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10 Sep 2013
1 Comment

State of the Pack: The season so far

Pack fans! It’s football season again!  Time to shake off the rust and run over the naysayers!!

But what are your impressions of this team so far?  Really hard to tell after only two games, so here are two viewpoints…

The Glass is Half Empty:

The team did win their opener vs Louisiana Tech 40-14 but in the process lost starting QB Brandon Mitchell to a foot injury which will keep him out 4-6 weeks.  They followed this up with a nail-biter vs Richmond of the FCS 23-21, scraping by on a field goal by Niklas Sade within the final minute after trailing by 11 points at the half.

In relief of Mitchell, Pete Thomas achieved a QB rating of 128.7 on zero TDs and two picks.  Against an FCS defense.  Woe is the Pack!!

The Glass is Half Full:

Hey, Louisiana Tech is not just any old team.  They posted a 9-3 record in the WAC last year and defeated both Illinois and Virginia in the process. Sure, the Richmond game was closer than expected, but they are probably looking ahead a little as they will begin conference play following a bye next week.  This will be a Thursday night game against a conference – make that a national – powerhouse.  More on that at the end of the post.

So What Should We Take Away?:

Let’s face it.  The Wolfpack isn’t set up for a BCS bowl run.  But a decent bowl invite should be in the cards.  That’s not bad for a first-year coach teaching a whole new system with recruits that aren’t, for the most part, his own.Dave Doeren NC State.jpeg

Next year, with Jacoby Brissett eligible to play QB and more of Dave Doeren’s guys coming in, should be even better.

But that brings us to the other point of view, the one I didn’t want to mention but can’t leave out…

Who Broke That Glass???:

Remember that marquee game?  The one on Thursday night, Sept. 19?

Run!!  Clemson is coming!!

Seriously, have you seen those guys?  As much as we would all like to think another Pack upset is brewing, there is very little chance the Pack will be Textile Bowl champs this season.

Posted by mikemab2000 in ACC only, Football, NC State Correspondent, Results, Schedule and tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,
07 Aug 2013

Ode to the Preseason Magazine

So it is now early August, and we are in a season that I have fully enjoyed for years…the Preseason Preview Magazine Season.

I know, this is a blog, on the World Wide Web, we don’t use books anymore.  Heck, there was even an article somewhere about the last big computer magazine going out of paper-and-ink recently; print is a dying medium, right?

Not yet.  Bookstores may come and go, but last I checked the magazine rack at Wal-Mart and my local grocery store still had plenty of offerings, most of which I care little for.  But around the end of June comes the appearance of periodicals devoted to football, like the first sign of a new season.

I am addicted to these mags.  Each offers a different perspective and more importantly, a different view of what is to come in the 2013-14 season.  So once a payday I usually pick one up, two if it has been a good week.  College and pro, though the NCAA issues interest me slightly more if only because there are so many teams and, of course, because I can get info about the ACC.

So here is a quick look at my favorites no particular order…

ACC Sports Journal, Fall Edition…website, ACCsports.com

David Glenn is the editor of what used to be called the Poop Sheet, and I am late to the party here as I just started reading it this year.  They do an excellent job covering “our” conference and this is what they are thinking this year:

Clemson will win the Atlantic and Miami the Coastal. Not going to break it down much more as I would like you to go out and buy this thing or order it online. But I will divulge the layout…this year there are 4 pages devoted to each ACC team, packed with the usual info: head coach with record, team results since 2003, the new schedule, and lineups. The articles are based on seven questions each team must answer in the new year, and there is even a look at the 2010 recruits for each team and how they are faring now. In addition to the 14 teams playing in the conference there is an identical Notre Dame section.  Louisville is not yet included as they have not yet escaped the American.

As a bonus, the Journal covers ACC basketball as well, though the articles are condensed since it is time for football. There’s a hoops recruiting section as well.  And on the last page is an article by David Teel of the Newport News Daily Press about the future of the ACC that is a fascinating read.

Sporting News College Football…website: Sportingnews.com

Until 2008 there was a magazine called Street and Smith’s that was my favorite for a long time.  Back then S and S merged with the Sporting News preseason mag and decided to keep the SN name, though I felt that Street and Smith’s had just as much name recognition and I do miss leafing through both of them this time of year.

