North Carolina State University Athletics
"In The Thick of It" with Gary Hahn
9/29/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 29, 2004
 |
NC STATE (2-1, 1-0) vs. WAKE FOREST (3-1, 0-1)
DATE: Saturday, October, 2, 2004
TIME: Kickoff: 12:00 p.m. (EDT) Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC (55,600)
RADIO: Wolfpack Radio Network: 11:00 a.m. (EDT)
TELEVISION: Jefferson Pilot Sports (ACC Network)
OPPONENT---- Despite giving up chunks of yardage through the air and on the ground, Wake Forest kept Boston College off the Groves Stadium scoreboard enough to stay close before winning with a big play.
Cory Randolph threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to Willie Idlette with 69 seconds remaining, to lift the Demon Deacons to a 17-14 victory over the Eagles on September 25th. Randolph's strike to Idlette down the left sideline capped a 10-play, 80-yard drive.
Three missed field goals by BC freshman Ryan Ohliger added to the Eagles pain. A.J. Brooks gave Boston College its first lead when he ran for an 11-yard touchdown with 9:08 to play. The Eagles could have widened the margin, but Ohliger missed a 27-yard field goal on the next drive with 3:12 left after two runs by Brooks of 40 and 12 yards. Randolph then led Wake Forest on the winning drive, which included Chris Barclay's 2-yard run on fourth-and-1 from the Eagles' 41.
The Deacons struck first on the final play of the first quarter when Nate Morton threw a 53-yard TD pass to fellow wide receiver Chris Davis. Davis, who caught the game-winning pass in Wake's win over Boston College last year, had seven catches for a career-high 112 yards.
Matt Wisnosky's 37-yard field goal made it 10-0 with 3:55 left in the half before the Eagles answered. Paul Peterson's 7-yard touchdown pass to Joel Hazard with 11 seconds to go cut the lead to 10-7 at halftime. The kicking game also hurt BC in the first half when Ohliger, subbing for injured starter Mike Fassel, missed field goals of 40 and 37 yards.
BC's Peterson went 21-of-38 for 269 yards and an interception. Randolph was 11-of-19 passing for 141 yards and also rushed for 46 yards on 10 attempts. The Eagles outgained the Deacons in total yardage 451 to 369 and outrushed them 182 to 159. Brooks carried 13 times for 95 yards for BC.
Other Wake Forest wins this season came at East Carolina (31-17) and at home over North Carolina A & T (42-3). The lone defeat was at Clemson in double-overtime (30-37). A win on Saturday over NC State would give the Deacons their best start since 1987 when they rattled off five straight wins.
Under 4th year coach, Jim Grobe, the Deacons overall talent continues to improve. Wake Forest lost eight starters from last year's 5-7 team, including four who signed NFL contracts, but Grobe has been able to plug the holes.
The linebacker positions were a concern in preseason, but Grobe did some shuffling. The biggest move was shifting strong safety Caron Bracy, a redshirt senior (6-0, 226) to outside linebacker. Reserve middle linebacker, Jonathan Abbate, leads the Deacons in tackles (31) and he's only a redshirt freshman.
Grobe also switched from a 3-3-5 scheme to a 4-3 look because he now has more depth on the defensive line, including returning starters Jerome Nichols (6-2, 273, RSr.), Goryal Scales (6-0, 283, RJr.) and sophomore Jyles Tucker (6-4, 250).
Several veterans anchor the secondary, but there are talented younger players in the mix too, giving the Deacons a better opportunity to match-up with opposing offensive personnel. WFU has two veteran cornerbacks in seniors Eric King (2003 first team All-ACC) and Marcus McGruder and its pass defense has created turnovers. The Deacons have intercepted seven passes to lead the ACC and are eighth in the NCAA. Sophomore free safety, Josh Gattis (6-2, 196) has a team-leading two picks.
At the moment, the Deacons are allowing opponents 378 yards a game (including 155 rushing), but are giving up less then 18 points a game and have surrendered only three rushing touchdowns.
Offensively, the line lost three starters from a year ago, but once again Grobe has plugged the holes. The Deacons are averaging 30 points and 442 yards a game, including an impressive average of 247 rushing yards. The youngest starting lineman is redshirt freshman right tackle Matt Brim (6-6, 305).
Wake Forest has three quality runningbacks in juniors Barcley and Cornelius Birgs and redshirt freshman Micah Andrews. Barcley is the leading rusher among active ACC players (2,247 career yards) and leads WFU with 352 yards, 3 touchdowns and a 4.1 yards per carry average. Andrews has gained and average of 7.4 yards in 17 attempts and has 3 touchdowns.
Randolph can also run (191 yards), but is a very accurate passer. He's third in the ACC in passing efficiency ahead of preseason Heisman candidates Chris Rix (FSU) and Charlie Whitehurst (Clemson). Randolph has completed 55.4 percent of his throws (559 yards) with only one interception, tying him for the league lead for fewest interceptions among starting quarterbacks with Virginia's Marques Hagans.
Redshirt freshman Ben Mauk, Randolph's back-up, could see action on Saturday, too. He has played in three games and completed 65 percent of his passes for 167 yards and a TD.
The Deacons have a lot of weapons at wide receiver. In fact, three different players have tallied 100 yards receiving in a game this season. Davis (5-11, 182, Jr.) leads the Deacons with 9 catches (2 TD). The "go-to" wideout is 6-3 redshirt senior Jason Anderson (8 catches, 171yds., 1 TD). He's missed the last two games with an ankle sprain, but is listed as probable versus NC State. Idlette and Morton are also active, combining for 13 catches for 285 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Junior Ryan Plackemeier (6-4, 235) has a career punting average of 44.86 yards per boot. That ranks him No. 1 all-time in Wake Forest and ACC history. He also ranks first among all active NCAA punters. This season Plackemeier has punted 14 times for a 45.6-yard average. He's had one punt blocked.
Wisnosky, a redshirt senior, has made 5 of 7 field goal attempts this season with a long of 43 yards. The Deacons long-snapper, Nick Jarvis (6-3, 240) is a true freshman. In the return game, redshirt freshman Kevin Marion has returned 8 kicks for an impressive 26.8-yard average. Idleette, a big-play threat, returns punts, but his longest return this season is 19 yards.
Wake Forest has yet to lose the turnover battle this season and is +4 overall to tie with Florida State for No. 2 in the ACC. On the flipside, the Deacons have only five giveaways, second in the ACC.
Saturday's meeting with be the 98th between the Wolfpack and Deacons. State leads the series 59-32-6 and has won the last nine games played in Raleigh. The last Wake Forest win at Carter-Finley Stadium was in 1984.
INJURIES--NC State: DE James Martin-Out, knee surgery; OT Merci Falaise-Out, knee; OG Luke Lathan-Questionable, knee sprain; OT Chris Colmer-Probable, back spasms; LB LeRue Rumph-Out, bicep tear; LB Pat Thomas-Probable, knee sprain; TE T.J. Williams-Probable, rib contusion.Wake Forest: FB Damon McWhite-Out, knee sprain; C Kreg Rotthoff-Out, knee; CB Marcus McGruder-Questionable, hamstring; WR Jason Anderson-Probable, ankle sprain; LB Pierre Easley-Probable, abdominal strain; TE Zac Selmon-Probable, groin strain.
