When the football team lost its first game 34-0 to South Carolina on Aug. 28, it confirmed my suspicions entering the year — our offense was going to be terrible, but our defense, which allowed only three points in the first half of that game, could be OK if it built depth.
But after watching the 38-31 thriller at Carter-Finley on Saturday, I am beginning to realize the opposite may be closer to the truth. The Wolfpack offense seems like it is starting to come into gear, particularly at the skill positions. It put up 24 offensive points against one of the best defenses in the ACC — Boston College was only allowing 6.5 points per game entering Saturday — after an abysmal start to the season.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Russell Wilson seems like he is adjusting to the college game. In his last two starts, Wilson has a completion percentage of 62.5 and has thrown four touchdowns compared to no interceptions. Provided the football team doesn’t announce another injury — he looked fine in the post-game interviews — the offense may even build some continuity heading into the Thursday night game against Florida State Oct. 16.
It was in the trenches where the Pack really showed its weakness. Quarterback Russell Wilson never seemed to have a moment in the pocket, as he was scrambling on nearly every play and sacked five times. State’s offensive line, hampered by the injuries of Curtis Crouch and Julian Williams, was no match for the Eagles huge defensive line.
But it was the defense which really showed its weakness. The Pack made senior quarterback Chris Crane, a guy who was literally booed in his home stadium for poor play, look like his predecessor Matt Ryan, the No. 3 pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. Actually, it made him look better. Crane’s 428 yards passing on Saturday more than tripled the number of yards Ryan threw for against the Pack in 2007.
Crane’s performance, in which he accounted for all 5 Boston college touchdowns, served as a reminder that while our defense looked OK against average offenses early in the season, good teams can expose glaring holes that still exist.
Watching the linebacking corps without Nate Irving is kind of like watching that reality show with hip hop artist Flava Flav in that it makes you lose your faith in humanity. Experienced offenses can eat up true freshman Dwayne Maddox and Sterling Lucas with drop passes and draw plays they did not see last season as high school players. Starters Ray Michel and Robbie Leonard can be solid, but it is obvious there is something missing without the playmaking ability of Irving, who was injured during the East Carolina game.
The secondary may have even less depth than the linebackers, if that is even possible. Cornerbacks DeAndre Morgan and Jeremy Gray looked lost on Saturday playing in the zone. While Crane had 55 pass attempts, the defensive secondary combined for just two pass breakups.
And the secondary can only do so much if the opposing quarterback faces no pressure. The Boston College offensive line that played on Saturday was relatively young, featuring three true sophomores and just one senior. But State’s front four failed to get any pressure on Crane, who enjoyed plenty of time to sit back and pick apart the Pack’s secondary. It is a telling statistic when Crane, who isn’t the most mobile of quarterbacks, is sacked only once, while Wilson is brought down five times.
Although a loss is disappointing, it’s hard to be mad when the Wolfpack, which has been devastated by injuries, takes a good Boston College team down to the wire. The game exposed the beleaguered Pack’s weaknesses, but it also brought plenty of hope. With young guys like Maddox, Wilson and tight end George Bryan making plays, and with plenty of talent redshirted on the sideline, it is hard not to be optimistic for the future.
