North Carolina State University Athletics
Tony Haynes: Wolfpack Thankful for Bowl Opportunity
12/30/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 30, 2005
By Tony Haynes
Charlotte, N.C. - When it faces off against South Florida (6-5) in the Meineke Car Care Bowl Saturday morning at 11 a.m., NC State (6-5) won't be playing for a national title, nor will it even be participating in the BCS bowl in which its players dreamed of qualifying for back during two-a-days in August. But given the circumstances, it sure beats staying at home. Once 2-4, the Wolfpack put together a late season rally that many felt to be improbable, and won four of its last five games to become bowl eligible. Now the Pack wants to put an exclamation point on a 2005 campaign that once seemed destined for disaster.
Playing in a bowl game was the furthest thing from anyone's mind back on the afternoon of October 29. Already 2-4 on the season, NC State trailed Southern Mississippi 14-0. The only sounds that could be heard at Carter-Finley Stadium were either a smattering of boo-birds or the pattering of feet marching against cement as a few fans -having seen enough - scurried to the stadium exits.
"That was a tough time," admitted quarterback Marcus Stone.
Tough indeed. Making the first start of his career, Stone had completed only one pass and had thrown two interceptions in the opening half. Nothing, it seemed, was going right for the Pack, nothing at least until Andre Brown entered the scene. After Toney Baker had fumbled early in the game, NC State coach Chuck Amato decided to give Brown, who like Baker was a freshman running back, a shot.
Good move. Running through, around and over the Southern Miss. defense, Brown came within three yards of the school record by ripping off 248 yards on the ground as NC State rallied for a 21-17 victory.
Suddenly, there was a spark that would pull the Pack out of its doldrums.
"It was a wonderful experience to come back and get that win and get the next couple of wins afterwards," Stone said. "It ignited players and built confidence. It definitely built more confidence for me."
And while Stone's numbers those last five games were by no means earth-shattering, he did go 4-1 as a starter and protected the football. Meanwhile, the NC State defense returned to the dominant form that had made it college football's top unit a year ago. With ends Mario Williams and Manny Lawson stalking quarterbacks, speedy linebacker Stephen Tulloch seemingly making every tackle, and cornerback Marcus Hudson coming up with big play after big play, the Wolfpack defense swarmed and often overwhelmed opponents down the stretch.
Now the season that seemed to be headed south of New Zealand can be deemed a success if the Wolfpack can knock off the Golden Bulls in the bowl game.
"The way our young men have fought, I told them that if we get that seventh win, in 10 years when you come back for that reunion, this might be remembered as one of the most important games in the history of NC State," Amato said. "You say how can it be more important than Notre Dame in the Gator Bowl? It is because of the circumstances."
The career of Hudson, a fifth-year senior cornerback, has been - in many respects - like NC State's season. Suspended from the team two years ago, the Miami native has comeback to put together an all-conference caliber campaign, one that has turned him into a legitimate NFL prospect. An expert at bouncing back from adversity, Hudson will have nothing but wonderful memories of his last season if NC State can land that seventh win.
"It would be a great feeling," said Hudson, who had two interceptions in the Wolfpack's bowl-clinching win over Maryland on November 26. "It's always a wonderful feeling to say you had winning seasons. I know last year was probably one of the worst football feelings I've ever experienced (a 5-6 record and no bowl game). This is a great opportunity to be here in Charlotte. This is a bowl game, the grand finale. You're trying to put the actual meaning to your whole season. You want to win that bowl to top off that season."
Yes, after going through much misery early, and staring a 2-5 record squarely in the eye on that afternoon of October 29, NC State is very appreciative of this opportunity, the chance to play in another bowl game, its fifth in six years under Amato.
"Our main goal was just to get bowl eligible and make it to any bowl that would accept us," Stone said. "We really appreciated that the Charlotte bowl picked us up."
A First for USF: While NC State is appreciative, South Florida is pumped up. And why not? Nine years after starting its football program, USF is playing in its first ever bowl game. The only coach the Golden Bulls have ever had, Jim Leavitt, says this bowl appearance is the culmination of a lot of hard work.
"You understand that getting to a bowl game is the first step that you certainly want," Leavitt said. "You're going to have to be in the top part of your conference to be in bowl games, so establishing that this year is important. Getting to a bowl game is nice, but you want to win; that's what it's all about."
It will indeed be a historical day for the Bulls and everyone involved with the South Florida program. Understanding the magnitude of this game for USF, Amato says it will be absolutely vital for his Wolfpack to match the Bulls' predictable intensity.
"You're always concerned about that," Amato said. "As I've told our players, half of our young men haven't played in a bowl game either, and of the half who haven't, there are an awful lot of them who are playing and starting. It is a big, big day in the history of South Florida to play in their first bowl. Hopefully, we can make it a day that they won't want to remember."
With an all-time bowl record of 11-10-1, NC State will be playing in a bowl game for the 23rd time. The Pack's bowl record under Amato is 3-1.
