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Wolfpack D good, but not good enough
Written by J.P. GIGLIO
The (Raleigh) News & Observer
Posted on 09.04.09
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RALEIGH — So many of the questions about N.C. State heading into Thursday’s opener against South Carolina centered on the defense.
How will the revamped secondary hold up? How much will they miss linebacker Nate Irving? How will six new starters come together?
The Wolfpack defense responded by only giving up one touchdown, but it was one too many in Thursday’s 7-3 loss to the Gamecocks.
N.C. State, which ranked last in the ACC in pass defense last season, gave up 148 passing yards, 33 on one play on the final drive. And South Carolina’s lone scoring drive consisted of 14 yards, after a fumble set up the Gamecocks early in the first quarter. The Gamecocks found little running room, picking up 108 yards on 42 carries.
Senior defensive end Willie Young said the Wolfpack’s defense was good — but not good enough.
“If the defense was playing at 110 percent, the best they could have got was three (points),” said Young, who had eight tackles. “We let them in the red zone, and that was on us.”
South Carolina’s Brian Maddox rushed for a 1-yard touchdown at 9:10 in the first quarter. The Gamecocks had two other drives end with unsuccessful field-goal attempts.
Defensive end Michael Lemon intercepted South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia in the third quarter, setting up N.C. State’s scoring drive.
N.C. State coach Tom O’Brien was relatively pleased with how all the new parts came together.
“We gave up one big pass at the end of the game; other than that I thought we did a heckuva job,” O’Brien said.
Young said the defense’s performance was secondary to the result, the third consecutive season-opening loss under O’Brien.
“We’re one team,” Young said. “The offense is the defense, and the defense is the offense.”
Tough start. Redshirt freshman guard Andrew Wallace was responsible for three of N.C. State’s four penalties. Wallace played in his first college game because of a calf injury to Jake Vermiglio in the first half.
Wallace was called for back-to-back penalties in the second quarter, negating a long pass to Owen Spencer by going downfield too early, and he jumped offsides on the next play. He was flagged for a face-mask penalty in the third quarter that negated a 10-yard run by Toney Baker.
“Each time we make a big play, we seem to come up with a penalty,” O’Brien said. “Those are all things that are going to happen when you have to play young guys like that.”
Quick hits. Senior running back Jamelle Eugene missed most of the second half with what appeared to be an ankle injury. Eugene, who led the team in rushing with 36 yards on nine carries, missed the spring with a shoulder injury and the first three games of the 2008 season with an ankle injury. ... As promised, backup quarterback Mike Glennon played in the second quarter, getting in for one series with 4:15 remaining. The redshirt freshman completed one of two passes. His completion to fullback Taylor Gentry went for 0 yards.
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