N.C. State quarterback Mike Glennon is hit by Virginia defensive end Jake Snyder as he throws the ball, which resulted in an Cavalier interception during the first half. ETHAN HYMAN
Updated 6:47 p.m.
RALEIGH — After a loss so thorough and disappointing, Mike Glennon didn’t bother to enumerate N.C. State’s problems on Saturday.
The senior quarterback simply bottom-lined the Wolfpack’s 33-6 mistake-filled loss to Virginia, an ACC team which had been on a six-game losing streak.
"Virginia just came out and played better than us," the senior quarterback said. "I don’t know exactly what went wrong."
After five turnovers, eight dropped passes and seven penalties, the better question after Saturday’s puzzling effort was what went right?
The Wolfpack (5-4, 2-3 ACC) rolled all of the mistakes from its previous losses into one miserable performance.
Slow start? Check.
Turnovers? Check.
Penalties? Check.
Dropped passes? Check.
"It sure didn’t work out for us today," coach Tom O’Brien said.
No, it didn’t, not even the usual trends save the Wolfpack. Since the start of the 2010 season, N.C. State had been especially good at Carter-Finley Stadium (13-2 before Saturday’s loss) and after a loss (10-1).
Instead, it was Virginia’s 14 first-quarter points and five forced turnovers which proved to be the real deal-breakers as N.C. State suffered consecutive ACC losses for the first time since Nov. 2009.
In its four losses this season, N.C. State has given up 84 points in the first quarter, compared to 13 points in its five wins.
The Pack has 19 turnovers in its four losses, compared to four in its five wins.
The eight dropped passes and seven penalties were just insult to injury against a Virginia team which gave up 56 points to Georgia Tech, 44 to Louisiana Tech and 42 to Duke earlier this season.
"The penalties in the first half, and the dropped balls, we couldn’t sustain anything," O’Brien said.
More problematic, senior safety Earl Wolff said, there was a lack of urgency and energy. Which, in early starts — either noon or 12:30 p.m. kickoffs — has been a problem for the program. Of the 13 losses since the start of the 2010 season, eight have been in early kickoffs.
"There wasn’t a lot of energy, honestly," Wolff said. "I don’t know what people are thinking about. I don’t know if we are ’in it’ or ’out of it.’ I don’t know."
The Wolfpack, which had 534 total yards in last week’s loss at North Carolina, finished with 216 on Saturday. Glennon was responsible for four turnovers and he was sacked for a safety.
The Cavaliers (3-6) scored two touchdowns in the first quarter, a bad sign for N.C. State’s defense. The Pack has lost all three games this season it has given up more than seven points in the first quarter.
Quarterback Phillip Sims ran in for a 1-yard touchdown on the Cavaliers’ first possession for the 7-0 lead.
Backup quarterback Mike Rocco extended UVa’s lead to 14-0 with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Darius Jennings with 27 seconds left in the first quarter.
Chris Brathwaite sacked Glennon with 3:17 left in the second quarter for a Virginia safety. Glennon also took a safety in the Wolfpack’s losses to Tennessee and Miami this season.
Glennon had a fumble, after the fourth UVa sack, with 38 seconds left in the half but the Hoos failed to convert the turnover into points.
"It just seemed like every time something happened, something even worse would happen," Glennon said.
Virginia added 17 points in the second half as N.C. State’s offense sputtered. The Wolfpack avoided its fourth shutout in six years under O’Brien with a 2-yard touchdown pass from Glennon to tight end Mario Carter with 6:30 left in the game.
It was too little and way too late.
Comments
Realization
Mon, 11/05/2012 - 12:30 — SurferWell, after some time now it has just struck me what may be the cuplprit contributing to the NCSU fiasco on Saturday.......... "The Uniforms", seriously, the black pants looked like they were chosen because everything else was dirty. Maybe all red would have been better? Or perhaps, all black would have been more appropriate. I don't know, I was surprised by this game as much as anyone.
No rant
Sat, 11/03/2012 - 22:53 — YAR8packSpeechless. That crap effort today says all that needs to be said.
Where is State at today?
Sat, 11/03/2012 - 15:34 — trav8200Where is State at today? Still seeing visions of Gio?
Apparently last weeks loss
Sat, 11/03/2012 - 15:23 — unc098Apparently last weeks loss really took it out of the Pack
I am not surprised, but where is the team that scored 25 points in one qtr. . against the Heels. I agree with JPD. This is one is on the staff for not getting the kids prepared this week. TOB really might be looking to sell his house.
