarterback in the nation, with a passing efficiency rating of 202.25. He has not thrown an interception since his first pass of the East Tennessee State game on August 31, giving him 53 straight attempts without an interception. Since that pickoff, he has completed 37 throws for a 70% completion percentage, 677 yards and six touchdowns.
Rivers was his most efficient in the win at Navy on September 7, completing 10-of-15 passes, with half of those completions going for touchdowns. He tallied 309 yards and threw no interceptions.
The five touchdown strikes tied as the most in school history (Rivers also had five vs. Indiana in 2000 and Terry Harvey had five vs. Wake Forest in 1995). He also set an NC State single- game record for yards per completion (30.9) and yards per attempt (20.6). The previous marks were 23.91 and 11.33, respectively.
The NCAA single-season passing efficiency record is 183.3 by Tulane's Shaun King.
Deep Rivers: Philip Rivers has now completed 104 career passes over 20 yards, 20% of his total completions. He showed an aptitude for the long ball during his freshman campaign, completing 55 passes that went for 20+ yards (he threw many of those to first-round draft pick Koren Robinson). Last year, he threw more mid-range passes, with only 33 going for long distance as tailback Ray Robinson was the Pack's leading receiver. This season, however, Rivers is throwing deep more often, with 16 20+yard throws already this season.
Here's a look at Rivers' long-pass tallies for his career:
Yardage 2000 2001 2002 Totals 20-29 27 20 10 57 30-39 17 6 2 25 40-49 6 4 1 11 50+ 5 3 3 11 Totals 55 33 16 104
Winning Rivers: Just four games into his junior campaign, Philip Rivers has now won 19 games as a starting quarterback. That win total ties with Tennessee's Casey Clausen as the top mark in the nation by a junior.
Rivers had tallied more passing yards than any other player in ACC history upon completion of their sophomore campaign heading into 2002 (5,640). His current yardage total (6,593) ranks second among current juniors nationally.
Philip Rivers Among Junior Quarterbacks
Career Wins as a Starter 1. Casey Clausen, Tennessee 19-3 Philip Rivers, NC State 19-9
Career Passing TDs by Juniors 1. Luke McCown, Louisiana Tech 56 2. Philip Rivers, NC State 50 3. Jared Lorenzon. Kentucky 47 4. Jason Gesser, Washington St. 46
Career Passing Yardage by Juniors 1. Luke McCown, La Tech 6,704 2. Philip Rivers, NC State 6,593 3. Jared Lorenzon, Kentucky 6,473
Ranked Rivers: The NCAA ranks passing stats in terms of completions per game. According to that stat, the Wolfpack's Philip Rivers ranks a lowly 70th with just 13 completions per game. However among the top 100 QBs in the nation in that ranking (completions per game), Rivers leads the nation in yards per completion at 18.33 and ranks 25th in passing yards (953). He's tied for 10th nationally in completion percentage.
Responsible Rivers: Philip Rivers set another single-game school record in the win over Navy, as he was responsible for six touchdowns. Rivers threw for a five TDs, tying his own school record, and ran for another.
The previous record was five, set by Rivers vs. Indiana in 2000 (5 passing), Terry Harvey vs. Wake Forest in 1995 (5 passing) and Stan Fritts vs. Wake Forest in 1972 (5 rushing).
Rivers has now passed Ted Brown to move into second place on the Wolfpack career list for touchdown responsibility. Rivers' tally stands at 58, second only to Jamie Barnette's 74.
Rushing Rivers: Not only has Philip Rivers been efficient passing the ball this season (he leads the nation in passing efficiency), but he has found a new way to get the ball into the endzone: running it in himself.
Rivers, who has never been described as "fleet of foot," has scored four rushing touchdowns already this season, tying the total from his freshmen and sophomore seasons combined.
Rivers has now rushed for 27 yards this season. His 26 yards on the ground versus New Mexico was a career best and the games versus the Lobos and East Tennessee State marked only the second time in his career that he has gained positive yardage in back-to-back games.
Regarded Rivers: The Walter Camp Football Foundation released a list of 25 preseason candidates for its 2002 Player of the Year award during the first week of the season, and the Pack's Philip Rivers was among the list of hopefuls. Rivers is also on the preseason Watch List for the Davey O'Brien Award.
What They're Saying About Philip Rivers....
Right now, Rivers' pass efficiency numbers are off the charts. This is one of those guys who truly does seem to get better every game he plays.
-ESPN's Gene Wojciechowski
How good is Philip Rivers? The answer is no one knows yet. He keeps getting better. This Wolfpack team runs through Philip Rivers. How far it goes depends on how far he takes it. On Saturday night [versus Wake Forest], he was cool, on target, in charge and clearly capable of taking the team farther than it has been in a long time.
-Ned Barnette of the Raleigh News & Observer
Philip Rivers is a big part of the NC State team and he helps them compete. He's smart and he gets the ball to the right people. He's always been a factor.
-ABC's Terry Bowden
Philp Rivers is on fire.
-CNNSI's Stewart Mandel
Philip Rivers is the real deal.
-Former University of Georgia Head Coach and ESPN analyst Jim Donnan
Keep an eye on him. Rivers is the real deal ... Philip Rivers and NC State is a team to watch.
-ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit
Rivers is...ranked third on Sports Illustrated's Ivan Maisel's Heisman Watch on September 9... ranked second on CBS Sportsline's Dennis Dodd's ballot for September 9
