Just three games into the season, it’s probably way too early to start entertaining thoughts of State fighting for an ACC title.Three wins over unranked opponents, no matter the nature of those victories, would normally be no reason to start such discussions before a team’s first conference game. But based on the state of the conference this year and what the Pack has shown in its first two games against respectable opponents,(Sorry, Western), I can’t help but wonder, why not State?
It would be easy to trash the ACC after Virginia Tech fell to James Madison and Georgia Tech fell to Kansas. Making matters worse for the conference was the humiliation FSU suffered at the hands of Oklahoma. But it’s a long season, and 2010 wouldn’t be the first time a team that looked pitiful one weekend in September was celebrating a conference title three months later. So it would be unwise to say the Pack has a conference schedule full of cupcakes. The Hokies have an annual habit of playing their best football later than sooner. Georgia Tech’s loss to a Kansas team that has lost to North Dakota State and Southern Miss makes the Jackets vulnerable, but is no reason to pencil in the trip to Atlanta as an easy victory. Plenty of State’s conference opponents will provide stiff competition.
The ACC might rebound and regain some national credibility. It might not. All that is really certain about the rest of the teams on State’s schedule is that the Pack will have good reasons to like its chances, week in and week out. The ACC slate looks even better considering State will take on two of its toughest ACC foes, Virginia Tech and Florida State at home, and does not have to play the only team in the conference currently ranked in the Top 25 – Miami.
As for the Pack itself, the team’s effort against UCF and Cincinnati makes it hard for even the most grounded of fans to stave off optimism. State went on the road to what figures to be one of the top teams in CUSA and won despite one of the worst nights of star quarterback Russell Wilson’s career. Fans need to realize what a big deal that was. Every team O’Brien and Co. square off against knows what No. 16 can do, and nobody doubts the Pack’s capabilities when Wilson is on target. But the defense made an invaluable statement, preserving the victory with a late takeaway to win despite the offense’s last points of the night coming in the first half.
One week later, it became apparent that in year four, Tom O’Brien might very well have one of the best defenses and most complete teams of his tenure in Raleigh. Audie Cole was the hero in Orlando. Thursday night, it was hard to single out just one player from a unit that harassed Zach Collaros into a miserable night, letting up only after the game had long since been decided. Defenders flew around the field with an energy level unseen throughout a disappointing 2010 season. Perhaps the most encouraging thing about the Pack’s defense is that it has played at a high level without Nate Irving dominating as he did in 2008. Against the Bearcats, Irving made his presence felt, but by no means stole the show. Based on the way Audie Cole and Terrell Manning have played the past two games, should Irving return to form, the linebacking core might go from good to downright scary.
On offense, Russell Wilson has played great in two of three games. His performance has lived up to the expectations. With top receivers Owen Spencer and Jarvis Williams and All-ACC tight end George Bryan, Wilson was counted on to lead a potent aerial attack. But so far this year, those three players are just part of the equation. Considering the capabilities of that pass-catching trio, the fact that they are just three of five players with at least eight catches this season gives the Pack a real possibility to easily exceed the production of last year’s offense, which often scored at will. In addition to Williams, Bryan and Spencer, T.J Graham and running back Mustafa Greene have both caught at least eight passes. Wilson hit 11 different receivers in the win over the Bearcats. It’s hard to find the words to adequately explain how explosive this offense might be if Wilson can consistently keep people guessing who he wants to target.
Finally, and most importantly, the team’s attitude seems to be different this season. While fans celebrated the first 3-0 start since the Philip Rivers days, the refrain in the locker room was far more grounded. Nearly every player asked about the thrill of three straight victories dismissed being 3-0 as no big deal. This team is far from content, and memories of the difficulties of a year ago will not be washed away any time soon. State was 3-1 last season and knows what happened. With recollection of the disastrous conclusion to 2009 still vivid, expect this team to keep playing like it has something to prove.
O’Brien’s players are buying in to his system. Curtis Underwood is a veteran player who was expected to start the season. He’s not even on the depth chart, as he was replaced by a pair of freshmen. In a lot of locker rooms, a controversy would be brewing. Instead, Underwood has kept his mouth shut and his motor running, and helped spell Greene with a touchdown in week three. Nate Irving, the unquestioned star of this defense, has willingly moved to the middle in a scheme that will have him wrong-arming guards and centers while his counterparts Cole and Manning rack up sacks and big plays. He’s said more than once that he doesn’t care how many tackles he makes, as long as his team wins. More than anything, it’s that attitude that makes State a force to be reckoned with in a down year for the perennially mediocre ACC.
