Scouting NC State: you may not know...

Scouting NC State: you may not know…

A fullback has never rushed the football in Tom O’Brien’s 15 seasons as a head coach at Boston College and NC State.

NC State has started seven different lineups on defense this season.

NC State is the only FBS team with true freshmen manning the placekicker, punter and long-snapper positions.

Four NC State players have seen action on both sides of the line of scrimmage: Rashard Smith at wide receiver and defensive back; Taylor Gentry at fullback and defensive tackle: and Wayne Cranford and Jacob Kahut on the offensive and defensive lines.

NC State running backs coach Everette Sands never lost a yard during his playing career at The Citadel, where he carried the ball 741 times for 3,926 yards.

Tom O’Brien’s NC State coaching staff is the most experienced in college football, with 259 total years.

During his 15 years as a head coach, seven of Tom O’Brien’s 22 assistant coaches have gone on to become head coaches.

O’Brien is the only head coach in NC State history to beat North Carolina for five straight seasons.

For the second straight year, NC State is holding its football practices in the morning – from 8:30 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. Tom O’Brien’s main reason for the early workouts is to allow his team more rest prior to games. Even for noon games, the Wolfpack will have had 48 hours between their final practice and kickoff.

Clemson leads the series against the Wolfpack 51-27-1, including an 18-15 edge in games played at NC State.

The Tigers have won seven straight against State, including three in a row at Raleigh. NC State’s last victory came in 2203, 17-15, at Carter-Finley Stadium.

Dabo Swinney is 2-0 against NC State, while Tom O’Brien is 2-4 against Clemson, with both his wins coming at Boston College.

Last year’s 14-13 Clemson victory was the fourth time the game between the Tigers and Wolfpack had been decided by one point.