Audie Cole had his motor running Saturday night! (Get it!?!?) (Courtesy Gene Galin)
On the UCF game Saturday night:
- Huge win for NC State Saturday night. State starts 2-0 for the first time under Tom O’Brien and means the Pack needs to find just four more wins over the next 10 games to become bowl eligible. Given how the rest of the league played the first two weeks of the season, I’m thinking four or more wins is most certainly possible at this point.
- We’re already seeing the impact Jon Tenuta is having on this team’s defense. For the first time in a long time, I saw a NC State team ATTACK and force the issue. It paid dividends as UCF’s starting QB Rob Calabrese threw two picks and was yanked in the second half under heavy pressure from State’s swarming front seven. While I think it was disappointing the defensive coaches didn’t adjust well to UCF’s smaller, insanely fast backup quarterback, Jeff Godfrey, I think the front seven will only get better as the season goes on.
- The running game was a very pleasant surprise. UCF’s front was supposed to be one of the better ones we’ll face this season, and at times the offensive line opened some tremendous holes against them. Dean Haynes and Mustafa Greene both had scores on the ground; Haynes posted a 4.9 yards-per-carry average and Greene looked quite adept at hitting the holes between the tackles. This most definitely needs to keep up, as it will allow NC State to grind clock and rest its defense over the course of the game.
- Special teams continues to frustrate. The opening kickoff from Josh Czjakowski sailed into the endzone for a touchback, but from there it seemed both Czjakowski and Jeff Ruiz’s leg strength faded throughout the game. And when the Pack needed a monster punt at the end of the game to stave off a UCF rally, Ruiz shanked one about 15 yards down the field, allowing the Knights a short field and more hope they could draw even.
- NC State was +5 in the turnover margin. Has that happened EVER since I graduated from State in ’01? I’m sure Steven knows.
- AUDIE FREAKING COLE! Welcome to the spotlight, my friend–you earned it!
On Cincinnati:
- NC State faces a short turnaround to prepare for a high-octane offense from Cincinnati. They’re 1-1, smarting from a tough loss against Fresno State two weeks ago and coming off a 40-7 whipping of Indiana State.
- UCF’s passing game really didn’t challenge NC State much Saturday–the Bearcats most definitely will. State will need to pressure Cinci QB Zach Collaros as much or more than they did Calabrese in order to disrupt their potent passing game.
- Russell Wilson will need to improve against Cincinnati, and he’ll need help from the offensive line. Hopefully the injuries along the line won’t be an issue come game time.
Finally, I want to say something about Tom O’Brien’s very critical quotes about the ACC scheduling office following the UCF game.
I understand the frustration with being dealt a hand like that. Your team gives their all in a big win on the road and must return home to Raleigh at a late hour to start resting up over the five short days leading up to the biggest non-conference game on the schedule. I realize no other conference team was dealt a similar short turnaround scenario.
However, bitching about it on the air doesn’t change things, and only makes you–and by extension your staff–look whiny. Yeah, the ACC didn’t do us any favors, but your argument about “offering [State] up as a sacrificial lamb” to Cincinnati would hold more water if Cinci weren’t also entering the game on five days’ rest. Granted, they played at home against a patsy versus a tough road game, but both teams will be coming in off a short week and the Bearcats will be the team traveling this go ’round.
If you want to broach the matter with Swofford’s folks in Greensboro through official communication behind the scenes and out of the media’s eye, go for it. I’m sure lots of coaches over the years have felt the same way and done the same thing. Play the game, prepare for and work toward the win, and if you come up short due clearly to fatigue, then maybe you can address it if someone else asks you about it directly in the postgame.
But blabbing about it on the radio before the game only provides bulletin board material for the Bearcats, and worse, tarnishes your image. I think most folks (outside of Chesnut Hill) think of O’Brien as a stoic, classy guy for the most part. I know O’Brien has made comments before that were meant to rankle opponents (the whole “Best Team In The State” postgame speech was a good one), but there was no jest or jabbing in this…this was straight anger at the folks at the top, and just looks bad. For proof of that, take a read through the comments section of that linked article.
The coach who proceeded you lost his job due in large part to his gaffs with the media and his inability to use them to his advantage. The media will go where there’s blood in the water, and if they sense they can sell more papers or get more hits by drumming up controversy, they will. Don’t give them any ammo.