The focus here is more national, though none of the “power conferences” get short shrift.  Alabama is their No. 1 (yawn) and Stanford comes in at two.  Clemson is ranked ninth followed immediately by Notre Dame and Louisville, in a sort of ACC/almost-ACC/future ACC trifecta. Each team gets one page of coverage but they pack in five-year results, projected starters, recruit ratings, the 2013 schedule, Fast Facts box (coach, coordinators, stadium, tix, etc), impact player and the main article which breaks the team down by Offense, Defense/Special Teams, and the Bottom Line.

Each of the power conferences gets a two page intro as well with such features as All-Conference picks by position, teams that are ascending/descending and of course, predicted order of finish.  Here again Clemson and Miami get the love as division winners.

So, SN offers a lot of ACC news in addition to a look at everybody else, and they really go beyond with a look at each FCS conference, NCAA Division 2 and 3 and an NAIA preview.  Plus they are published right down the road from me in Charlotte, NC, so you can’t go wrong.  Trust me.

Phil Steele’s 2013 College Football Preview…website: philsteele.com

Until a couple of seasons ago I would pass this one up, thinking this guy was just a tout who would regale me with thousands of reasons to call his hotline and NEVER LOSE AGAIN!!!  Not being a betting man, this interested me not at all.

I couldn’t have been more wrong.  While the magazine does list results against the spread, it is really an attempt to tell us what is going to happen before it happens.   Phil Steele is a guy who doesn’t want anyone telling him what team is best, but instead wants to decide based on his own mathematical formulas. He uses nine sets of power ratings he designed himself to determine his final rating, and if you look on page 326 (out of 352!) you will find an article detailing his accuracy. Although I disagree that having the best average over the last 15 years equals a 15-year winning streak as the article posits, Phil’s record is nonetheless very impressive.

Now I look eagerly for the appearance of this one.  Get this- every FBS school is given two pages in PSCFP. And in these two pages is a treasure trove of information, for every one of the schools, from Air Force to Wyoming and all points in between.

Two pages, you say? Is that all?  Hey, he uses very small print.  Here are some of the features crammed into the team pages:

Position Outlook divided into QBs, RBs, Receivers, O-Line, D-Line, LBs, DBs, Special Teams, and Coaches.  Then there’s Phil’s Forecast, which updates team history in some detail and ends with Phil’s prediction for 2013.

2013 Projected Starting Lineup – Packed with info on each player with lots of abbreviations so that pertinent stats are included

Also on Roster – The guys nobody else bothers to list

That’s just the first team page.  The facing one has the schedule with room for you to write in scores if you like, plus a little info about each matchup; returning starters and returning lettermen; head coach’s record broken down more ways than I can list here; stadium info; 2012 stat leaders; signees; last 5 bowl results with all-time bowl record; every score from the last five seasons and more.

This is truly THE College football preview.  If you are only going to buy one, buy this one. All it will cost you is 9.99.

So there you have it.  There are other good previews out there, Lindy’s and Athlon’s to name a couple, so you may have a different favorite.  But I strongly encourage you to treat yourself to at least one, whether you are a fellow ACC fan or just a football maniac.  You’ll be glad you did.

Posted by mikemab2000 in ACC only, Football, NC State Correspondent, Predictions and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,
17 Jun 2013
1 Comment

Rodon, Pack push Heels to CWS brink

Sunday in Omaha NC State at least partially avenged their ACC tournament loss to UNC as Carlos Rodon once again handcuffed the Heels.  The difference this time was that the bats showed up as well and the Wolfpack hammered the Heels 8-1.

Rodon was the star, pitching a complete game and allowing only five hits as State improved to 50-14, their first-ever 50-win season.  Brett Williams, Bryan Adametz and Logan Ratledge each had two hits of the Pack’s eleven for the game. UNC scored its run in the bottom of the ninth with the game well in hand.

With the loss, the Heels fall into the losers bracket and will face LSU at 3 pm Tuesday with the loser going home.  As an ACC loyalist, this correspondent will be rooting for the Heels, but has no problem with State fans who differ with this plan.  State also plays Tuesday, but will be on the diamond at 8 pm vs UCLA trying to avoid their first NCAA tournament loss this year and stay in the winner’s bracket.  It is still possible the Pack and Heels could collide again before this is over, albeit not in the title series.

