Tom O’Brien has never gone through a make-or-break season, and he doesn’t think he’s facing one this year at N.C. State.
In fact, he doesn’t even buy into the make-or-break concept.
All that said, the fourth-year Wolfpack football coach understands that a new dynamic is in place that will have an impact on athletics across the board at the school.
“I don’t think there’s ever a make-or-break season,” O’Brien said this week. “But the situation has changed. The chancellor I came here with and the athletic director I came here with are no longer here. Things have changed a lot.
“How that’s going to affect our situation won’t be solved until the chancellor and new AD decide what direction — or if there’s a new direction — they want to go in.
O’Brien is coming off a 5-7 (2-6 ACC) season. In the three seasons since he was hired away from Boston College by recently dismissed AD Lee Fowler, the 61-year-old O’Brien is 16-21 overall, 9-15 in ACC games.
With one of the league’s top quarterbacks in Russell Wilson and a defense that should benefit enormously from the return from linebacker Nate Irving, expectations will be higher when the 2010 schedule begins Sept. 4 against Western Carolina.
By that point, new N.C. State chancellor Randy Woodson almost certainly will have selected Fowler’s successor. Since it’s not unusual for new ADs to revamp departmental personnel, there’s not a coach on a campus whose long-term security is beyond question.
“Certainly you get evaluated differently because it’s not the people who brought you in, who did the research to bring you in,” O’Brien said.
While anything better than 7-5 or 8-4 overall would no doubt be deemed a positive surprise by practically everyone, O’Brien is still trying to deliver an ACC championship.
State last won the title in 1979 — Bo Rein’s final season as coach. Since then, six coaches have tried to bring the ACC trophy back to Raleigh. Only once during that stretch — once ever actually — has a State team won more than nine games in a season.
Chuck Amato’s 2002 team finished 11-3 overall with a Gator Bowl win over Notre Dame, but the Pack’s 5-3 league record was behind three other rivals.
If the next AD is like almost all others, he or she immediately will talk about raising the bar — league titles, top-20 rankings, big bowl bids, high graduation rates, the usual spiel.
It all adds up to more pressure on O’Brien, just as it will shortly thereafter on basketball coach Sidney Lowe and so on down the Wolfpack coaching roster.
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Comments
on a side not
Fri, 06/25/2010 - 20:28 — gvillegatrUNC football signed the 5th rated OL in the country yesterday. He's from Indianapolis. Hard to imagine TD Jesus didn't get him!
I've read...
Sun, 06/27/2010 - 19:44 — UNC1998VT wanted him real bad. I guess the kid just sees writing on the wall. He wants to play for a winning program. Not to knock anyone else, but that's what UNC is building.
Yup
Mon, 06/28/2010 - 00:07 — Heels20VT went after him hard, but James Hurst played a big part in bringing him in. We've got a lot of other recruits seriously considering us right now and this is shaping up to be an excellent recruiting class. We've already got a lot of young talent on offense. With the depth we have on D and the continuity on the coaching staff, this program will be a consistent force in the years to come.
indeed
Mon, 06/28/2010 - 12:30 — gvillegatrit's amazing what your program can do when you at least having winning seasons and go to bowl games.
Not this year but
Fri, 06/25/2010 - 11:01 — willncsu34Next year there are no excuses. I doubt we win more than 5 games this year but if we don't win 7-8 games the year after, he should go.
hot seat
Thu, 06/24/2010 - 18:56 — chuck17TOB is def. on the hot seat. with a new ad and inadequate results on the field how much longer does the admin put up with it. there is no reason that state shouldnt win at least nine games a year, the best facilites, top 25 recruiting class every year....i think TOB didnt realize the importance of actually winning games. I have no doubt that we could get a great coach tomorrow if we had to. we will last this year, but another 6-6 or 5-7 year and he'll be quickly dispatched.
top 25 recruiting classes?
Fri, 06/25/2010 - 00:34 — peetiepupAmato had a couple top-25's, but the last one was almost 10 years ago, unless that is your own "chuck17" recruit rating system you're using. Recruiting fell off considerably in Amato's last years until, ironically, his last, which he didn't get to see. But even it wasn't regarded as a top-25. Ditto for Sendek.
Hang in there, TOB, (and Sid Lowe). This pack fan is tickled to have both of you. You'll get it done. Both of you were left with less-than-ideal circumstances to begin your tenures, which you are still dealing with today.
Even if the facilities are top-25, they don't go out on the field and make plays. With a few less concussions, car wrecks, and such, things can be much different. We already have a great football coach. One that needs, and deserves, a chance.
Wufpak seems snake-bitten lately.
Really?
Thu, 06/24/2010 - 22:55 — Heels20State hasn't had a top 25 recruiting class since 2003. The facilities are excellent, but TOB took over a team with a 3-9 record. Every team in the ACC is improving this year, with the exception of Dook, UVa and Wake Forest. You can throw in Clemson if Kyle Parker decides to leave. Considering the fact that State doesn't play Dook or UVa this season, how can you really have higher expectations than a .500 record?
The only area where TOB has really failed is the offensive line. I think most people expected State to be better in the trenches by now, but it just hasn't happened yet. With 4 guys living, none of which seem like major losses, this could be the year. The secondary is awful, but that's been more because of injuries (Javon Walker and Clem Johnson) and unexpected departures (Jimmual Simmons and Dominique Ellis) than it has been coaching. It's still up in the air whether or not Nate Irving will be 100% physically coming into this season, and the offense will most likely be subject to total collapse if Wilson goes down. You're out of your mind to say that State should win 9 games this year, let alone every year. As I stated in an earlier post, it's going to take more than this season to truly determine whether or not this program is heading in the right direction under O'Brien.
