Category Archives: N.C. State

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ACC Week 4 football summaries: State embarrassed, Heels can’t stop GT

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Cincinnati 44, NC State 14
RB Isaiah Pead rushed for 167 yards on 27 carries and Cincinnati held NC State (2-2, 0-1 ACC) to minus-26 yards on the
ground in pulling away from the Wolfpack in an ESPN Thursday Night game. In defeat, the Pack’s T.J. Graham accounted for
336 all-purpose yards, a school record and the fifth-highest total in ACC history. David Amerson made his fourth interception
of the year; his total is tied for the national lead.

Georgia Tech 35, North Carolina 28
QB Tevin Washington’s 5-yard run with 5:20 to play capped a 61-yard drive that immediately followed the Tar Heels’ tying
touchdown, and the Yellow Jackets (1-0 ACC) won their ACC opener to improve to 4-0 for the first time since their national
championship season of 1990. North Carolina (3-1, 1-1 ACC) drew even at 28-28 when freshman Giovani Bernard bolted up
the middle for a 55-yard touchdown midway through the fourth quarter. Tech, the nation’s leader in total offense, required
only four plays for the go-ahead score, and pressure on Tar Heel QB Bryn Renner sealed the outcome.

Temple 38, Maryland 7
RB Bernard Pierce ran for 149 yards and five touchdowns for the Owls, who led 31-0 at halftime in handing the Terrapins
their second straight defeat at home. QB Chester Stewart complemented Pierce’s ground game by going 9-for-9 for 140
yards through the air. The Terps’ TD came on an 18-yard pass from backup QB C.J. Brown to Devonte Campbell in the
fourth quarter.

Boston College 45, Massachusetts 17
The Eagles tied an ACC and NCAA record by returning two fumbles for touchdowns, and they welcomed back RB Montel
Harris in a victory over the Minutemen. The Eagles led 24-10 late in the third quarter before the critical sequence. WR Colin
Larmond’s second TD catch of the day from QB Chase Rettig was immediately followed by a fumble that the Eagles’ Nick
Clancy took in for a 16-yard score. Moments later, LB Kevin Pierre-Louis grabbed the ball out of the air and went 96 yards
for another Boston College touchdown. Harris ran for 27 yards in limited action.

Clemson 35, Florida State 30
QB Tajh Boyd passed for 344 yards and three touchdowns as the Tigers (4-0, 1-0 ACC) withstood the Seminoles’ bid to
overcome a double-digit halftime deficit. On three occasions, FSU (2-2, 0-1 ACC) made it a one-score game behind backup
QB Clint Trickett, who threw for three TDs of his own. The Tigers responded every time, going up 35-23 on Boyd’s 62-yard
TD toss to freshman Sammy Watkins and sacking Trickett in the final minute to end the Noles’ final attempt.

Virginia Tech 30, Marshall 10
RB David Wilson ran for 132 yards and Josh Oglesby scored on two short runs as the Hokies defeated the Thundering
Herd in the ACC’s first game at Marshall. Wilson has now rushed for 100 or more yards in three of Virginia Tech’s first four
games, and the Hokies are 4-0 for the fi rst time since 2006. Danny Coale caught seven passes for 107 yards for the Hokies
and stands in the Top 10 in career receptions and yardage in Hokie history.

Duke 48, Tulane 27
RB Juwan Thompson and QB Sean Renfree ran for two TDs apiece for the Blue Devils (2-2, 1-0 ACC), whose defense didn’t
allow a touchdown until the fourth quarter. The Devils amassed five scores on the ground, and Renfree completed 21-of-30
passes for 278 yards, finding Conner Vernon (six catches) and Donovan Varner (four) for nearly half of his completions. The
win was Duke’s most lopsided over an FBS team outside the ACC since a 43-17 win at Navy on Sept. 28, 2002.

Kansas State 28, Miami 24
Southern Mississippi 30, Virginia 24
QB Austin Davis completed 27-of-41 passes for 313 yards and three touchdowns for the Golden Eagles, who dropped the
Cavaliers (2-2, 0-1 ACC) to their second straight loss. The Cavs sliced the deficit to 27-24 when QB David Watford hit TE Jeremiah Mathis for a 1-yard score with 5:18 left, but the Eagles converted a third-and-24 situation on their next drive, which
consumed nearly four minutes and ended with a field goal. USM stopped Virginia on downs to end the game.

Featured stories, N.C. State, The skinny

Beat up Pack travels to Cincinnati for a Thursday night game

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Last season, N.C. State handled Cincinnati at home 30-19 in a game that wasn’t that close. But this season the Wolfpack must travel to Cincinnati for an ESPN Thursday night game this week, and State coach Tom O’Brien expects the Bearcats to be better.

O’Brien notes that Cincinnati has the quarterback, receivers and most of the line back on offense and 10 of 11 starters back on defense. “The difference is they’ve played for a year in that system so now they’re more into Coach (Butch) Jones’ style of play,” he said. “It was his third game last year where now he’s been there for a year. They’re much more aggressive up front on both sides of the ball at the line of scrimmage coming off the ball than they were a year ago. They’re attacking more on defense. They’ve made big strides. “

The Bearcats are 1-1 after being beaten 45-23 by Tennessee while State is 2-1 after defeating South Alabama 35-13.