Unfortunately future ACC school Louisville fell to Oregon State 11-4 today ending their CWS run.  Good season, though, Cardinals fans; looking forward to your being part of the family.

Posted by mikemab2000 in ACC only, Baseball, NC State Correspondent and tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,
10 Jun 2013
4 Comments

Pack Ends Drought, Omaha Bound!

After trailing Rice 4-1 in the ninth inning, NC State came back to tie the game on Jake Fincher’s double and took the lead for good in the top of the 17th when Brett Williams doubled in Taran Senay.  And with that, the Wolfpack punched their ticket to Omaha for the College World Series for the first time since 1968. Ethan Ogburn pitched the last 5 innings and got the win for the Pack, allowing three hits and no runs during that span.  And no, this correspondent was unable to stay awake for all of it, giving up during the rain delay and delaying his elation until checking the score this morning.

With the win, the Wolfpack awaits the result of the Chapel Hill Super Regional between UNC and South Carolina, currently deadlocked at 1-1.

Other ACC team results:

Clemson: Eliminated in Regionals

Virginia Tech: Eliminated in Regionals

Georgia Tech: Eliminated in Regionals

Miami: Eliminated in Regionals

Florida State: Upset by Indiana 2-0 in Super Regional

Virginia: Tied 1-1 with Mississippi State in Super Regional

Futures:

Louisville: Advanced to CWS with upset sweep of Vanderbilt

Posted by mikemab2000 in ACC only, Baseball, NC State Correspondent and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
17 May 2013
2 Comments

State recruits Jr QB

Just scanning the Charlotte Observer website and came across this tidbit:  Charlotte West Mecklenburg Junior QB Jalan McClendon has commited to the Wolfpack.  Here’s the link:

http://prepinsiders.blogspot.com/2013/05/west-meck-qb-jalen-mcclendon-commits-to.html

Two things here interest me greatly; Jalan’s coach states that the Pack intends “to build a program around him”, and the fact that he was recruited by both Miami and UNC, two conference rivals including the in-state one that usually snaps up everybody locally.

Of course it will be some time before McClendon actually puts on red and white, so there is plenty of time for him to change his mind.  But for now this looks like at least a minor recruiting coup for Dave Doeren and his staff.

If any readers went to West Meck, please let me know more about this kid.  It would be interesting to hear from someone who has seen him first-hand.

Posted by mikemab2000 in ACC only, NC State Correspondent, Recruiting and tagged , , , ,
08 May 2013
1 Comment

ACC-Big 10 Challenge Schedule

Listening to ESPN Radio on the way home from work and heard that the schedule for next season’s ACC-Big 10 Challenge had been released.

Here’s the lineup:

Tuesday, December 3

Florida State at Minnesota

Illinois at Georgia Tech

Indiana at Syracuse

Michigan at Duke

Notre Dame at Iowa

Penn State at Pittsburgh

Wednesday, December 4

Boston College at Purdue

Maryland at Ohio State

Miami, FL at Nebraska

North Carolina at Michigan State

Northwestern at North Carolina State

Wisconsin at Virginia

Admittedly NC State does not have the most attractive draw.  This is only right after the debacle of 2012/13; however I do believe the coming year will see a less star-laden but more focused Pack. Meaning, of course, this game is winnable, especially at Raleigh.

However there are some great matchups here.  Duke/Michigan and UNC/Michigan State, of course, but also the Battle of Pennsylvania, Pitt/Penn State; Syracuse/Indiana looks huge; and the first Challenge appearance of the Irish, Notre Dame/Iowa.

There is even a game in which I might end up rooting for the B1G team; er, go Buckeyes?

Posted by mikemab2000 in ACC only, Basketball, NC State Correspondent, Schedule, Uncategorized and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
20 Apr 2013
1 Comment

NC State Spring Football Game

Just finished watching the Kay Yow Spring Game on ESPN3. Not sure why Duke gets an HD broadcast on ESPNU and we Pack fans have to watch blocky streaming video, but we will have to wait for the ACC Network to correct that one.

This was definitely a game of two halves.  Both the Red (first string) and White (everybody else) looked sluggish through thirty minutes, with only Nick Sade scoring as the teams were tied 3-3 at the break.

