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Wolfpack expecting tough test
O'Brien says Pitt will play a physical game
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Published: September 22, 2009
RALEIGH - A football team will visit Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturday intent on pounding N.C. State into submission, leaving it bloodied and bruised and barely able to stagger off the field by game's end.
Pittsburgh will play with a "smash-mouth" attitude in trying to stay unbeaten, a proposition that Coach Tom O'Brien of N.C. State finds most appealing for his improving team.
"It's going to be a hard-fought, slug-it-out, hit-them-in-the-mouth type of game," O'Brien said. "This is old-school football. I love it. They're attacking the line of scrimmage. It's not this ‘spread the field and play touch football' stuff."
This will be the last of four consecutive home games in the season's first month for N.C. State (2-1). It will also be the team's last opportunity to fine tune its play before beginning ACC play next week on the road against Wake Forest in the first of eight consecutive conference games.
Pittsburgh's appearance will also signal that recess is over for N.C. State, after consecutive games against Football Championship Subdivision programs that were won by a combined margin of 110-21.
Ray Michel, an N.C. State linebacker, said he is ready to return to knocking heads with major-college competition and meet Henry Hynoski, Pittsburgh's fullback.
"Taking on a big, 260-pound fullback is something I'm looking forward to," said Michel, who is 31 pounds lighter.
O'Brien is pleased by the progress his team made in the wins against Gardner-Webb last week and Murray State the week before, but is concerned about injuries and illnesses that keep hitting the offensive line and secondary.
Both units will field their fourth different starting lineups in four games on Saturday.
Julian Williams has recovered from the flu that sidelined him for the Gardner-Webb game and will return to his left-guard position on the offensive line. He had played the left-tackle position in the absence of Jake Vermiglio, who has been out since injuring his left calf in the opener against South Carolina.
Andrew Wallace, a redshirt freshman, will start at left tackle after playing there as a backup. The left side of the line will have different starters for the fourth consecutive game.
The secondary will likely be missing Rashard Smith, a freshman who had started the last two games, after he injured an ankle against Gardner-Webb. He has been walking with the aid of crutches since.
Koyal George will move from his field-cornerback position into Smith's boundary-cornerback position. Brandon Bishop, a freshman, will replace Clem Johnson at the field-safety position, and DeAndre Morgan will likely take over at field cornerback for George.
Morgan saw his first action of the season against Gardner-Webb. He was the most-experienced secondary player coming into the season as a junior but an ankle injury forced him to miss most of training camp and the first two games.
"We really haven't gotten continuity at the two most-important positions on our team, especially the last two weeks," O'Brien said. "The areas that can cause you the biggest damage the quickest, we're still unsettled."
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