I am surprised by this effort against a weak UVA team.
UVA
Sun, 11/04/2012 - 09:49 — SurferHonestly, I have not seen Virginia play this year. Yes, I know that they have had their struggles, and I only saw part of the game yesterday, but what I saw... UVA looked really good. Much better than their record indicates, anyway. In fairness, State did not look as good as they have at other times, as well.
At any rate, I think this makes it tough for State to win their division. Clemson looked pretty good last night, but you never know.
In retrospect, perhaps this is in some odd way, payback for the Maryland game that should have been an L for State?
I know some have been hard on TOB, especially after last week, and there may be more after yesterday. But he is a good coach and a great fit for NCSU. So people should just be as steady as he is and consider the program he is building there, etc...
Practice
Sun, 11/04/2012 - 10:01 — YAR8packI'm just waiting for TOB to spin this horrible loss on not having an indoor practice facility.
UVA had no business winning that game. NONE. And if they did, then NC State shouldve made them earn it instead of playing as absolutely awful as I've seen them play since either the USF butt whoopin in CF or the South Carolina butt whoopin down in Columbia or the butt whoopin by FSU down in Tally.
The teams you've compared butt whooping to.
Sun, 11/04/2012 - 14:15 — gvillegatrA butt whooping in Tally and Columbia weren't shocking. The butt whooping at home to USF was in a driving rain storm that never let up.
None of those games can be compared to what a crummy UVa team did to you in the Wolves Den.
As an aside - Word is Myrtle Beach doesn't 'Back The Pack' anymore after yesterday's game.
Crack ride poster(s)
Sat, 11/03/2012 - 14:55 — gvillegatrSoonerWolf wrote: The sooner this football game (and season) is over, the sooner we can talk about basketball.
WolfPackIsBack replied, "exactly."
Kicked back
Sat, 11/03/2012 - 14:44 — gvillegatrJust relaxing and eating my popcorn ... 23-0
Pathetic
Sat, 11/03/2012 - 14:44 — JPDOhioThere simply is no excuse for the lack of energy and discipline the Pack is displaying today. And, yes, that is on the coaching staff. YAR8, feel free to rant, not that you need my permission.
One other thing, before I forget. What's with Amerson pulling up short on that first TD? This kid is playing himself right out of the draft. That's probably an exaggeration, but there is no doubt that he has decided to mail it in this year. Whatever NFL team decides to draft him will regret the decision. He has no heart.
Two Things
Sun, 11/04/2012 - 09:38 — YAR8packTwo things that really bother me about yesterday, other than the ass whooping the Hoos handed the Pack:
1) UVA had two weeks to prepare for NC State and played like it. I go back to the game against UMd where NCSU had two weeks to prepare for the terps and looked just awful in that game, and were it not for a missed FG, the Pack should've lost that one.
2) The play calling yesterday. Dana Bible loves to be set in his ways. Yesterday was a prime example of that. Watching the offensive series for NCSU yesterday, it looked like Einstein's definition of insanity. UVA had all the slant and underneath routes covered, so what does Dana Bible continue to call? Slant and underneath routes. Brilliant. Is it too much to ask for a frickin screen to the RB or a bootleg to the TE? Apparently.
I'm not sure where to go from here. The only thing I know is that this coming Saturday's game against WF is one big uncertainty.
just wondering
Sun, 11/04/2012 - 10:46 — JPDOhioI think Gatr is on to something in his post suggesting that something is going on behind the scenes.
This team's performance reminds me of State's basketball team in the JJ Hickson year. It is underperforming its talent level and is just totally out of sync. Every now and then, things go well. But, more often than not, it looks like a group of guys who would rather be somewhere else. And their heads are certainly somewhere else, not in the game.
It only takes one or two malcontents to poison an entire team. I suspect there is a handful (or less) of guys who are following their own agenda, not the team's. I also suspect that Amerson is one of those guys.
talent
Sun, 11/04/2012 - 21:08 — SurferMaybe so, but just curious, where is the talent that is under performing? I guess some guys (Glennon, Underwood, Amerson) do well sometimes, but not sure if that is who you are referring to?
In general
Sun, 11/04/2012 - 21:42 — JPDOhioAn offense that can put up 35 points on your Tar Heels despite 10 dropped passes has talent. A defense that can hold an FSU team averaging 50+ points to 16 points has talent. Maybe not BCS championship talent, but talent nonetheless.
