North Carolina State University Athletics
Wolfpack Tries to Continue Streak in Rivalry
11/4/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
Game 9: NC State (4-4, 1-3 ACC) vs. North Carolina (6-3, 2-3 ACC)
November 5, 2011 • 12:30 p.m. • ACC Network
Raleigh, N.C. • Carter-Finley Stadium (57,583)
TV: ACC Network | Radio: Wolfpack Sports Network | Gametracker
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The last time NC State won as many as five games in a row over North Carolina, quarterback Terry Jordan was playing the game of his life and Dick Sheridan was besting Mack Brown for the final time.
The year was 1992. In late September of that season, Jordan played a game of pitch and catch with his receivers at Kenan Stadium, completing an unthinkable 23-of-25 throws for 361 yards. In the end, it was a two-yard plunge by fullback Greg Mainor with just a minute to play that gave NC State a 27-20 victory over the Tar Heels. The win was the Wolfpack’s fifth straight in the series under Sheridan, who would step down as head coach the next summer because of health concerns.
Flash forward to 2011. When the two longtime rivals clash for the 101st time at Carter-Finley Stadium, coach Tom O’Brien and NC State (4-4, 1-3) will be trying to duplicate the streak Sheridan’s teams produced between 1988-92.
Kick off is set for 12:30 p.m. Pregame coverage on the Wolfpack Sports Network begins at 11:30 a.m.
“We’ve played really well every time we’ve played them,” said NC State senior defensive tackle J.R. Sweezy. “The rivalry makes everyone play a little harder and do a little more. People put in a little more effort and I think that’s the reason we’ve won the last couple of years.”
Make it four straight over North Carolina (6-3, 2-3).
As much as anything else, however, NC State has just managed to make critical plays at just the right times during the winning streak. Three of the four Wolfpack wins have been by four points or less, including last year’s 29-25 triumph in Chapel Hill. Two key plays were ultimately the difference: quarterback Russell Wilson’s short fourth down ‘Hail Mary’ pass from the two-yard line to Owen Spencer in the third quarter and T.J. Graham’s 87-yard punt return for a score in the fourth period.
Coaches like to say that most games come down to three or four key plays, but it’s a mystery as to when those plays will occur. O’Brien likes to tell his players not to take any play for granted because it might very well be the play that decides the football game. Given the energy generated by this rivalry, it’s doubtful anyone will be taking a play off on Saturday.
North Carolina’s upper classmen have never enjoyed a win over NC State, a stinging source of frustration for many of the Tar Heels. An incentive advantage for Carolina perhaps? The Wolfpack doesn’t expect that to be the case.
“They have to be ready to go just like we do,” said Pack offensive tackle Mikel Overgaard. “They have to show up and play and we have to show up and play. We’re planning on showing up and playing our best game of the season. That’s our goal and that’s just how it is.”
North Carolina has managed to shake off the distractions of a year-long NCAA investigation into the program and the unexpected firing of coach Butch Davis right before training camp to piece together a strong season thus far. Already bowl eligible following last week’s 49-24 romp over Wake Forest, the Tar Heels will be looking for a little icing on the cake when they make the short bus ride from Chapel Hill to Raleigh on Saturday.
“I think our older guys have probably had this one circled on the calendar,” said Everett Withers, who was promoted from defensive coordinator to interim head coach after Davis was fired in late July. It’s an in-state game, we want to win it and beat every team in this state that we play. It gives us a chance to be 7-3, so it’s huge for us.”
North Carolina’s strong showing has been built on the sturdy foundation of a long lost formula for success at UNC: the running game. With 35 yards on Saturday, Tar Heels tailback Giovani Bernard will reach 1,000 for the season, a plateau that’s been reached 24 times by 14 different Carolina backs. In a rare draught, the Heels haven’t had a 1,000-yard rusher since 1997.
Bernard, a redshirt freshman, has tallied more than 100 yards in six games this season, a figure that certainly has NC State’s attention.
“If we run our defense like we know we can and carry out our responsibilities, nobody can really run on us,” Sweezy said. “We need to work more on getting off blocks and getting more pressure on the quarterback in passing situations.”
Sweezy’s return from a foot injury has certainly bolstered the Wolfpack’s run defense in recent weeks. Even in last Saturday’s forgettable 34-0 loss at Florida State, the Pack did a respectable job against the run, holding the Seminoles to 123 yards and just 3.3 yard per carry.
“Any time you can make an offense one-dimensional, it’s going to help you out,” said Sweezy.
North Carolina quarterback Bryn Renner has probably been the biggest beneficiary of Carolina’s rushing attack. In his first year as a starter, Renner leads the ACC in passing efficiency to go along with 19 touchdown passes. The strong rushing attack has opened up play-action opportunities for Renner and big-play wide receiver Dwight Jones, who averages 93 receiving yards per game.
In last year’s game at Kenan Stadium, the Wolfpack was successful getting pressure with blitzes in the fourth quarter when the outcome was still very much in doubt. The Tar Heels expect more of the same on Saturday.
“They’re going to blitz a lot,” Withers said. “We expect a lot of zone blitzes. We need to be able to run the football to help Bryn locate the open receivers.”
Like Renner, NC State quarterback Mike Glennon also has 19 touchdown passes as a first-year starter. Glennon’s ability to bounce back from a tough afternoon last weekend in Tallahassee could ultimately be a big storyline in this game. Working against Florida State’s ACC-best defense, Glennon took a lot of hits and threw a pair of interceptions, while passing for a season-low 130 yards.
If he’s given time to throw, Glennon should have a better chance to move the football this week against a Carolina team that ranks 12th in the ACC in pass defense. The Tar Heels are yielding 257 yards per game through the air.
“It’s only the eighth game he’s started and you’re going to have days like that,” O’Brien said, reflecting on Glennon’s challenging afternoon in Tallahassee. “I think it’s a good thing for him that he can learn from it and I think he’s the right kind of guy who will learn from it and will get better because of it. It’s all a part of the learning process. I don’t think he was intimidated at all.”
The Wolfpack’s offensive line will be tested again by a stout Carolina front seven that features a couple of future pros on the defensive line. Senior end Quinton Coples is a force with 4.5 sacks, while sophomore end Kareem Martin has gotten to the quarterback four times. Talented linebacker Zach Brown is North Carolina’s leading tackler.
A big-play in the kicking game gave NC State a lead it wouldn’t relinquish last year and don’t be surprised if it happens again. No. 2 in the ACC in all-purpose yards (177 per game), Graham needs only 76 yards to break the league’s all-time kickoff return mark. The Tar Heels feature freshman T.J. Thorpe, who currently leads the ACC in kick return average (29.0). One other note: UNC has had three punts blocked this season.
O’Brien has never shied away from placing a high-level of importance on this game, while Withers has perhaps been even more vocal about his desire to turn the tide and win on Saturday. The two coaches even traded well-chronicled barbs during the week, adding even more intensity … if that’s possible.
“It’s an important game because it’s an important game to our faculty, our staff, our alumni and our fan base,” O’Brien said. “That’s what makes it different. Every school has a team that is probably their number one opponent that they play during the course of the year. You have to play all 12 games, but there is certainly a game that’s a little more important. That certainly fits this one for our school.”
By Tony Haynes