Really!
Fri, 06/25/2010 - 00:52 — peetiepupHeels20, I couldn't have said it better myself. Thank you.
I am hopeful, though, about the OL. They're young, but loaded with talent. A good OL - that is TOB's signature, and he's doing it again here in Raleigh.
Last year's offense largely reflected the response that was necessary when the defensive secondary spotted the opponents 80 points before half time (exaggerating, of course, but you see my point). THAT will force the offense to change its strategy.
I feel for O'Brien. In just a few weeks, the top qb, wr, db, and lb in the league go down to injury, among several other significant losses. Few teams could cope with that amount of bad luck. Arg!!!
Tom's Expectations
Thu, 06/24/2010 - 18:22 — JaxMacWith the new Chancellor, and likely new AD on the scene by the time the football season begins, TOB will have some new inter-office dynamics to figure out. I haven't done a position analysis, but at best the team is only marginally improved if at all.
I'm thinking the loyal Wolfpackers who bought into Amato's sales pitch and made the multi-year commitment for seats at Carter-Finley have high expectations for wins, championships and bowl games. Beating Orange County Trade School, those hated boys in light blue, has taken a most of the heat off. But at some point all the talk about building a foundation and it is a process, blah, blah, blah, has to start showing some dividend.
I believe this year the team needs to show significant strides in TOB's "program". Certainly, Conference Championship is not a reasonable expectation with this team, not even the Division. Perhaps they can hold it together and finish with a winning season. Given the conference bowl tie-ins, one of those forgettable games would be quite an accomplishment. But more importantly, they need to beat the teams they are supposed to beat, and in some cases convincingly. None of this playing down to the level of competition. Likewise, they need to step it up a notch and beat a team or two where they are the underdog - an NC State forte'. And the games where they are out matched, they still need to play well and not beat themselves with turnovers and stupid penalties, etc.
I hope Tom gets it going. State has never had a quality coach that actually wanted to come to our school and stay here. Most of the others have used our beloved Alma Mater as a stepping stone to build their resume. We need to support the coach and the team and let them do their best.
Heres to the Wolfpack and hope we have a great season 2010-11!
Phillip in Jacksonville, FL
Don't forget Sheridan
Fri, 06/25/2010 - 01:10 — peetiepupGood post. But I think NCS DID have a coach that would have stayed here forever, named Dick Sheridan. He apparently burned out, though, maybe from lack of commitment to football? He never coached again.
I haven't forgotten how the NCSU PA system sounded like a high school PA during Sheridan's good years. And sign letters fell off of A. E. Finley fieldhouse and stayed in the dirt for years, it seemed. Too bad these weren't fixed before Sheridan threw his hands up. He might be in his 25th illustrious year by now.
Thank you Sheridan, for busting your butt for us. Sorry it didn't pay off for you. You may have been our best coach ever, given more time. In your last year, you won the "old" acc championship, as i recall. But that was FSU's first year in the ACC, and they cleaned everybody's clocks in the mighty acc that year, especially ours. Ouch.
Best of wishes, Sheridan, from this fan who remembers. You ran a tight ship. Rarely got outclassed on/off the field. Good old days.
TOB and the Heat
Thu, 06/24/2010 - 16:14 — YAR8packUnless TOB and Co. finish the season with a record of 1-11 or 2-10 and lose all of those games in turrrable fashion, no one is in any kind of danger.
Speaking for the majority of my fellow Wolfpack fans, I really feel like our expectations are grounded for the 2010 football season. Of course no one will be flippant/nonchalant about the Pack losing, but I don't think the fans will revolt if the team finishes at .500 or slightly below. Hell no, I don't want that to happen. But the team really doesn't have a whole lot to bank on for making a realistic highly positive prediction for 2010.
OK GO STATE!!!
Agree
Fri, 06/25/2010 - 13:42 — SurferGiven the quality coach that he is and the seemingly acceptance by the fan base for the past four losing seasons (grounded expectations); one or two more losing seasons won't necessarily turn up the heat, unless of course they lose to UNC. Of course the potential success of the BB team may relieve some of that pressure as well.
Well put
Thu, 06/24/2010 - 18:57 — JPDOhioI wouldn't put this on a teeshirt, but the motto has to be "Hope for the best, but expect the worst." Not inspirational, but realistic because there are just too many question marks.
not tyring to pick on ya jpd
Fri, 06/25/2010 - 20:19 — gvillegatrbut that has kinda been the motto at ncsu for a very long time.
Liar
Fri, 06/25/2010 - 21:26 — JPDOhioYou love picking on me.
Of course, if I'm gonna toss you a softball, you've got to take a crack at it.
Hot seat
Thu, 06/24/2010 - 15:51 — Heels20Sid is on a hotter seat than TOB at the moment. Anything short of an NCAA bid will most likely give him the ax. We'll obviously have to wait for the new AD to get a better idea of this, but I don't consider TOB's job in jeopardy at the moment. As long as Russell Wilson is healthy and wearing an NC State football uniform, then the coaching job will be occupied by O'Brien. It's going to be about what happens after Wilson's departure. Mike Glennon has shown promise, but will he consistently minimize turnovers and get the most out of his receivers? Will O'Brien build the kind of dominant offensive line he put together at Boston College? Will Jarvis Byrd, Rashard Smith and Brandon Bishop serve as a foundation for an improving secondary? Does Jon Tenuta succeed in coaching future NFL linebackers, or can the D-line recover from the loss of Willie Young? These will be the issues that determine Tom O'Brien's future at NC State, and the 2010 season will not be enough to properly evaluate the direction in which the program is moving.