Tony Haynes: Streaking Pack Visits Wake

BY TONY HAYNES

 

Raleigh, N.C. Dick Sheridan returned to his old stomping grounds last weekend and again helped NC State win a football game. The former Wolfpack coach did his part by winning the coin toss before the Pack went out and toppled North Carolina.

Sheridan’s appearance was, at it turned out, somewhat symbolic since no NC State team has won four ACC games consecutively since his last squad reeled off four straight league wins back in 1992.

On Saturday, coach Tom O’Brien’s first NC State team will have a chance to duplicate that feat when the Wolfpack (5-5, 3-3) travels to Winston-Salem for a 4:00 p.m. meeting with Wake Forest’s reigning ACC champs.

The Pack has won four in a row overall after dropping five of its first six, an unlikely turnaround that ranks as one of the most dramatic in NC State football history. Nearly as unlikely, the Deacons (6-4, 4-3) have dropped back-to-back games including a 44-10 thrashing at the hands of Clemson last week.

At any point during the first half of the season, who really would have imagined that NC State would be the hotter of the two teams coming into this contest?

“In his league you have to be pretty good to win four in a row,” said Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe. “I think with NC State, it causes them to gain a lot of confidence and I think that’s the biggest thing when you’ve won a few games. We had won six in a row at one time and they’ve won four in a row right now, and I know that when that happens you’re certainly playing pretty well. But the real advantage is that your kids have a lot of confidence.”

During its streak, the Wolfpack has mastered the art of the takeaway, while also reducing the number of turnovers it has given its opponents. The Pack has a plus-four turnover margin since starting its hot stretch with a victory at East Carolina in week seven. Grobe and his Deacons understand the value of turnover ratio better than anyone since their incredible run to the ACC title a year ago was built on an opportunistic defense and an offense that rarely made mistakes.

In that regard, the Deacons are still up to their old tricks this season. Wake is No. 2 in the league in turnover margin (plus-6) and ranks No. 1 in the category of non-offensive touchdowns with nine.

“We work really hard on trying to force turnovers and teaching the kids what to do once they do turn the ball over,” Grobe said. “But I think every team does that. I don’t think there are any teams out there that don’t practice trying to get the ball turned over. I think it’s just circumstance; we’ve had guys in the position to make plays.”

Wake Forest has returned five interceptions for touchdowns, two returned fumbles, one kick off return for a score and a punt return to the end zone. Corner Alphonso Smith has five career touchdowns on interception returns, including three this year.

The Deacons have gone from being a team that would beat people because of its deceptive offense to one that is now good enough to win because it has better than average personnel and quality depth.

To be sure, the Wake Forest offense is still unorthodox. The Wolfpack will again see plenty of misdirection, reverses and ball-faking on Saturday. But since coaches tend to be copy-cats, other programs NC State has faced this year have begun to implement some of the schemes that have worked so well for Grobe’s teams.

"That is the only good thing right now, is so many people [have duplicated it]” O’Brien said. “When you have success and have success, and do a great job like Jim Grobe has done at Wake Forest, people have come in and emulated what they are doing. Weekly, you see a little bit here and there of what they are doing or what they have stolen from Wake Forest. It isn't altogether new. It's like when you go back talking about playing Wofford in the execution. People do some of the stuff, but they don't execute it with the same speed or precision that Wake Forest does."

Wake tailback and Cary native Josh Adams is averaging 4.6 yards per carry, while cagy quarterback Riley Skinner has completed 72.8 percent of his passes. Last week at Clemson, however, Skinner was either running for his life or lying on his backside against a Clemson pass rush that produced six sacks. The Deacons are banged up on the offensive line and don’t expect tackle Joe Birdsong to play Saturday.

“What hurts us more than anything is the depth issue,” Grobe said.  “It’s not that we can’t put five guys out on the field that we can win with but having enough quality depth guys that have been in the fire before that can go in and help you out. It’s tough. We’re playing against such good defensive football teams right now that lack of depth in the offensive line is a problem.”

NC State’s offensive line, on the other hand, is coming off perhaps its best game. The Wolfpack pounded the Tar Heels up front last week, turning tailback Jamelle Eugene loose for 159 yards on 32 carries. Even freshman runner Curtis Underwood got in on the act, averaging 8.8 yards on just four carries.

Eugene’s success has been stunning during the Pack's winning streak. The Naples, Florida sophomore, who started the season playing behind Toney Baker and Andre Brown, has done everything asked of him since filling the void left by his injured teammates. Eugene’s rushing average of 105 yards per game the last four weeks only tells a part of the story. He’s also caught 20 passes and provided reliable pass protection against blitzing linebackers and safeties.

“I’m finally glad he’s gotten his chance,” said NC State linebacker Ernest Jones. “I’ve been telling guys I went to school with in high school for years about Jamelle Eugene. I’ve seen him do things in scrimmages that I’ve never seen on TV before. I’m glad he’s finally getting a chance to showcase his talent as well as help the team.”

After allowing Miami to rush for better than 300 yards two weeks ago, the NC State defense also tightened things up against UNC, yielding only 12 yards on the ground to the Tar Heels.

Of course, Wake Forest will test that improvement with its quirky blocking angles and deceptive running plays that come from all angles. And the Deacons won’t be lacking for motivation after losing two games in a row.

“They’re a very well-coached team,” said Wolfpack center Luke Lathan. “It was no fluke that they won the ACC championship last year. They’re disciplined, they’re well-coached and they don’t quit. Sometimes you see players on some teams that take a play or two off. Wake doesn’t do that. Their philosophy is to come at you every play and every second. They’re hard workers.”

Wake Forest NC State: In a series that dates back to 1895, NC State owns a 60-34-6 advantage. The Wolfpack has played Wake Forest more than any other team (100 times). The Deacons have won three of the last four games, including four of the last five at Groves Stadium.

Kicking Game: Keep an eye on the kick off and punt return teams on Saturday. WFU is second in the ACC and 15^th in the nation in kick off return average (24.1). The Wolfpack’s Darrell Blackman averages 14.7 yards per punt return, a figure that is No.1 in the ACC.

North Carolina State University Athletics

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