2012-13 Football Previews – Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) – North Carolina (NC) State Wolfpack
It has been a long road of incremental steps for the Wolfpack during head coach Tom O’Brien’s tenure. Injuries, flirtations from the baseball diamond and transfers have seen a lot of NC State’s best talent squandered; it also must compete every year with a cross-state rival Tar Heels squad that reels in a lot of the best recruits in the state.
ACC 2012-13 Football Previews: NC State Wolfpack
Coach: Tom O’Brien
2011 Record: 8-5
NC State Gambling Odds from Sportsbook.com to win BCS
NC St. Team Page – Players Stats – Roster – 2012 Schedule –>
Yet, the extensive time invested in senior QB Mike Glennon should really pay dividends in 2012, and O’Brien probably has the most talent to work with in his entire six-year tenure in Raleigh. It’s hard to crack the top of the heap in the ACC’s Atlantic division, with Florida State and Clemson bullying everybody, but NC State should be scratching away at the ceiling with a talented veteran pivot and a balanced, experienced team.
Wolfpack fans love to reminisce about legendary QB Philip Rivers, and how he has gone on to such impressive (statistical, if not Super Bowl) achievements at the next level. In the past few years, athletic QB Russell Wilson brought a dynamic look to the offense, but last year he transferred to Wisconsin and had an excellent campaign with the Badgers. Senior QB Glennon has the opportunity to be as good as either of those players; indeed, he could be one of the best signal-callers in the nation. He offers NFL size (6”6, 232-lbs), an NFL arm, and is coming off a season where he put up over 3,000 yards passing and 31 TDs.
A key weapon for Glennon will be senior JUCO transfer wideout Tobais Palmer. Last year’s leading pass-catcher T.J. Graham has moved on, but Glennon should make all the targets in the Wolfpack’s offense better. Sophomore Tony Creecy and senior James Washington will handle the RB duties. More good news on offense: four out of five starters return on the O-line; the only newcomer is highly-touted talent Rob Crisp at RT. O’Brien believes this is his best offensive line in six years and it should buttress Glennon’s success in 2012. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
The bulk of NC State’s veteran experience on “D” comes in the secondary. Cornerback David Amerson is a stud, and safeties Earl Wolff and Brandan Bishop were second and third on the team in tackles last year, respectively. Senior C.J. Wilson is solid, if unspectacular at the other CB spot. Also, look for a strong pass-rush presence out of sophomore DE Art Norman. Norman registered seven sacks as a frosh in 2011.
Wil Baumann is an excellent punter, and he’s only a sophomore, so that position should be worry-free for the Wolfpack for the next few years.
2012-13 NC State Football Prediction: 8-5
O’Brien’s teams were lousy in conference play during his first few seasons at the helm, but in the last three seasons, NC State has been 9-7 in ACC play with a couple bowl wins. The head coach is clearly rounding this team into form. What further assists the Wolfpack this season is a helpful schedule. NC State avoids Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech out of the Coastal division, and gets FSU at home. NC State opens the season with a potentially winnable game versus Tennessee in Atlanta and its non-con schedule is not very daunting.
I definitely see NC State earning another bowl bid this year on the strength of Glennon’s arm. The team will slip up a few times along the way, but the Wolfpack have some veteran experience and talent in 2012, and could win eight or more games.
2012 NCST Schedule
8/31/12 7:30 PM ET TENN
9/8/12 12:00 PM ET @CONN
9/15/12 6:00 PM ET SALB
9/22/12 6:00 PM ET CITDL
9/29/12 TBD @MIAMI
10/6/12 TBD FSU
10/20/12 TBD @MD
10/27/12 TBD @NCAR
11/3/12 TBD VIRG
11/10/12 TBD WFRST
11/17/12 TBD @CLEM
11/24/12 TBD BCOLL
