Tony Haynes: Pack Gears Up For UNC

BY TONY HAYNES

RALEIGH, N.C. NC State quarterback Daniel Evans would really love to knock off North Carolina this Saturday afternoon, but not necessarily because the Wolfpack has dropped three straight games to its rivals from Chapel Hill.

As the son of a former Wolfpack quarterback and punter, Evans was wearing NC State red long before he received a scholarship to play football for the Pack three years ago. And the NC State North Carolina rivalry was very much in his blood many years before he made his first start against the Tar Heels last year in Chapel Hill. As a result, he's still trying to settle some scores that date back to his childhood.

“I remember in elementary school we’d have ACC day and you’d wear your favorite team’s colors or sweatshirts,” Evans said. “Most of the time it would happen during the basketball tournament, but we’d have it during the fall too. Kids get ruthless. I can remember they would tear you apart if you were going for State and State lost. I can remember being excited when State would win and I would go in and talk some smack with some kids too. When I was little I didn’t know better.”

This Saturday when the Wolfpack (4-5, 2-3) and Tar Heels (3-6, 2-3) face off for the 97^th time at Carter-Finley Stadium, Evans hopes his right arm will do most of the talking. The son of former Wolfpack All-American Johnny Evans is probably glad he didn’t have to show up for ACC day at his old elementary school the last three years since Carolina has owned the bragging rights in the rivalry going back to that controversial ending in 2004 when Pack running back T.A. McLendon’s apparent game-winning touchdown was taken off the Kenan Stadium scoreboard.

While first-year NC State coach Tom O’Brien may be new to this rivalry, he’s already keenly aware of the series history and the overall impact it has on the two schools and their followers.

“I know we’ve only won three of the last 14 games,” O’Brien said. “Since 1993, there’s only three victories. When you look at the overall record we’re down 35, so we’ve got a lot of ground to make up.”

Obviously, O’Brien and company would love to start chipping away at that substantial deficit starting with this week’s game. There’s every reason to believe that both teams will show up and play well.

Since dropping five of its first six games, NC State has caught fire, winning three in a row against pretty good competition. The biggest difference? The Wolfpack owned a plus-four in turnover margin in its victories over East Carolina, Virginia and Miami. During its 1-5 start, the Pack was minus-17.

After losing four times by seven points or less in its first seven games, North Carolina finally found a way to win a close one when it held off Maryland on Saturday, 16-13.

And what do North Carolina and NC State have in common this season? Both have beaten traditional college football powerhouse Miami. The Tar Heels jumped out to a big lead before holding on for a 33-27 victory over the Hurricanes at home back on October 6. Steve Hauschka’s 42-yard field goal in overtime lifted the Pack to a 19-16 triumph over the Canes this past weekend.

O’Brien was openly blunt when talking down his team during its stumbling start, implying that some of his players had an inflated opinion of themselves and their abilities. But that’s not to suggest he didn’t see some potential.

“The idea was for them to understand that it was going to take a little more hard work than they thought it would take, especially on the practice field” O’Brien said. “They thought they could just show up and perform. That doesn’t happen against the teams in the leagues that we’re playing. You have to practice well, you have to prepare well and you have to do what you’re supposed to do. If you do that you’re going to have a chance to win football games. If you don’t you’re going to lose. I thought we could be a good football team and I said that during the ACC Kickoff. I didn’t anticipate some of the injuries that came and our reaction to them.”

A flood of injuries did take away some of NC State’s best players on both sides of the ball during the first half. Some have returned, while others haven’t. At Miami, strong safety Javon Walker sustained a knee sprain, an injury that will keep him out of action this week.

With Walker sidelined against the Hurricanes, O’Brien went back to his pre-bye week starting safety combo of Miguel Scott at free safety and DaJaun Morgan at strong safety. But because Morgan had played so well at the free safety spot after Walker was inserted into the line-up for the East Carolina game, he’ll be back there this week with inexperienced redshirt junior Robbie Leonard taking over for Walker at strong safety.

Walker’s emergence had certainly given the NC State defense a boost the last three weeks.

“That’s a tough loss for us,” said O’Brien. “After we came out of the break we played three games and were in a pretty good rhythm. It’s a tough break for Javon, but it’s an opportunity for Robbie to step in and play. We’re confident that he’ll play well and get the job done for us.”

A strong contributor to NC State’s kick off and punt coverage teams, Leonard has gotten very few meaningful snaps on defense during his career.

This week, he makes his first start in what certainly will be a meaningful game for a lot of people, just as Daniel Evans did a year ago when he got his first real taste of what a North Carolina NC State game is all about.

“We lost but I still had a great time out there,” said Evans, who was 22-of-41 passing for 261 yards and three interceptions in last year’s 23-9 defeat in Chapel Hill. “It was one of the things that you always grow up and think about, probably more so than the other games you think about. It’s the one that you circle when you first get the schedule at the beginning of the season. I can remember thinking this is as good as it gets. The entire week is a different type of week with the way guys talk giving speeches at the hotel the night before the game and the way students approach you on campus. Everything is a little bit different.”

It will indeed be a different week, just the way it was back in those days when Evans was fending off Carolina fans in elementary school.

Toys For Tots: Fans attending Saturday’s game at Carter-Finley Stadium will have a chance to contribute to the U.S. Marines Toys for Tots campaign. New toys for toddlers ages 2-4 and pre-teens ages 10-12 are needed most. Cash donations will also be accepted. Donations can be made in the Fan Zone on the front lawn of the RBC Center.

“There are millions of kids out there that the Marines help for Toys for Tots,” said O’Brien, a former Marine officer and a member of the national board for Toys for Tots. “It would be great for the Wolfpack nation and even our fans that come to the game from Chapel Hill to contribute.”

ACC Honors Hauschka: After booting a career-high four field goals including the dramatic game winner at Miami, Hauschka was named the ACC’s Specialist of the Week on Monday. Hauschka had converted on his first 10 field goal attempts this season until finally missing in the second quarter at the Orange Bowl. Overall, he’s 14-of-15 in 2007.

Four p.m. Kick for Wake Game: NC State’s game at Wake Forest on Saturday, November 17 will begin at 4:00 p.m. Television coverage will be provided by ESPNU.

North Carolina State University Athletics

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