INSIDE SLANT

Most of the focus at North Carolina State during the offseason centered around the offense, as the national media speculated about whether All-ACC quarterback Russell Wilson could build on his breakout year in 2008 and make the Wolfpack ACC title contenders in 2009.

Unfortunately for the Wolfpack, the unit that made the most news on campus was the defense. And not in a good way.

Defensive stalwart Nate Irving got into a car accident late in July, and the injuries he suffered would cost him the season. That was a sign of things to come, as the Wolfpack would struggle with injuries to key personnel all season long.

The season started off with promise. A 7-3 loss to South Carolina was followed by blowout victories, 65-7 over Murray State and 45-14 against Gardner-Webb.

The nonconference schedule was capped off the following week with a 38-31 victory over Pittsburgh.

In hindsight, however, a lot of red flags were raised in the victory over the Panthers. The game was a track meet, with the N.C. State offense needing a huge day to make up for the 31 points the team allowed.

That would prove to be a disturbing trend going forward.

That victory began an eight-game stretch in which the Wolfpack allowed 30 or more points per game.

The ACC slate began with a 30-24 loss at Wake Forest, and was followed by a disappointing 49-28 home loss to Duke in which N.C. State’s secondary was torched through the air.

A 52-20  loss to Boston College followed, and after a week off Florida State’s offense emerged victorious in a 45-42 duel.

North Carolina State got back on the winning track with a 38-31 victory over woeful Maryland, but a 43-23 loss to Clemson and 38-10 defeat at Virginia Tech ended the team’s bowl hopes.

Though the season ended with a 28-27 win over North Carolina, it was a far cry from what was expected from the team when practice began.

Now, the central question of the offseason surrounds Wilson. He will be tempted to leave school early to pursue a professional baseball career.

If he does, the team will have to break in Mike Glennon, the highly-touted backup who played a series or two per game in 2009. But if Wilson returns, the expectations for 2010 may be similar to what they were this past offseason, hoping for better results and more luck this time around.

NOTES, QUOTES

Game Of The Year:   North Carolina State 28, North Carolina 27—With nothing to play for other than pride, the Wolfpack came up with one of its best performances of the season against their arch rivals. N.C. State trailed, 24-14, at halftime, but came back behind Russell Wilson’s four touchdown passes and secured the victory with a blocked field goal and interception in the final five minutes. The one-point victory gave coach Tom O’Brien a 3-0 record against Butch Davis since coming to Raleigh.

Players Of The Year:  

QB Russell Wilson—Wilson had another excellent year as a redshirt sophomore, building on the efforts that got him selected to the All-ACC First Team in 2008. He finished the season with 31 touchdown passes against 11 interceptions, and added four touchdowns on the ground.

WR Owen Spencer—The big-play receiving specialist lived up to his name, averaging 25.5 yards per catch. That was the best mark in the NCAA. He finished his junior season with 30 catches for 765 yards and six touchdowns.

Fast Forward:   N.C. State will be hurt on the defensive line, losing stalwarts Willie Young, Alan-Michael Cash and Leroy Burgess. Offensive lineman Jeraill McCuller and Julian Williams are gong to be hard to replace, and center Ted Larson was solid once he got used to the position after transferring from the defense. However, the Wolfpack got a break from the NCAA when Toney Baker was granted a sixth year of eligibility, so if he wants to take graduate courses and stick around, he’ll add some experience to the backfield.

Recruiting Trail:   Though the 2009 football season wasn’t one to remember for Tom O’Brien, the 2010 recruiting class looks like it may be. N.C. State is dominating the early commitments from the state of North Carolina, with T Robert Crisp, DE Fre’Shad Hunter and WR Anthony Creecy among the big local commitments.

Quote To Note:   “Thank God, it’s over. I don’t think we could go play in a bowl if we had to. I’m happy to get the opportunity to get these guys going. We’re going to be a heck of a football team here, and it’s all because of the seniors. As disappointing as this year is, I think someday we’ll look back and say things turned. Maybe today.”—North Carolina State coach Tom O’Brien, to the Raleigh News & Observer, after the season-ending victory over North Carolina.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

Players To Watch In 2010:   QB Russell Wilson—If he chooses to return for his junior season instead of exploring a pro baseball career, Wilson will again be the linchpin of the Wolfpack offense. The NCAA’s leader in consecutive passes without an interception wasn’t as careful with the football in the second half of the season, and though he put up excellent numbers again, the team didn’t have the kind of year he was hoping for.

RB Toney Baker—This another “if” scenario, since Baker will graduate this year and may not want to subject his knees to another year of college football and try his luck in the pros instead. But if he does, the NCAA has granted him a sixth year of eligibility, and he would be the unquestioned starter heading into practice next season.

LB Nate Irving—If there was any doubt how important Irving is to the defense, it was apparent this season. He missed the 2009 season because of injuries suffered in a car accident, and though Ray Michel did a nice job of filling his position on the field, the linebacking corps suffered greatly without him. He’ll make the defense a lot better just by taking the field in 2010.

Pro Prospects:  

DE Willie Young—Young is the most likely heir apparent to the recent string of Wolfpack defensive lineman to make an impact at the next level. They’ll want to see him gain a little more size in the NFL, but he has the speed to get into the backfield and wreak havoc.

T Jeraill McCuller—McCuller has the size that NFL scouts are looking for in a lineman. He could improve his prospects greatly with a strong performance at the combine.

DT Alan-Michael Cash—Cash has been a force in the middle for the Wolfpack, and will get the chance to prove he can be effective at the next level. Like the other linemen, the NFL combine will be a big showcase for him, as he will need to propel himself to the forefront of a large field of defensive tackles.

Roster Report:  

• LB Nate Irving was lost for the season before it even started, thanks to a car accident over the summer. However, the injuries weren’t career-threatening, and he is expected back in 2010.

• CB Jordan Monk played well in the regular-season finale in place of injured freshman Jarvis Byrd. That might prove to be a financially astute move. Monk was a walk-on in 2009, but coach Tom O’Brien indicated after the game that he would have a chance at a scholarship for 2010 if he won a job during spring practice.

• QB Mike Glennon played in seven games, throwing a total of 39 passes over the course of the season. The redshirt freshman can expect a lot more work in 2010 if Russell Wilson leaves to pursue a career in professional baseball, as he would then enter the fall as the starting quarterback.