Wolfpack, Rivers think they can challenge Seminoles

Wolfpack, Rivers think they can challenge Seminoles|

|By DAVID DROSCHAK|
|AP Sports Writer|
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Philip Rivers has thrown for 5,640 yards and 41 touchdowns in his two seasons at North Carolina State and is on pace to break most of the Atlantic Coast Conference career passing records.
Rivers is also the guy most ACC defenders believe can beat you with his mind as well as his arm.
‘‘He can look across the line of scrimmage and tell exactly which guys are coming. Some of the games he pulls out are unbelievable,’’ said Wake Forest defensive lineman Calvin Pace. ‘‘He’s definitely a winner.’’
‘‘He’s tough and smart, but its that thing between his ears that puts him ahead of so many people,’’ N.C. State coach Chuck Amato said.
But the 6-foot-5, 236-pound junior quarterback isn’t satisfied with his gaudy statistics, 15-9 record as a starter and two bowl appearances. Rivers won’t be happy until he’s wearing an ACC championship ring — something the Wolfpack players haven’t had around their fingers since 1979.
‘‘I think we’re right there,’’ Rivers said. ‘‘We’re at the point where we can either peak and go over the top and be that championship type of team, or we can beat it around like we’ve been doing the last two years. We’ve been successful, but certainly not where we want to be.’’
The bar was raised for the Wolfpack after it beat Florida State last year in Tallahassee, Fla. However, N.C. State fizzed in its bowl game against Pittsburgh to finish 7-5.
A relatively easy start to 2002 should give Rivers and the program some momentum heading into the ACC season. The Wolfpack plays two Division I-AA teams and Navy in its first six games before heading to North Carolina on Oct. 12.
The season opens Aug. 24 at home against New Mexico.
‘‘The league is wide open again,’’ Rivers said. ‘‘Florida State showed last year that they were vulnerable and that they’re not unbeatable. We beat them and Carolina beat them and people gave them good games. A lot of that has been a mental thing in the past that they were just supposed to be better than anybody else.’’
Rivers has gotten married and become a father while at N.C. State, but he hasn’t backed off his desire to be one of the nation’s top QBs.
‘‘I try to push myself to keep getting better,’’ Rivers said. ‘‘You don’t want to get to a relaxation point. That’s what can get you in trouble.
‘‘I’ve been here for two years and two years flew by. You’ve got to keep pushing yourself. That way you’re a good leader to the younger players.’’
Rivers has a solid group of receivers to throw to, led by Jerricho Cotchery and Bryan Peterson. N.C. State lost Dovonte Edwards for about six weeks after a preseason knee injury, but the receiving corps is arguably the deepest position for the Wolfpack.
‘‘We’ve got five or six receivers who will run a route hard knowing they are not going to get the ball just to get the other guy open,’’ Rivers said. ‘‘That’s going to really help us this season because teams are going to have to cover the whole field. They won’t be able to lean on one guy.’’
A potential weak link on offense is at running back, where veteran starter Ray Robinson graduated and senior Cotra Jackson was declared academically ineligible.
Amato has switched defensive back Greg Golden to the backfield. Golden will battle for the starting job with freshman T.A. McLendon and Josh Brown. The 220-pound McLendon set a national prep record with 178 career TDs at Albemarle High School.
‘‘They’ve all got their own way of running and we’re really pleased with all three of them,’’ Amato said. ‘‘They all have a little different shake to them.’’
Amato likes McLendon’s power. He broke the nose of one defensive back in fall camp and bruised the shoulder of another in one-on-one collisions.
‘‘He’s a pretty physical kid for being a youngster,’’ Amato said.
N.C. State’s defense should be improved with middle linebacker Dantonio Burnette leading the way. The senior, nicknamed Thunder Dan, has 332 career tackles in 29 starts.
He has his sights set on breaking Levar Fisher’s school record of 492.
‘‘This is my year to shine and show people what I bring to the table,’’ said Burnette, who has played in the shadow of Fisher and Clayton White for three seasons. ‘‘I was just waiting for my turn to come.’’
Terrence Holt heads a veteran secondary and is one of the nation’s best special teams player, having blocked nine kicks in his career.
Amato has recruited well the last two seasons since taking over the program from Mike O’Cain. However, it remains to be seen if the Wolfpack is talented enough to win 10 games for the first time in school history.
‘‘We would like to get to the point where if we lose a game it really irks us,’’ Amato said.

 

Without a running game??? Doubtful

 

If they don't stop losing players they might have to bring BigMark back to fill some holes.