What we are seeing is a team that shows flashes of what it could be, but cannot sustain that level of excellence for 60 straight minutes. This 5-4 team could easily be 3-6 if Jimbo Fisher doesn't play "not to lose" late in the game and if Maryland's kicker doesn't miss a gimme at the end of that game.
This is what frustrates Pack fans (at least this one). We see the potential of the existing talent, but it falls short because of mental errors and lack of focus. There is a problem there that is not physical. It is mental and/or attitudinal and it can kill a team's potential success faster than just about anything else.
Talent
Mon, 11/05/2012 - 12:20 — SurferOkay, good points. I agree there is talent there, just not great talent. Perhaps it is when they play as a team that they do their best, since there may not be any superstar, BCS type talent? Or perhaps it is attitude? I don't think UVA is riddled with high caliber talent, but they sure looked pretty good Sat.? As the game went on, the Hoos probably started to think that they could win this thing, while perhaps the State players thought all along that "they" were supposed to? I'm sure TOB will work out the mental aspects by the WF game.
You know
Sun, 11/04/2012 - 22:27 — gvillegatrYou kinda sound like a UNC football fan over the last five years.
Maybe I am a little delirious and am wearing my blue blockers, but I think UNC football is heading in the right direction and they'll win an ACC Championship in the next three years. I'd bet just about anything they'll at least play for one.
You are sounding awfully
Mon, 11/05/2012 - 10:08 — awdracerYou are sounding awfully cocky all of a sudden Gville bandwagon boy. How many more years do you think that the CHeaters are going to get when they duck Clemson and FSU at the same time? On top of that, VT is having its worst season in a decade and Miami is awful. In fact the coastal division is probably the worst division in any BCS conference. I think your confidence is born of circumstance more than quality. The brilliant losses to Duke and Wake should have told you that.
Brilliant loses?
Tue, 11/06/2012 - 15:02 — SurferJust thought I would step back into this for a moment. WF, Dook, and UL, losses, yes, brilliant? Not sure about the qualifications for that. Yes, UNC is "three plays" from being undefeated. Just curious as to how you label State's loss to Virginia?
And also, Gville is the farthest thing from a "bandwagon boy", he is on here supporting the Heels, rain or shine.
Jealous much?
Mon, 11/05/2012 - 11:09 — gvillegatrBandwagon boy? I sure would like you to define the word "bandwagon" for all of us. For some reason you seem to think I am one of those. You certainly call me one every time you acknowledge one of my well thought out posts that stand for honesty and integrity along with correctness.
As far as being cocky? Nah, not cocky. Just, again, correct. Partly with what you say about the Coastal and partly what is happening at UNC. Unless you are Alabama and can single handily pay and get every player at every position as well as back-ups you need to run an out of the box offense to score points. College football is way more about out scoring your opponent than keeping them out of the end zone. I dare you to disagree with what I just said.
As far as UM being "awful" ... That is simply untrue. They are some where b/tn average and good. It really depends on what week it is. You can put a fork in VPI. They are done for awhile. They know it. I know it. Most of us know it.
Basically the Coastal Division is starting to become the way the division made up of Free Shoes, Clemson, state, Md, WFU and BC was for a long time ... Average. It's embarrassing state was never able to get ONE shot at an ACC Championship during that time. It speaks volumes as to where your program was and is ... Below average. And if your disagree with your program being below average, please explain your road record.
As our party president, Surfer, has stated for a very long time: "TOBy is doing a fine job. I hope he is around for more years to come!"
Twitter
Sun, 11/04/2012 - 15:12 — YAR8packI used to follow Amerson's twitter feed but I got annoyed with all of the "let me be me" bull he kept posting. I'm not saying he is one of the lead malcontents, but I have a feeling he's pushing buttons somewhere.
Maybe it's because we Pack fans are looking for answers during such a dissapointing season, but I am buying in more and more to the notion that not all is well behind the scenes of this Wolfpack team.
I just wish these guys would get their you-know-what together.
Something is going on behind closed doors
Sat, 11/03/2012 - 16:05 — gvillegatr... and we are not privvy to it as of this afternoon. This IS NOT a TOBy coached football team playing. I can't believe it.
i could not...
Sat, 11/03/2012 - 17:49 — JPDOhioAgree more.
just a guess
Sat, 11/03/2012 - 20:25 — SurferMaybe it had something to with Glennon's halloween costume?