HAYNES: Pack Hopes to Stay on Schedule Vs. FSU

BY TONY HAYNES

 

RALEIGH, N.C. A year ago, NC State reached the halfway point of its season with a 1-5 record. Needless to say, not much went right in those first six games. Players were a step slow as they struggled to adjust to a new coaching staff and new schemes in all three phases of the game. With a whopping total of 22 turnovers at the halfway point, the Pack owned a downright unthinkable turnover margin of minus-17.

But during a much-needed open date in the schedule, head coach Tom O’Brien and his staff evaluated themselves and each player on the football team. They even went so far as to examine every single play from the first half, hoping to find some answers. Clearly, the process worked. NC State went on the road and knocked off East Carolina, igniting a four game winning streak.

And while the situation isn’t exactly the same this year, the Wolfpack will again have a chance to rescue its season with a strong second half run. Currently 2-4, the Pack again hopes to use a halfway open date to its advantage when Florida State visits Carter-Finley Stadium on Thursday night at 7:30. Unlike 12 months ago, there’s probably room for a little more optimism this time around.

For starters, the Wolfpack is finally getting healthy. More good news was contained in the updated injury report that was released on Tuesday night. Following a three-week absence, defensive tackle Alan-Michael Cash returns to the trenches on Thursday, as does back-up guard Curtis Crouch. Even better, standout linebacker Nate Irving is listed as probable. Before going down with an ankle injury in the first half against East Carolina in week four, Irving was playing as well as any linebacker in the ACC. Since his departure, opposing offenses have relentlessly attacked the boundary side of the field, the side that had been occupied by the active, savvy Irving.

Between them, South Florida and Boston College threw the majority of their passes to the boundary. And given the fact that those two teams combined for more than 1,000 yards of total offense, the strategy clearly worked.

The sooner Irving and Cash can get back up to full speed, the better for an NC State defense that had actually been holding its own until those two players left the line-up.

If the recent past is any indication, the national audience watching on ESPN could very well be captivated by a Florida State NC State matchup. The Wolfpack has a history of making life tough on the Seminoles, having won four of the last seven meetings.

What must the Pack do to make it five of the last eight? Let’s take a look at the major issues confronting the home team.

Getting off the field on defense and staying there on offense: This is something NC State couldn’t accomplish in its 38-31 loss to Boston College. With quarterback Chris Crane suddenly looking more like his predecessor, Matt Ryan, the Eagles threw the ball around with such ease that you often wondered if it seemed like a pass-skell drill. B.C. converted 8-of-16 third downs, owned a nearly 11-minute advantage in possession time, and ran a total of 81 offensive plays, 26 more than the Wolfpack.

Now comes a Florida State team that has, to this point, forced a lot of three and outs,” and has managed to stay on the field for long periods with a clock-eating ground game. The FSU offense is converting 52 percent of its third down plays through five games, while its defense is holding opponents to only 19 percent on third down, a figure that ranks No. 1 in all of college football.

Offensive coaches frequently talk about the importance of staying on schedule,’ meaning that an offense must give itself a steady diet of favorable down and distance situations to keep drives alive and the chains moving. To this point, the Seminoles have knocked opposing offenses off schedule, which allows them to unleash an aggressive, in your face pass rush in third and long scenarios. To stay on schedule’ on Thursday, quarterback Russell Wilson and the Pack offense must do a good job of executing on first down, which would give coordinator Dana Bible more play-calling options on second and third down. So keep an eye on first down success, even more than usual on Thursday. If NC State can average roughly four yards on first down throughout the game, it will have a better chance of staying on the field. If, however, the Pack is constantly behind the chains on second and third down, it will be a long night.

The Florida State defense averages nine tackles for loss and three sacks per contest, primarily because it has managed to force teams in predictable passing situations on second and third down.

“Defensively they’re the same as they’ve always been,” O’Brien said. “Coach [Mickey] Andrews is still there and they haven’t changed that defense. It’s a junior-senior defense, so that means they’re more experienced and they’re in the same system.”

Defending the run: The good news is that Florida State, to this point anyway, hasn’t shown the ability to throw the ball as well as South Florida or Boston College. The bad news is the Seminoles really haven’t had to throw the football that much. When you’re averaging better than 231 yards on the ground and have a quarterback (Christian Ponder) who’s your second leading rusher, then you have something cooking. FSU offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher has made the commitment to run the football, a decision that is paying handsome dividends. In their 41-39 win at Miami on September 4, the Noles tallied 310 yards on the ground, with Ponder accounting for 144 of those yards.

Last season, Florida State averaged only 127 rushing yards per game.

“It starts with emphasis,” said legendary FSU head coach Bobby Bowden. “Jimbo Fisher’s emphasis on the running game and keeping it in its place has made a difference.”

And when Florida State gets in the red zone, tailback Antone Smith knows how to find the goal line. In the midst of the best year of his career, the senior already has nine rushing touchdowns in five games to go along with 394 yards.

“They seem more committed to the run than they have in the past,” O’Brien said. “That’s the way they want to play football now. Coach Fisher believes in running the football to set up the pass, but they’ll obviously do what they think they have to do to win.”

Cash is clearly NC State’s most disruptive and technically sound interior defensive lineman, so his return gives the Wolfpack a better chance to deal with Florida State’s ground attack. And of course, Irving was doing it all before sustaining his injury.

But if the Pack is successful in slowing down the FSU running game, it won’t be completely out of the woods. Towering 6-6 receiver Greg Carr gave the Pack fits last year, catching four balls for 140 yards in Florida State’s 27-10 victory in Tallahassee.  

Ultimately, NC State would prefer to make Ponder into a more traditional quarterback and force him to win the game with his arm instead of his legs.

It’s all about staying on schedule and keeping the chains moving. The offense that succeeds in that area on Thursday will most likely come away a winner.

North Carolina State University Athletics

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