Tony Haynes: Wolfpack Refills Tank

BY TONY HAYNES

Raleigh, N.C. These days, it can be quite expensive to fill up a gas tank. But as NC State’s football team begins preparations for a crucial game against Maryland at Carter-Finley Stadium this Saturday, it won't be necessary for coach Tom O'Brien to dig in his wallet to get the refill he’s hoping for.

Admitting that the Wolfpack’s emotional and physical tank may have been close to empty during this past weekend’s 38-18 loss at Wake Forest, O’Brien expects his team to display more focus and energy in the regular season finale against the Terps Saturday at noon.

It’s quite reasonable for O’Brien to have such expectations given the fact that the Pack has much to play for. For the second time in three years, the Wolfpack (5-6, 3-4) and Terrapins( 5-6, 2-5) will be facing off in what amounts to a winner take all’ scenario where the winner likely earns a post-season bowl bid while the loser goes home to fret over a losing season.

“It would be a great way for the seniors to go out because they came in wanting to go to a bowl game in their last year,” O’Brien said during his weekly press conference on Monday. “We’re going to have to play a really good game on Saturday. We have to go back to that formula that got us the four other victories.”

O’Brien noted that the Wolfpack reverted back to the “old bad formula” in the game at Wake Forest. The ingredients of the bad formula consisted of turnovers on offense and a proclivity to allow big plays on defense. With four giveaways in Winston-Salem, the Pack lost the turnover battle for the first time since its week six loss to Florida State. Defensively, NC State gave up a 62-yard scoring pass play in the third quarter just seconds after it had cut a 21-3 deficit down to just three points.

It was the bad formula that caused the Wolfpack to drop five of its first six games.

Then, of course, came a refreshing four-game winning streak that included an overtime road win at Miami and the first victory over archrival North Carolina since 2003. But in the early stages of Saturday’s game against the Deacons, it was quite obvious that NC State’s focus, concentration and energy level had slipped. The Wolfpack finished with 11 penalties, seven of which were of the pre-snap variety.

“We’re not great football team,” O’Brien said. “Great football teams can win four or five games in a row and still keep going. You look at the emotional win these kids had down in the Orange Bowl, I was worried going into the Carolina game that had taken a lot out of them because of playing in the humidity and they were really tired that week. Because of the crowd and everything, they found a way to get it done [against North Carolina]. I think our gas tank was a little empty [at Wake Forest]. We fought hard and got back in it in the third quarter, but weren’t able to get over the hump against what is a very good football team. You’ve got to give them some credit, too.”

Indeed, this Wolfpack team has experienced the gambit of emotions through the course of this strange 2007 campaign. When the Pack was down and out with a 1-5 record, even the most ardent supporters had a difficult time believing this team had what it took to get it turned around in time to post a respectable record at the end. Of course, during the four game winning streak, the press clippings were glowing and the slaps on the back frequent.

“They walk around campus and everyone is telling them what a great victory it was over North Carolina and nobody’s mentioning Wake Forest,” said O’Brien. “You know, they’re kids. You do the best you can with them. That’s why mature football teams are able to withstand those things and put them away. In the terms of our growth, we’re still an immature project here.”

During the now famous bye week that precipitated NC State’s turnaround, O’Brien conveyed to his players that he thought they were better than their 1-5 record. Bringing them back down to earth following the win over UNC was equally as challenging.

“As a head coach, you’ve got to keep your team with a level head,” said junior safety DaJuan Morgan. “He keeps us level and says try not to listen to the hype. When you’re down, everyone wants to get on you. But when you start winning, everyone wants to get on the bandwagon. He just tries to keep us focused on the task at hand.”

The task at hand now is quite familiar to NC State’s veteran players. Two years ago, the Wolfpack and Terps came into the final weekend of the regular season with identical 5-5 records. With future No. 1 draft choice Mario Williams collecting four quarterback sacks and cornerback Marcus Hudson picking off two passes in the fourth quarter including one that was returned for a touchdown, the Pack earned a bid to the Meineke Car Care Bowl with a 20-14 victory.

For the 19 NC State seniors that will be playing at Carter-Finley Stadium for the final time this weekend, the memory of that game is still fresh in their minds. It’s something they’d like to experience one more time.

“It’s very important,” said senior receiver Darrell Blackman, who had seven catches for 114 yards in a losing cause at Wake Forest. “We’re in the same situation we were in two years ago, playing the same team with the record almost the same. It’s a lot at stake. It’s an opportunity for us to play another game together as seniors at a bowl site and as a team before our time is up.”

Injury Update: Two NC State players are listed as doubtful for the Maryland game, one from the offense and the other from the defense. Right guard Meares Green sprained an ankle at Winston-Salem over the weekend, while middle linebacker James Martin came away with a knee sprain. Right guard Kalani Heppe is listed as questionable with a shoulder strain. Defensive tackle John Bedics, who’s been recovering from a concussion, is also questionable.

 

North Carolina State University Athletics

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