North Carolina State Wolfpack
Atlantic Coast Conference
Since Tom O’Brien took over as head coach for the Wolfpack in 2007, the team has not done anything spectacular on the football field. 2010 was their best season under O’Brien when they went 9-4. In 2011, quarterback Mike Glennon took over. He was a heralded recruit out of Virginia waiting to get his chance. This season he got his shot. Unfortunately, the talent that he displayed wasn’t enough to propel the Wolfpack into a championship game. The team has done enough to earn another bowl berth. Pretty soon, they will need to discover more winning ways or else O’Brien could be in trouble.
2011 Record: 7-5, 4-4
Last Bowl Appearance: 2010 Champs Sports vs. West Virginia (W 24-7)
Big Wins: 11/5 North Carolina (13-0), 11/19 Clemson (37-13)
Bad Losses: 9/22 Cincinnati (14-44), 11/12 Boston College (10-14)
Coach: Tom O’Brien (32-30 at North Carolina State, 107-75 overall)
Bowl Record: 1-1 at North Carolina State, 7-2 overall
Offensive Coordinator: Dana Bible
Defensive Coordinator: Mike Archer
Strengths:
Nothing really stands out about this Wolfpack team that has anybody saying “wow.” But like their North Carolina counterparts, their return ability in the punt game ranks tops in the conference with stud T.J. Graham fielding the kicks. This has been a strong point for them since Will Blackmon ran kicks back for them several years ago. Even though Mike Glennon is the name and the face one would associate with this team, the defense has been a pleasant surprise in Raleigh. They register nearly three sacks per game which is second best in the ACC and among the best in the nation. They defend the pass well and have dominated the league in intercepting the ball. Led by ball hawk David Amerson, they have 24 on the season. Glennon has been up-and-down for this team, but should be considered a bright spot. He has thrown for 28 touchdowns and 2,790 yards.
Weaknesses:
The shortcomings for NC State really come in the run game. If James Washington’s name weren’t mentioned here, it would be hard to come up with who the leading rusher is off the top of your head. Whether it’s Washington or someone else running the ball, State only averages 108 yards per game. That is in the bottom 15 in the entire country. Since they struggle to run the ball, their offense overall has had issues too. They only score 28.0 points per game, which is second to last in the ACC. The frustrating aspect about that stat is that this team has found a way to beat Clemson this year and they scored 34 points. But in losses to Cincinnati and Florida State they scored 14 and zero points, respectively. The inconsistently is confounding for the offense. Mike Glennon has made a few poor decisions and in certain games, he has not performed to the high-level he has shown he can play. After blanking North Carolina, 13-0, the Wolfpack turned around and lost to Boston College the very next week. They can’t find a way to consistently beat the teams they are supposed to.
Statistical Leaders:
Rushing: James Washington, RB, 852 yards
Passing: Mike Glennon, QB, 2,790 yards
Receiving: T.J. Graham, WR, 641 yards
Tackles: Earl Wolff, S, 99
Sacks: Darryl Cato-Bishop, DE, 5.5; Terrell Manning, LB, 5.5
Interceptions: David Amerson, CB, 11
2011 Team Stats:
Rushing Offense: 108.17 (108, 11)
Passing Offense: 238.00 (52, 6)
Total Offense: 346.17 (93, 11)
Scoring Offense: 28.00 (58, 6)
Rushing Defense: 132.42 (41, 5)
Pass Defense: 219.50 (54, 7)
Total Defense: 351.92 (39, 4)
Scoring Defense: 24.75 (56, 7)
Turnover Margin: 1.17 (5, 1)
Sacks: 2.92 (12, 3)
Sacks Allowed: 2.75 (99, 11)
