North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State and Seminoles Tangle in Tallahassee
10/28/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
Game 8: NC State (4-3, 1-2 ACC) at Florida State (4-3, 2-2 ACC)
October 29, 2011 • 12:00 p.m. • ESPNU
Tallahassee, Fla. • Doak Campbell Stadium (82,300)
TV: ESPNU | Radio: Wolfpack Sports Network | Gametracker
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Only now, in late October, have NC State (4-3, 1-2 ACC) and Florida State (4-3, 2-2 ACC) begun to resemble the teams their fans and coaches were hoping see at the beginning of the season.
Both are 4-3 and both are trying to rebound from slow starts. When they meet Saturday at noon in Tallahassee, much will certainly be on the line. The winner will enter November with a renewed sense of momentum, while the loser will crawl into the season’s final month with questionable bowl credentials.
Wolfpack Sports Network airtime from Doak Campbell Stadium is 11 a.m.
Once 2-3, NC State has rebounded with back-to-back victories over Central Michigan and Virginia. Not coincidentally, the Wolfpack returned some key defensive players for those two games, including tackles J.R. Sweezy, A.J. Ferguson, end Brian Slay and linebacker Terrell Manning. Most notably in the last two games, the Pack has shored up its once leaky third down defense, holding Central Michigan to 0-for-5 on third down plays in the second half. NC State was even better in last week’s 28-14 triumph in Charlottesville, shutting the Cavaliers out on nine third down tries in the second half.
Since the return of quarterback E.J. Manuel from a shoulder injury, Florida State’s high-powered offense has taken off. Injured in a 23-13 loss to then top-ranked Oklahoma on September 17th, Manuel missed FSU’s defeat at Clemson before making a cameo appearance the next week in another loss at Wake Forest. But in the two-plus games since his return, Manuel has been on fire, completing 46-of-75 passes for 789 yards and five touchdowns. He’s also the team’s third leading rusher in those games with 53 yards on 26 carries. But to get a read on Manuel’s effectiveness as a runner, it’s more accurate to remove sack yardage. Minus the sacks in those three games, the 6-5, 245-pound redshirt junior has rushed for 123 yards and three scores.
With Manuel fully healthy, the ‘Noles put 41 points on the board in each of their back-to-back victories over Duke and Maryland.
“He’s another duel threat guy,” said NC State head coach Tom O’Brien. “He’s a tough guy to get on the ground when he pulls the ball down and runs with it. He’s a big, strong runner. He’s not afraid to pull it down and run with it. They run the option with him, the zone read scheme, and do all those things.”
That’s nothing new for an NC State defense that his seen more than its share of mobile quarterbacks this season. On those occasions when the Wolfpack hasn’t contained those quarterbacks and let them get out of the pocket, it has given up some big plays.
“You have to be extremely disciplined when you play guys like that,” said NC State defensive tackle Markus Kuhn, who played perhaps his best game last week at Virginia. “The defensive ends have to contain and the tackles have to push the pocket so we can pressure him. We can’t allow him to extend plays by running outside the pocket. We have to make him throw from the pocket and be disciplined when he tries to run with the ball.”
But Manuel has plenty of help on the offensive side of the ball. Although senior Jermaine Thomas was Florida State’s leading returning rusher coming into the season, he’s been playing second fiddle to freshman sensation Devonta Freeman, who has posted consecutive 100-yard rushing games. On the outside, a speedy receiving corps that was slowed by injuries early is now getting healthy and back on track with veteran Bert Reed and highly-touted rookie Rashad Greene leading the way.
“They’re still one of the best teams in the league,” Wolfpack offensive tackle R.J. Mattes said. “They always have great recruits and they’re always a real talented group, no matter what kind of year they’re having. You always have to bring your ‘A’ game when you’re playing Florida State.”
Mattes will have to bring his ‘A-plus’ game on Saturday since he’s likely to be working across from one of the nation’s best pass-rushers. Brandon Jenkins is a certified pro prospect at defensive end after posting 13.5 quarterback sacks last year as a sophomore. Although he’s been receiving extra attention on the edge this season, Jenkins has combined with opposite end Bjoern Werner to tally 9.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss through seven games.
“I have to put my track shoes on, that’s for sure,” Mattes said. “He’s so fast off the ball that I’m really going to have to get into a quick set and be perfect with my technique. Any little fault and he’s going to get right by me.”
Florida State is fourth in the nation with 25 sacks, a figure that is set-up by a stout run defense that yields just 82 yards per game. With their running games being shut down, teams have found themselves in trouble against the Seminoles by falling into predictable passing situations. NC State has allowed only one sack of Mike Glennon the last two games, a level of protection that will really be tested this week.
“Our goal each and every Saturday is zero sacks,” Mattes said. “We have to take the hits off Mike in order to be successful. We can’t be set back by sacks. Coach [Jim] Bridge (offensive line coach) always instills in us the importance of not giving up sacks. We try each and every game.”
Given time in the pocket, Glennon has proven that he can be effective, throwing 19 touchdown passes in the Pack’s first seven games to rank second only to Clemson’s Tajh Boyd in the ACC.
“I recruited Glennon in high school and liked him,” Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher said. “He can really throw that football. He’s a big, strong guy and really gets the ball out of his hand well.”
To compete and perhaps win in Tallahassee, NC State will need to continue its trend of having the upper hand in the turnover battle. The Wolfpack owns an ACC-leading plus-9 turnover margin, a figure that is bolstered by 15 interceptions. State is No. 1 in the nation in interceptions as a team, while Pack corner David Amerson leads the way with an FBS-best eight picks. Despite its defensive excellence this season, Florida State only has six takeaways and ranks dead last in the ACC with a minus-seven turnover margin.
“You talk about sacks and all those other things, you’d think turnovers would come with that,” Fisher said. “Hopefully they’ll start to come. We’ve played good defense, but that’s the one issue we’ve had, creating turnovers. The tips just haven’t gone our way.”
A key turnover by FSU ultimately led to NC State’s 28-24 victory over Florida State last year in Raleigh. With the Seminoles driving for a potential game-winning score in the final minute, quarterback Christian Ponder collided with his fullback against a Wolfpack blitz and fumbled the ball away at the Pack six-yard line. The miscue set off a wild celebration at Carter-Finley Stadium.
“That was a real exciting game,” Mattes recalled. “It was a Thursday night game and the crowd was really into it. The fumble at the end was crazy. It was a big win for us and one of those games you always remember.”
Given the fact that this series is tied 5-5 over the last 10 meetings, there have been a number of wins to remember for NC State in recent years. Now with November looming, the Wolfpack hopes for yet another memorable showing against the Seminoles.
By Tony Haynes
