Around ACC Spring Football: NC State

Editor’s note: This is the fourth of an 11-part series looking around ACC football this spring

To a certain extent, Clemson can empathize with NC State’s plight.

The Wolfpack last won an ACC title in 1979 – they haven’t even made the ACC Championship Game in its six years of existence.

All NC State needed was one late November win to change the latter last season, and another in Charlotte to erase the first issue. But the Wolfpack dropped two of their final three road games including what would have been the Atlantic Division-clincher at Maryland to close out the regular season.

Regardless, Tom O’Brien’s team is coming off one of the more successful seasons in NC State history going into 2011 (9-4 being the most wins since 2002 and second-highest in school history).

QB Russell Wilson is gone…at least for the spring. Already in pro baseball (with the Rockies and Kyle Parker), Wilson still has the option to come back this fall.

Whether it’s Wilson or redshirt junior Mike Glennon, NC State has a top target in senior tight end George Bryan back along with more than half of the rest of the receiving yards from last season..

With eight starters returning, the Wolfpack defense hopes to build on a top-15 rushing defense and top-35 total D nationally from 2010.

More on the Wolfpack...

NC State

Returning Starters by Position

Offense (6)

QB: N/A*

RB/FB: 2 (19 career starts)

TE: 1 (29 career starts)

WR: N/A

O-line: 3 (44 career starts)

Defense (8)

D-line: 2 (25 career starts)

LB: 2 (39 career starts)

DB: 4 (65 career starts)

Kicker/Punter (0)

PK: N/A

P: N/A

*QB Russell Wilson, like Kyle Parker last year, has pro baseball to juggle, but he’s already playing for the Colorado Rockies and it’s still up in the air if he comes back.

Outgoing Starters: 10

2010 Record: 9-4 (5-3 ACC)

Offensive Leader: TE George Bryan – Bryan is one of the top receivers back for whoever QBs the Wolfpack with 992 career receiving yards and 13 touchdowns.

Defensive Leader: LB Audie Cole – Life after Nate Irving begins, and Cole is a solid player with 25 career starts, and coming off a season where he had 86 tackles, including 10 tackles for loss and 5 sacks.

Key Issues This Spring: 1) Glennon taking charge – Yes, Russell Wilson could decide to return, but Mike Glennon has been tabbed as a QB of the future for three seasons now and has an opportunity to make a name for himself.

2) Replacing Irving – LB Nate Irving was a force last season (92 tackles, 7 sacks) in the middle and finding a suitable replacement will be key.

3) Establishing running game – The Wolfpack have an underrated group of backs led by Mustafa Greene, but finished 95th in rushing offense nationally in 2010. With Wilson possibly gone, NC State will want to lighten the load for a new QB with a better running game.

More Around ACC Spring Football

Boston College

Florida State

Maryland

Wake Forest