North Carolina State University Athletics
HAYNES: Heels Stand in Way of Title Hopes
11/19/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 19, 2010
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Wilson Strives to Improve Everyone
`The Kick' Still Flies 20 Years Later
Burning Down the (Out) House
There's No Crying on Senior Day
From the first 99 Games
BY TONY HAYNES
RALEIGH, N.C. -- NC State head coach Tom O'Brien wasn't looking at a road map earlier this week when he said "the road to Charlotte goes through Chapel Hill." In a literal sense, it certainly does. On a figurative level, however, the Wolfpack's path to the ACC Championship Game in Charlotte must go through both Chapel Hill and College Park, Md.
With wins in its last two regular season games, the Pack will assure itself of a spot in the title game on December 4.
With that in mind, Saturday's 100th meeting between NC State (7-3, 4-2) and North Carolina (6-4, 3-3) at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill will carry a bit more significance than just bragging rights. The Wolfpack Sports Network will take the air for the noon contest at 11 a.m.
"It's a game that's very, very special and very important to our school," O'Brien said. "It's very important to our student body, our faculty and our alumni. The road to Charlotte goes through Chapel Hill. If you're at NC State and a member of this football program you have to win in Chapel Hill anyway. It's something that's a part of the culture here and we accept that fact. Our kids have really risen to the occasion and played really well against Carolina since I've been here."
Despite not posting winning records in his first three seasons at NC State, O'Brien's teams have managed to play their best against the Tar Heels, posting three consecutive victories in the series.
"It's an important game and everyone here understands it," said O'Brien. "Our guys have really gotten ready to play and we've gotten great performances from our football team the last three years."
Most notably, at least in the last two games, the Wolfpack has managed to play relatively mistake-free football against UNC. Since the start of the 2008 season, the Tar Heels have intercepted a whopping total of 52 passes, yet they have not been able to step in front of a Russell Wilson throw the last two years. Along with hitting 67 percent of his passes for better than 500 yards in two games against North Carolina, the Wolfpack quarterback has six touchdown passes with zero interceptions.
Simply put, Wilson 's ability to protect the football against a Carolina defense that has thrived on forcing mistakes has been the single biggest storyline the last two years.
"They're fast and athletic," Wilson said. "They get around the ball and make plays. They get a few tips here and there and then catch it. I can't focus on all that stuff though. All I can do is focus on executing one play at a time. They have great athletes over there so I have to be smart. At the same time, I can't be passive either."
While the Tar Heels have generally had success picking off passes at a high rate out of zone coverages in recent years, they chose to break with their trends by employing more man coverage against NC State in last year's game at Carter-Finley Stadium. Wilson took advantage by passing over the top for big completions to Owen Spencer and Jarvis Williams in a 28-27 Wolfpack victory.
"People sometimes try to draw the comparison between [Wilson] and Tyrod Taylor (Virginia Tech)," said North Carolina coach Butch Davis. "I think the biggest difference is Wilson's accuracy and ability to throw the ball down the field. He can really make you pay if you're not fundamentally sound in the secondary and you don't cover guys the right way. He can throw the ball 50 or 60 yards. He's got a great arm."
While Davis has certainly seen enough of Wilson the last two years to become a believer, he avoided the unenviable task of lining his offense up against NC State linebacker Nate Irving last year. Irving, of course, missed the entire 2009 season after suffering injuries in a summer auto accident.
"Nate Irving on film looks like the best linebacker we've played against thus far," Davis said.
And Irving's dominant performance in the Pack's 38-3 triumph over Wake Forest last week was a virtual highlight reel. Eight of the senior's 13 total tackles were behind the line of scrimmage, establishing a new FBS record.
After finishing near the bottom of most of the ACC's defensive stats a year ago, NC State currently ranks third in the league in total defense, allowing just 327 yards per game. And in recent weeks, the Wolfpack defense has been at its best after intermission, allowing the last four opponents to average just five points in the second half of those games.
"They're dramatically improved on defense from a year ago," said Davis. "They're putting a lot of pressure on quarterbacks and their linebackers are playing outstanding."
To its credit, North Carolina has managed to put together a fairly successful season in spite of an ongoing NCAA investigation that has hung like a cloud over the program for the entire campaign. To this point, the probe has claimed the eligibility of eight players since the beginning of the year.
The emergence of quarterback T.J. Yates is probably the single biggest reason the Tar Heels have avoided a collapse in the wake of the ever-present off-field issues. Although he did throw four interceptions in a loss to Virginia Tech last week, Yates has been solid, if not spectacular at times.
"He's kind of carried that football program to this date," O'Brien said. "They throw the ball deep more than anybody we've played, and that's been true the last couple of years. It seems like they do a great job in the short passing game and then do a great job of throwing the ball over your head. You have to be concerned with them running by you."
No. 2 in the ACC in passing efficiency, Yates has hit 65 percent of his throws for 2,509 yards and 15 touchdowns. He set a new school record with 443 yards at Florida State two weeks ago. Receiver Dwight Jones has emerged as Carolina's biggest deep threat, averaging over 21 yards per catch over his last five games. He accounted for 233 receiving yards against the Seminoles, the second highest total in school history.
A year ago, NC State prevented the Tar Heels from reaching the nine-win plateau by coming back to win in Raleigh by a point. Now Carolina will be looking to turn the tables by playing the role of spoiler.
"Against someone that's this big of a rival, I don't know that the records really matter," Davis said. "We've got to play the best we can play and minimize our mistakes."
In their four losses, the Tar Heels have 14 turnovers compared to only six in their six wins. The last time NC State visited Kenan two years ago, the Pack feasted on six turnovers to post a 41-10 victory.
Over the last decade, NC State holds a 6-4 advantage in the series, including those wins the last three years. The Wolfpack hasn't won as many as four straight over the Heels since a five-game winning streak from 1988-92.
"I can't say this is just a regular game," Irving said. "They're right in our backyard and you can throw the records out the window. When it's us against them, it's going to be a tough game. Each team is going to come out and give it 110 percent."
