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Holtz has unique take on USC-N.C. State
Lou Holtz
File photo/The State
Written by KEN TYSIAC
The Charlotte Observer
Posted on 09.01.09
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It has been almost five years since Lou Holtz coached at South Carolina and 34 years since he left N.C. State.
But Holtz, 72, still has pleasant memories of both places.
He fondly recalls his children swimming in the pool and jumping on a trampoline at MacGregor Downs, where they lived half a block from the 17th tee in Cary, N.C., when he coached N.C. State.
One of the perks of being the football coach at South Carolina was honorary memberships to many golf clubs.
“My wife was worried about the 14-club rule,” Holtz joked. “She said you can’t belong to more than 14 clubs at a time.”
Now long removed from his time at both schools, Holtz offers his perspective on Thursday night’s season opener, when South Carolina visits N.C. State:
On the job Steve Spurrier is doing at South Carolina: “I think he’s done a nice job there. He’s been to bowls every year but one, I think. They didn’t finish as strong as what they’d like, but he’s very well liked there. He’s very popular with the fans and with the players. I think that people are very optimistic about this year going into this year. When you look at it, I think it’s going to be a critical year. This is his fifth year there. He has all his own players there now.”
On the significance of last season’s game: “South Carolina really dominated them last year, 34-0. But I think N.C. State is a different football team with Russell Wilson at quarterback. That guy is really special. I think N.C. State will be a much-improved football team this year. I think defensively they should be pretty good.”
On the Gamecocks: “South Carolina, no matter how you look at them, I think they’re very talented defensively. They’re awfully good. I think the whole key to them is going to be their freshman running back (Jarvis Giles), who had such a sensational spring. And then their quarterback (Stephen Garcia), how good is he going to be? Defensively they ought to be excellent. ... Eric Norwood, this guy is a great football player. They have Rodney Paulk, he started in ’07. They have good linebackers, good speed up front and on the defensive line.”
On the Wolfpack: “I just like N.C. State as a real surprise team. I think if Jamelle Eugene plays really well, that should help. Toney Baker was outstanding a couple years ago. But is he going to be able to bounce back? I just think Russell Wilson is the real deal. Defensively, they’ve got good experience up front. They’re playing at home, and the fact that they got beaten 34-0 last year makes it a really interesting matchup.”
On the job coach Tom O’Brien is doing at N.C. State: “The jury would still be out, but I don’t think he has anything to prove. He proved at Boston College he can win on a continuous basis. I think it’s like everything else. You’re an average coach if you have an average quarterback. If you have a great quarterback, you’re a great coach. And I think you’ve got a great quarterback there. If you look at them last year, starting out the year they were very, very poor last year until Russell came on at East Carolina. And I think they won it in overtime. But he just makes things happen. There’s no doubt that Tom’s an excellent football coach. You have to look at what he did at Boston College and the improvement that N.C. State has made under him.”
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