North Carolina State University Athletics
HAYNES: Pack Seeks Atonement Against B.C.
10/8/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 8, 2010
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Editor's note: The NC State Interfraternity Council along with Campus Police and University Athletics are sponsoring food collection at the NC State vs. Boston College game. Non-perishable food and monetary donations will be accepted at all gate entrances with all proceeds going to the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. The goal is 76,000 pounds which would be the largest donation in the state. Please tackle hunger in North Carolina by donating at this week's game.
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Call it motivation by embarrassment. When asked earlier in the week if he would show his defense the rather gruesome lowlights of last year's 52-20 loss at Boston College, NC State head coach Tom O'Brien said, "Absolutely. It was embarrassing. They were the men and we were the boys."
Indeed, the ground-oriented Eagles ran over, around and through the Wolfpack last season, amassing nearly 300 yards rushing in Chestnut Hill, Mass. Tailback Montel Harris did most of the damage, setting school records for rushing yards (264) and touchdowns (five).
NC State (4-1 overall, 1-1 ACC) will have a chance to make amends for that performance on Saturday when it hosts Harris and B.C. (2-2, 0-1) at Carter-Finley Stadium. Kick off is set for noon. Wolfpack Sports Network coverage begins at 11 a.m.
"The last three years it's been pretty bad against B.C.," said NC State senior wide receiver Darrell Davis. "We definitely want to stick it in their minds early on in the game that we're not going to follow the previous year's trends."
Since O'Brien left the program he guided to seven straight bowl games to take the job at NC State, he's 0-3 against Boston College. But there's also every reason to believe that this will be the first time since he left B.C. for Raleigh that he'll actually have the better team when the two clubs meet.
Despite letting a 17-0 lead dissipate in last week's tough 41-30 loss to Virginia Tech, the Wolfpack will reach the halfway mark of its season with a 5-1 record if it can turn the tables on Boston College this weekend. Given the fact that five of NC State's first six opponents appeared in bowl games a year ago, it would be an impressive first half for a program that is seeking its first winning season since 2005.
Proving once again that a lot can change in a matter of just one year, Boston College and NC State appear to be two ships passing in the night since their meeting one year ago. The Wolfpack defense that gave up all those yards to the Eagles last October has shown improvement this season. And the powerful running game the Eagles used to flatten the Pack nearly 12 months ago was held to just five yards in last weekend's 31-13 loss to Notre Dame.
Through four games, Boston College is averaging just 87 yards rushing per game, despite returning Harris and four of the five offensive linemen that were blocking for him last season.
"We've had to shuffle guys around on the offensive line, so the continuity hasn't been the way we would like it," said Boston College head coach Frank Spaziani, who was O'Brien's defensive coordinator at B.C. "Obviously people have been concerned with Montel, but they were concerned about him in the past, too."
The word "concern" translates to the fact that defenses have been stacking the line of scrimmage to stop Harris and forcing the Eagles to go to the air more than Spaziani would like. That particular defensive formula has been particularly effective since B.C. has already used three different quarterbacks in four games.
Sophomore David Shinskie had started 13 straight games dating back to last year before being benched after a 19-0 loss to Virginia Tech two weeks ago. Last Saturday, Spaziani started with true freshman Chase Rettig, who managed to throw a 58-yard touchdown pass before leaving the game with an ankle injury. Sophomore Mike Marscovetra then went the rest of the way, completing 22-of-37 passes for 193 yards and two interceptions.
"We're back to square one with that," Spaziani said. "It's challenging, but we have to work our way through it."
Regardless of who goes under center for Boston College on Saturday, NC State's defensive coaches will be relieved that it won't be someone in the mold of the last four quarterback's the Pack has faced. In games against Central Florida, Cincinnati, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech, the Wolfpack was forced to chase around quarterbacks who were capable of doing as much or more damage with their legs as with their arms. Virginia Tech's Tyrod Taylor was the best of the bunch, freelancing his way to 121 yards on the ground.
"When you have to contain a guy who can hurt you with his feet, it's always another headache," Pack safety Brandan Bishop said. "We've watched some tape of the Boston College guys and not to take anything away from them, but they don't try to get out of the pocket as much as some of the other guys we've faced."
And while the Boston College quarterbacks don't do a lot of running, Harris does often line-up in the `Wildcat' formation, an alignment that was quite productive in his record-breaking day against NC State last year. The Wolfpack seemed helpless to stop Harris when he'd take a direct snap and find gaping holes opened up by an offensive line that averages 6-6 and over 300 pounds across the front.
"We have to stop the run first and foremost and get them into passing situations," Bishop said. "We'll definitely get some guys close to the line of scrimmage trying to stop them on first and second down and hopefully bring some pressure and do some things on third down."
With active linebackers Mark Herzlich and Luke Kuechly leading the way, the Eagles have a respectable defense that is allowing just 20.8 points and 81.5 rushing yards per game. The Eagles play a lot of zone coverage, whether they're blitzing or not and use their linebackers to collision receivers in an effort to throw off timing in the passing game.
It's a system similar to the one used by NC State.
"Herzlich is a great player," said Davis. "They do a good job of getting their hands on receivers and trying to re-route them. We have to do a good job of making sure they don't get their hands on us on the first level so we can get down the field for Russell."
NC State quarterback Russell Wilson has thrown for better than 300 yards in three consecutive games and has as nine touchdown passes in that span as well.
The Wolfpack leads the ACC in scoring offense (36.2), pass offense (303.8) and total offense (448.8). With freshman running backs Dean Haynes and Mustafa Greene carrying the load, the running game has also been surprisingly effective, putting up an average of 145 yards.
But if last week's defeat to Virginia Tech proved anything, it's that the gaudy offensive numbers won't hold up against good competition if the Wolfpack makes mistakes at crucial times. Along with turning the ball over three times against the Hokies, the Pack also had nine penalties, six of which were of the pre-snap variety. Add in a 92-yard kick off return for a touchdown by Tech's David Wilson to begin the second half, and it's no wonder NC State couldn't hold an early 17-0 lead.
"We have to get back to not turning the ball over on offense," O'Brien said. "We gave up too many big plays on defense and gave up another touchdown on special teams. I mean, that's two in five games. You sometimes go three years without giving up two returns for touchdowns, and we've given up two in five games. The pre-snap penalties were just inexcusable. You can't make those kinds of mistakes in a big football game like the one we were in and expect that you're going to have success."