In the second, though, the switch to a running clock brought out the no-huddle and this is definitely the way for the Pack to go.  Both squads had their moments on both sides of the ball with the Red ending up winning 20-10.

The QB battle wasn’t really very close.  Don’t have official stats, but Pete Thomas looked much more comfortable than Manny Stocker. Thomas reminded me of Erik Kramer; not fiery like Phillip Rivers, but cool and calm in the pocket.  Stocker, however, was handicapped as he is more of a mobile guy in a game of touch where quarterbacks are concerned, so it may yet turn out to be a horse race.

The best of the batch was Florida transfer Jacoby Brissett.  Even with the no-tackle restriction, his speed allowed him to get outside once and get a few yards, and he was the most accurate of the group.  Of course, he cannot play this season and will have to wait until 2014 to be a factor.

In this kind of game, you look for the unexpected player.  In this one, it was Jr running back Milton Hall.  The White squad went down the field in the second half largely on his shoulders. It was Hall up the middle and Hall up the middle again until they moved inside the Red five yard line.  There Stocker rushed a throw into the end zone and the drive ended in a pick.  One more handoff and the White team would likely have scored.

The coaches must have felt the same way.  When the Red team moved downfield deep into White territory on the ensuing drive, they were joined by Hall in a red mesh covering the white jersey and he got his TD after all.  He has a strong ability to find the holes combined with speed and should give Shadrach Thornton and Tony Creecy a run for their money once the season starts.

On defense Freshman CB Cole Burroughs was impressive.  Every time Thomas tried to throw the deep ball to Quintin Payton, Burroughs was there, as he was on several other occasions.  The defense as a whole looked good, but Burroughs was the bright spot.

Another thing that impressed me was the sideline interviews with several members of the new staff, particularly DCoordinator Dave Huxtable.  They were energetic and enthusiastic, and not in a Chuck Amato kind of way.  Of course we will need to see them in adverse situations before we can really judge, but frankly, first impressions were…wow.
So that’s it.  This correspondent has gone from cautious optimism about the 2013 season to the feeling that if this team does manage to claw their way up the Atlantic Division standings, they might not fall back down like other recent Pack teams.

Posted by mikemab2000 in ACC Network, ACC only, Football, Game Review, NC State Correspondent, Uncategorized and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
06 Apr 2013

State of the Pack: QBs and more

There was an interesting email in my box yesterday from our own administrator Anthony Caffery (aka Commander Caffrey). It referenced the possibility of Drew Allen, Oklahoma backup, transferring to State. Unfortunately the article he directed me to seemed to indicate that Allen is leaning toward Syracuse.  Here’s the link:

Since as the article states he will be eligible immediately following any transfer that makes him a player in the mix for us if he decides to come to State.  Which begs the question: what does the QB situation look like for the Pack in 2013?
The two leading candidates to start are Colorado transfer Pete Thomas and soph Manny Stocker.  Thomas seems to have a slight edge right now and is getting more first-team snaps. Coach Doeren told the Charlotte Observer that he wanted to go with the guy who makes the fewest mistakes. Link is here:
Of course we will continue to look at the QB and other positions on the Wolfpack roster as the spring and summer progress.  New coaches and coordinators, new season coming…I am starting to yearn for fall.  At least the part after the less-than-ambitious non-conference schedule.
Here are a few items about other Pack teams:
Basketball:
The 2013-14 edition of the Wolfpack will not look much like this season’s, and perhaps that is a good thing.  But TJ Warren says he will stay, and he was one of the brighter spots on the Cardiac DOA Pack.
On the women’s side, former Pack assistant Wes Moore was hired as the new HC.  Moore comes from UT Chattanooga with an impressive career winning percentage of .767 and 16 trips to the Big Dance, so it seems the ladies are in good hands.
Baseball:  Finally, a quick baseball update. I admit to not really following college baseball until CWS time, but now that we are “in-between” the two attention-grabbing sports, why not take a peek?
Happy to report that the Pack is fine, ranked #25 and coming off a 14-inning win over #30 Virginia Tech.  As a matter of fact, the ACC is fine with the following Top 30 teams:  UNC #1, Virginia #6, Florida State #7, Georgia Tech #16, and as stated already, the Wolfpack at #25 and the Hokies at #30. As for the Futures, we have Louisville at #14 and Notre Dame at #24.
Posted by mikemab2000 in ACC only, Baseball, Basketball, Football, NC State Correspondent, Rankings, Uncategorized and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
28 Mar 2013
2 Comments

State of the Pack: The Pursuit of Gottfried

Yesterday it was reported by several outlets that Wolfpack Coach Mark Gottfried was THE choice among UCLA alumni for their head coaching vacancy.  Some also said he would take the job if offered.

