The football team lost its fourth straight game Saturday night after familiar problems continued to surface. One of those factors was the amount of dropped passes.
Coach Chuck Amato addressed the issue Monday in his weekly press conference by blaming some examples of poor technique by the receivers.
“If you watch a ball into your hands and put it away you won’t drop passes,” Amato said.
The dropped passes contributed to redshirt freshman quarterback Daniel Evans only completing 21-of-53 passes he attempted in the game, but Evans also threw some erratic balls according to Amato.
“We overthrew some wide open receivers,” he said. “That is normally not the norm. Daniel is really accurate.”
But as far as the offensive game-plan to throw the ball that many times, Amato defended it saying the coaches decided the passing game gave the team its best chance to score.
“We really felt that that was the way to go,” he said.
For Evans though, it was 16 more attempts than he had attempted in a college game. Amato said the coaches decided Evans was ready to take that leap.
“It was his sixth start. In Philip Rivers’ first start he threw 57,” he said. “And I’m not comparing him to Philip Rivers, but nobody knew what he was going to be like against Arkansas State in that first game or the rest of his career.” One bright spot for the offense was the protection of the quarterback. The defense only sacked Evans once.
Amato credited the offensive line, which had a slightly different look to it with redshirt junior Luke Lathan at center, fifth-year senior Leroy Harris at guard and redshirt sophomore Meares Green at tackle, for the protection.
“They came at us from every angle you can conceivably imagine,” Amato said. “And the protection for the quarterback was very, very, very good.”
The defense also had its problems against Georgia Tech, allowing a balanced 409 yards of total offense and another late drive which sealed the game for the Jackets.
Junior receiver Darrell Blackman said the offense and the defense had the same problems at certain points in recent games.
“It’s probably been a lack of focus on probably both ends of the stick with offense and defense,” Blackman said.
Senior defensive back Garland Heath said the problems on defense could be narrowed down to missed assignments.
“It’s more [missed assignments] than anything — a couple players out of their gaps, a couple players missed tackles and that’s it. It’ll beat you all the time,” Heath said.
After Saturday’s loss, N.C. State (3-6 overall, 2-4 ACC) is at the bottom of the Atlantic Division of the ACC with its bowl hopes on life support. But despite the dire situation the team’s spirits remain high, according to Heath.
“The mood is that we get to fight another day,” Heath said. “We’re not buried in the ground. We still got a chance and we won’t quit.”
To be eligible for a bowl game though, which Amato said “means you’ve had a successful season,” State has to win out and get to 6-6 starting with Saturday’s game at Clemson (7-3 overall, 4-3 ACC).
Amato said he understood the Wolfpack would be the underdog, but was confident in his team.
“We’re going to play those last three games and have a fourth one. And that’s the goal,” the coach said. “We’re playing a team that’s really, really good. And nobody gives those kids a chance except those kids and that’s all that matters.”
When asked about whether he had been assured he would return next year after the recent losing streak Amato said, “I haven’t received assurances that I’m not going to be back. I can tell you that right now.”