But the Pack is beat up.

Linebacker Terrell Manning injured his knee last week and will be out at least three weeks.

“It’s been a tough season to play defense,” said O’Brien, a Cincinnati native. “We lost a corner to start the year, we lost our captain and best defensive lineman, we lost the next-best defensive lineman, we lost the back-up middle linebacker, lost a corner, lost a linebacker.”

With the game being on Thursday, it will be a short week for the Pack to prepare shorthanded.

“If you’re a veteran team it’s better rather than if you’re in our situation where you have some young guys that we’re trying to get locked in, in case they have to go in the game,” O’Brien said.

Duke, Featured stories, N.C. State, The skinny, UNC

Duke picks up first win at BC while State, UNC roll

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Duke held on at Boston College to beat the Eagle 20-19 while State took care of South Alabama 35-13 behind the passing of Mike Glennon and UNC disposed of long-time rival Virginia 28-17. For information on the UNC victory, please click here. For information on the N.C. State win, please click here. And for info on the Duke squeaker, please click here. For a complete ACC scoreboard with boxscores and recaps please click here.

Duke, Featured stories, N.C. State, The skinny, UNC

Wake stuns Wolfpack while Tar Heels overcome turnovers to win

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Wake Forest broke a seven-game ACC losing streak by stunning N.C. State 34-37. North Carolina overcame turnovers and penalties with big plays to defeat Rutgers 24-22. And Stanford looked less like an academic school that Duke in whipping the Devils 44-14. Also, ECU scared Virginia Tech but finally fell 17-10. For a complete ACC scoreboard with boxscores and recaps please click here.

Featured stories, N.C. State, The skinny

State’s O’Brien more than happy with QB Glennon

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Prognosticators and football fans everywhere thought NC State would really miss quarterback Russell Wilson, who transferred to Wisconsin, but so far, so good in new quarterback Mike Glennon.

Tom O’Brien, during his weekly news conference, noted that he was especially good against Liberty last weekend considering that he had not started a game in four years.

“He hadn’t played a full game since the state championship in high school,” O’Brien said. “so he was all excited and knew that there were some things that he was going to have to do better and learn from, but he’s got a great attitude, a great amount of talent and he will continue to get better as we go along.”

O’Brien said he didn’t like seeing his quarterback get “clobbered” but it was a good sign that Glennon got back up and played unaffected by the hits.

He added that Glennon was able to move around in the pocket well, buying time. He added when nothing was there, he made good choices including tucking the ball in and running for a first down. “He’s a little quicker than people thought he was,” O’Brien said.

O’Brien said that Glennon graded out well as he looked at the films from last week’s game. “You go back and you look at his mechanics. You go back and look at his reads. Is he throwing to the right person? Is he
throwing on time? I think all those things he checked off.”

He’ll have to do it this Saturday against a Wake Forest team that’s better than last week’s opponent. The Demon Deacons return eight starters on defense.

Duke, Featured stories, N.C. State, The skinny, UNC

Each ACC school will honor nation’s military at a 2011 home football game

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GREENSBORO – The Atlantic Coast Conference announced today a conference-wide initiative to honor our nation’s military throughout the 2011 ACC Football season at both the conference and institutional level. Each ACC institution has selected one home contest that will serve as its part of the effort.

The initiative will vary from campus to campus, but all ACC Military Appreciation Days will have several common elements. Each school will host and honor a member of the Wounded Warrior Project, an organization whose mission is to honor and empower wounded warriors. WWP serves to raise awareness and enlist the public’s aid for the needs of injured service men and women, to help injured service members aid and assist each other and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs. Each school will also pay tribute to veterans during the course of the game and will promote the initiative through ACC Military Appreciation Day videoboard and ribbon board graphics provided by the conference office.

“The Atlantic Coast Conference and its member institutions believe it is important to honor the sacrifices that the members of the United States Armed Forces make on our behalf every day,” said ACC Commissioner John Swofford. “We are all dedicated to saluting the men and women who protect and serve our country and this collective effort is just one way for us to show our appreciation.”

The ACC will also continue its tradition of patriotism for a seventh year at the 2011 Dr Pepper ACC Football Championship Game on Dec. 3 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. Last year, the league invited two members of the Wounded Warrior Project to participate in the pregame coin toss and local Boy Scouts presented The Flag of the United States, which spanned the full field, during The National Anthem.

The ACC’s salute to the Armed Forces extends into the football postseason with its relationship with the Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman. The Military Bowl, held on Dec. 28 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., seeks to generate broad support for the USO and honor the U.S. military as its core mission.

For more information about each ACC Military Appreciation Day, visit the respective school’s athletic website through the fall.