IMHO the UCLA job is a step down.  Not to demean them, historically they have us beat, but the John Wooden era is long over.  Heck, moving from any ACC school to another conference is probably a step in the wrong direction, at least when it comes to basketball.

This correspondent was outraged that he might consider such a move. I was going to write a scathing post, but real life intervened and I didn’t have time yesterday.

By this afternoon, the news had changed somewhat.  Coach G tweeted last night that he is committed to State, and UCLA is apparently moving in a different direction, wooing Butler’s Brad Stevens.  So I took a deep breath and wadded up my mental notebook paper, missing the trash can as usual, even in my mind.  For now, this looks like a non-issue.

More basketball news:  Lorenzo Brown announced today his intent to skip his senior season and enter the NBA draft.  He and Gottfried feel that he will be a first-round pick; I think second round is more realistic.  While we will of course miss him, we thank him for his time at State and wish him the best.  He can probably learn more about the NBA and what it will take to succeed there by making the jump, even if it means riding the pine for a while.

That’s it for now.  Enjoy the tournament and I hope your team makes the Final Four, especially if it is one of the two remaining ACC or one of the “future” teams.  And have a great Easter weekend.

Posted by mikemab2000 in ACC only, Basketball, March Madness, NC State Correspondent, Uncategorized and tagged , , , , , , , , ,
22 Mar 2013

State of the Pack: Tournament Postmortem

One and done.  The saddest words in NCAA Basketball fandom.

This year, they apply to the Wolfpack.  Yes, I am going to once more whine about What Went Wrong, but first the all-important Disclaimer:

No disrespect intended to the Temple Owls.  They are a very good team and played an excellent game.  Hey, they were a Nine seed; can we really be surprised that they upset an Eight?  Not me, folks; I had them to win this one in my bracket.  It’s one of the few things that are going right there, and the one thing I wanted to be wrong about.

As usual, the Pack came out with an air of entitlement, as if they could just walk out there and would be awarded victory.  They didn’t realize until they were down 18 that this was a bad plan.  When they did, they went to the usual Plan B:  Scott Wood.

Unfortunately, Temple remembered to guard Wood, and he was stifled until late in the 2nd.  Meanwhile, the Owls had a three-point threat of their own in Jake O’Brien, and he dropped 4 of 6 from behind the arc for 12 of his 18 pts.  State rarely got a hand up against him.  Frankly, it seems the Pack had one player who played defense with any consistency all year, that being Richard Howell.

Just when all seemed lost, State started to rally.  Wood began to hit, starting with a couple of free throws followed by threes on two successive possesions. But it was late in the second half by then.  Still, Pack nation had new hope.

Things really got interesting when the lead was cut to two on a Lorenzo Brown three-changed-to-two with two seconds left (no gripe though, his foot was clearly on the line per the replay).  But Temple guard Khalif Wyatt would have none of it.  When he was fouled on the next possession, he calmly sank two free throws to bury the Pack.  Wyatt finished with 31 points to lead all scorers, while Lorenzo Brown led State with 22.

In addition to the forementioned problems, State could not buy a free throw of their own.  This had been a season-long problem as well, and is inexcusable.  Only Wood gets a pass on this one; the rest of the team should spend the entire summer shooting free throws.

So goes another season, and it is not likely anyone will be picking State to win the conference next year.  That won’t be a bad thing, as we seem to fare better when we can sneak up on people.  Except for 1974, and David Thompson isn’t coming back.

So what now?  I suggest the usual:  watch and root for (or against, if you are one of those nobody-but-us fans)  Carolina, Miami and yes, even Duke.  Enjoy the upsets.  Writhe in pain as your bracket inevitably crumbles (or maybe that’s just me).

Football is coming.  And the expectations will be close to zero.

Just the way we like it.

Posted by mikemab2000 in ACC only, Basketball, March Madness, NC State Correspondent, Uncategorized and tagged , , , , , ,

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