North Carolina State University Athletics
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N.C. State Rolls Over Navy, 65-19
9/7/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept 7, 2002
By Tony Haynes
Annapolis, Md.--Prior to its game against NC State on Saturday afternoon, Navy unveiled a new, state-of-the-art video scoreboard. By the end of the game, the Wolfpack had turned the new scoreboard into a pinball machine. Quarterback Philip Rivers tied his own school record with five touchdown passes and Terrence Holt blocked two punts that led to two more scores as NC State (3-0) rolled to a 65-19 victory over the Midshipmen (1-1) at Navy-Marine Corps Stadium.
The points scored were the most by NC State team since a 67-0 whipping of Western Carolina in 1990.
The sun-drenched crowd that gathered in Annapolis was treated to very little drama after the Wolfpack grabbed a three touchdown advantage, almost within a blink of an eye. In fact, it took NC State less than four minutes and eight plays to grab a 21-0 lead. The floodgates opened on the Pack's first series. Facing third and 10 from his own 36, Rivers hit Peterson with a perfect pass on a crossing pattern that resulted in a 64-yard score. On the ensuing kickoff, Lamont Reid picked up an Eric Roberts fumble and raced 30 yards to make it 14-0, Wolfpack.
But Navy's generosity didn't end there. On their first play from scrimmage seconds later, the Midshipman gave the football up again, this time on an errant pitch by quarter Craig Candeto. Tackle Jerrick Hall's recovery set the stage for a Rivers to Sterling Hicks connection that covered 18 yards. The Pack's lightning quick strike was almost as fast as the F-18s that rumbled over the stadium just before kickoff. Amazingly, Navy was down 21-0 before it had run its second play from scrimmage.
The Midshipmen certainly didn't quit, but their dreams of pulling off an upset were shattered before the first quarter was halfway over.
"Upsets occur in the kicking game and routes occur in the kicking game," said NC State head coach Chuck Amato. "We started off by picking up a fumble and going in for a score. The kicking game is so very, very important. We made plays when we had to and we made third and longs when we had to. I'm really proud of the way we played."
No one in the kicking game was better than Holt, who put his name in the ACC record book by blocking the 10th and 11th kicks of his career, a total that equals the mark set by former Duke safety Ray Farmer. The first of Holt's blocks came with just over three minutes remaining in the opening quarter. With the Wolfpack already leading 21-6, Holt sliced through the Navy punt protection and rejected left-footer John Skaggs' kick. The ball was picked up by Andre Maddux, who was knocked out of bounds at the Navy seven. Two plays later, Rivers' quarterback sneak from the one pushed NC State's lead to 28-6.
Holt struck again in the third quarter, but this time his block was recovered in the end zone by reserve defensive back Craig Moody to give the Wolfpack a 58-12 advantage.
"It's will and `want to,'" Holt said of his kick blocking prowess. "I just want to credit my teammates because if they don't go as hard as they do and occupy their men and allow me to get free then none of that would happen. Having a left-footed kicker and being on the same side is also an advantage. With a left-footed punter and me coming from that side, the punt is going to be closer to me. For me, it made it easier."
NC State's one-sided romp produced some eye-popping numbers. In one of his most efficient performances, Rivers completed 10-of-15 passes for 309 yards. Half of his completions went for touchdowns. Peterson's two catches--both touchdowns--covered a total of 152 yards. The senior receiver also made an 88-yard touchdown grab on a post pattern midway through the third period. The two scoring receptions were the longest of Peterson's career.
As a team, the Wolfpack churned out 499 yards of total offense, compared to just 276 yards for the Midshipmen.
Saturday's win, however, did not come without a cost. The Pack lost starting center Jed Paulson and defensive tackle Alan Halloway to knee injuries. Both players were scheduled to undergo MRIs on Saturday night. The most frightening injury involved starting defensive tackle Jerrick Hall, who was carried off the field on a stretcher and airlifted to a local hospital after suffering a neck injury in the third period. Laying face down on the field, Hall was able to move his legs and upper extremities, although he did feel some numbness in his arms and hands before being removed from the field.
After seeing their fallen teammate taken away on a stretcher, NC State's players still had to find enough strength to keep going in the second half.
"Our kids are really strong and really close," Amato said. "We've got some strong players that kneel down and pray for everything that happens with this team. There's no question that it was on their minds, but they knew they had to go on because Jerrick would have wanted it that way. Whenever that happens it just scares the heck out of you. We feel good about the fact that he was talking and he was moving his hands and arms."
For Navy, this will be a time to regroup and move on. The Midshipmen and their fans were feeling pretty confident following last week's impressive 38-7 win over SMU in the coaching debut of Paul Johnson. But Johnson and the Mids found out Saturday that NC State has a different brand of talent than SMU.
"They would have the ball third and long and their guys would just run straight down the field and catch it," Johnson said. "Offensively, we moved the ball at times when we didn't self-destruct. We don't have the type of people right now that will allow us to make five or six mistakes and win the football game. We just got obliterated in the special teams."
But Navy is not alone. In recent years, a lot of teams have fallen victim to NC State's excellence in the kicking game. On Saturday, Terrence Holt and his buddies were up to their old tricks once again.
