N.C. State will face another nationally-ranked opponent when it takes on South Florida on Saturday night, but it will have to do it without starting quarterback Russell Wilson and leading tackler Nate Irving.
Wilson, who threw three touchdown passes last Saturday in the Wolfpack's 30-24 overtime victory against No. 15 East Carolina, suffered an undisclosed injury in the second half of that game but continued to play.
Coach Tom O'Brien of the Wolfpack declined to reveal details of Wilson's injury yesterday, saying only that he will be out indefinitely. Wilson was evaluated Sunday and O'Brien made the decision to hold him out of the game against No. 13 South Florida.
Wilson, a redshirt freshman, suffered a concussion in the Wolfpack's season opener against South Carolina and missed the second game of the season against William & Mary before returning. Against ECU, he completed 21 of 31 passes for 210 yards and didn't throw an interception.
Harrison Beck, a junior who started four games for the Wolfpack last season and came off the bench to replace Daniel Evans and led the Wolfpack to a 38-28 victory against William & Mary, will start in place of Wilson against South Florida.
"We've been dealing with (injuries) all year," O'Brien said. "That's the amazing thing about the win on Saturday, what a tremendous job this coaching staff has done and these kids have done. You've got nine or 10 starters that aren't playing on this football team and it's consistently been that way. When you look at the schedule we've played it's amazing that we've played the way we have.
"It puts it in perspective what a great victory it was to come out and be able to play and finish the game against East Carolina.… You certainly don't want to be in our fifth game of the year with our third different starting quarterback but that's where we are."
Irving, a sophomore who has 34 tackles and three interceptions through four games, injured his lower right leg in the first half against East Carolina. He'll be replaced in the starting lineup by freshman Dwayne Maddox, who stepped in for Irving against ECU.
O'Brien said of Maddox: "He played as a freshman would play. He got in there and did some nice things but there are some things that certainly we've got to get corrected…. He has to step up and now he's the guy. It's a good thing he was here through spring practice and that gives him a little bit of a head start. He's been in games. He's played at South Carolina, he played at Clemson, he's played in all games. I think those things help but he's certainly not Nate Irving."
South Florida, led by quarterback Matt Grothe, is 4-0.
"Their offense is 19th in the country in total offense and they're led by probably the most versatile quarterback in the country," O'Brien said. "And their defense is even better. It's 12th in the country."
The Wolfpack will have to contend with Grothe, a 6-0, 205-pound junior who has completed 65 percent of his passes for 916 yards and seven touchdowns with two interceptions and leads the Bulls in rushing attempts.
"We've played against teams with good running quarterbacks, just like ECU," linebacker Ray Michel of the Wolfpack said. "I believe that our defensive line will be able to contain him."
Michel, from Fort Myers, was recruited by South Florida.
"When they were recruiting me out of high school I didn't look that way, I was trying to look for big-time name schools," Michel said. "To see them where they are at is surprising and I'm happy for them."
South Florida will be the fourth of the Wolfpack's five opponents that has been ranked in the top 25 at some point. Receiver Jarvis Williams said he welcomes that.
"I love to play against the best," Williams said. "It's great exposure...."
■ Tommy Bowman can be reached at 727-7320 or at tbowman@wsjournal.com.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement