North Carolina State University Athletics
Rivers, Pack Ready for Season Opener
8/27/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 27, 2003
The Associated Press
North Carolina State is the only ACC team returning a 3,000-yard passer, 1,000-yard rusher and 1,000-yard receiver. That could be enough to lift the Wolfpack to their first conference title in 24 years.
Four-year starting quarterback Philip Rivers, along with key weapons T.A. McLendon and Jerricho Cotchery, look to get their promising season off to a strong start in Saturday's matchup with Division I-AA Western Carolina.
"We've got an opportunity to do something great here and it's my last chance to do it," said Rivers, who barring injury will set the ACC's all-time passing mark. "We can't keep getting close again like we have every year."
Getting close last year meant a school-record 11 victories, including wins over Florida State and Notre Dame. NC State tied for the best overall record in the ACC at 11-3, but all of its losses came in conference play. That resulted in a fourth-place finish, leaving the Wolfpack without a league title since 1979.
The Wolfpack open ACC play next week at Wake Forest, then will have their national title hopes put to the test as they visit defending national champion Ohio State on Sept. 13.
"We're telling all of our players to cut it loose this year," said fourth-year coach Chuck Amato. "There is no reason why (a national title) can't happen for us."
Rivers is possibly the biggest reason for such optimism in Raleigh. The 6-foot-5, 236-pounder could be in the Heisman Trophy running, having thrown for nearly 9,000 yards and 61 touchdowns in the last three years. He's completed 60.2 percent of his passes, and thrown just 27 interceptions in 1,227 attempts.
"Philip wants to get us to that ACC championship because if that happens then great things will happen for him," Amato said.
His favorite target is Cotchery, the All-ACC wideout who caught 67 passes for 1,192 yards last season. Cotchery's status for this contest had been uncertain due to a shoulder injury he suffered Aug. 9, but he plans to play in the opener.
"I'm very close to 100 percent, and I'm not just saying that to get on the field and be selfish," said Cotchery, who played through an ankle sprain late last season. "I'm ready to go out and help the team win."
The aerial attack is complemented by McLendon, the ACC rookie of the year last season after rushing for 1,101 yards and scoring 18 TDs.
The defensive side of the ball could be where NC State runs into trouble.
Though the Wolfpack led the ACC in sacks last season, the defensive front is very young. Senior Terrance Chapman, who led the team in sacks in 2001, will miss the season for academic and personal issues.
"We'll put our youth and ambition up against age and experience right now because we have to," Amato said of his defensive line. "If we get whacked around that's OK, it's part of growing up."
Western Carolina coach Kent Briggs used to be very familiar with the Wolfpack's defense. He served as an NC State defensive assistant for 11 years before Amato took over the program in 2000.
"I told our players that we're going into a war because I've talked about how great the fans are at North Carolina State," Briggs said.
"It's going to be a fun atmosphere even though it's going to be hostile."
Briggs' team, coming off a 5-6 season, is led by defensive end Michale Spencer, picked by Southern Conference coaches as the league's preseason defensive player of the year. Spencer set a school record last season with 26 tackles for a loss and totaled 11 sacks.
The Catamounts are not only winless in four meetings with NC State, but they are 0-20 all-time against ACC foes.