September 10
Clemson vs. Wofford
North Carolina vs. Rutgers

September 17
Boston College vs. Duke
NC State vs. South Alabama
Virginia Tech vs. Arkansas State

October 15
Duke vs. Florida State

October 22
Florida State vs. Maryland
Miami vs. Georgia Tech

November 5
Maryland vs. Virginia

November 10
Georgia Tech vs. Virginia Tech

November 12
Virginia vs. Duke

November 19
Wake Forest vs. Maryland

Duke, Featured stories, N.C. State, The skinny, UNC

ECU’s Garrard out in Jacksonville; Area players added to practice squads

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In a move that will save the Jacksonville Jaguars $9 million this season, former starting quarterback David Garrard has been cut. Garrard, 33, who played at East Carolina, played poorly toward the end of last season and had a bad preseason this season.

Luke McCown won the quarterback battle while Blaine Gabbert, whom the Jaguars drafted in the first round of this year’s draft, will be the backup quarterback.

Garrard tweeted: “Thank you Jaguar fans for an awesome ride! You are the best fans ever. You’ll always have a special place in my heart and my family’s heart!”

In other moves

Kendric Burney, a rookie cornerback from UNC, cleared waivers and was added to the Carolina Panthers’ practice squad. Former UNC linebacker Quan Sturdivant, also a rookie, wasn’t as fortunate as he was cut by Arizona and not added to their practice squad.

Former NC State runner Andre Brown was cut by the Giants but he cleared waivers and was added to the Giants’ practice squad. Former Duke receiver Eron Riley was cut by the Broncos but was later added to their practice squad.

Former Carolina tight end Zack Pianalto was released by Buffalo and quickly acquired off waivers by the Tampa Bay Bucs. Similarly, former Tar Heel receiver Brandon Tate was acquired off waivers by the Cincinnati Bengals after being cut by the Patriots.

Veteran Jeff Reed, who kicked for years in Pittsburgh after his UNC career, was released by Seattle. On a more positive note, former ECU offensive tackle Willie Smith made the Washington roster as a backup.

Featured stories, N.C. State, The skinny

Wolfpack players take week one ACC football honors

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Maryland sophomore quarterback Danny O’Brien headlines a list of nine players recognized as the Atlantic Coast Conference Football Players of the Week, announced Tuesday by the ACC. O’Brien threw for 348 yards on 31-of-44 passes to lead the Terrapins to a 32-24 win in front of a national television audience. The native of Kernersville, NC ran for 37, giving him 385 total yards of offense to lead the ACC and rank third nationally.

Brian Slay of NC State was honored as defensive lineman of the week. A junior defensive tackle from Ashburn, Va., Slay played 45 snaps in only his second career start, and recorded six total tackles (four primary) and two sacks for losses of seven yards. Slay also caused a fumble and recovered two, taking one 52 yards for a touchdown, the fourth-longest fumble return in school history and the longest in 16 years.

Slay’s touchdown return, the second of four NC State touchdowns set up directly by turnovers, came midway through the third quarter and gave NC State a 23-7 lead.

T.J. Graham of NC State was honored as specialist of the week. Graham, a senior wide receiver and kick returner from Raleigh, returned three punts for 88 yards against the Flames, including a game-changing 82-yard return for a touchdown. That return was the 11th longest in school history and his second career punt return for a TD.

Graham also returned four kickoffs for 99 yards, including one for 44 yards that put the Pack in business at the Liberty 33-yard line. Two plays later, Curtis Underwood scored on a 33-yard run. For the game, Graham had 88 yards on punt returns, 99 yards on kick returns, and a reception for seven yards, giving him 194 all-purpose yards.

Duke, Featured stories, N.C. State, The skinny, UNC

Heels, Pack win big while Duke loses to Richmond

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North Carolina looked good in whipping James Madison 42-10 as new QB Bryn Renner set a Tar Heels pass completion record. It was a little bit tougher for NC State which led 30-21 before pouring it on late to win 43-21. Duke lost to Richmond for the third time in five years, this time by a 23-21 score in Durham. For a complete ACC scoreboard with boxscores and recaps please click here.

Featured stories, N.C. State, The skinny

Anxious O’Brien not taking Liberty lightly

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NC State figures to have an easy time in its opener at home Saturday against Liberty but head coach Tom O’Brien isn’t taking the little-known opponent lightly.

“We’re excited about getting the season under way,” O’Brien said Thursday. “We’re obviously tired of practicing against each other. We look forward to the challenge that Liberty brings.”

O’Brien says that Liberty is an explosive offensive team with a lot of experience at the skills positions.

Liberty was a top 10 team in total offense, O’Brien notes. He points to their passing efficiency and their scoring ability. “They are led by a kid (Mike Brown) that’s really a good athlete. Kind of reminds us a lot of the
Godfrey kid that we played against last year at Central Florida.”

He said the Wolfpack defense is going to have to be ready to take control and contain Brown.

The new State quarterback, Mike Glennon, is a little more of questionmark.

“His upside is tremendous,” O’Brien said. “We expect him to get better each and every week as we go along
for the next couple years here. I think a lot of people are excited about watching him play on Saturday.”

O’Brien said Glennon has a great arm and keeps his composure in the pocket.

“He has the capability to make any throw that has to be made on the football field,” O’Brien said. “He’s got great confidence in his ability. I think that carries over to his teammates.”