Debbie Yow described Vanderbilt coach James Franklin as a "good friend" on Sunday, in the press conference to announce Tom O'Brien's dismissal.

Yow mentioned how she had hired Franklin at Maryland, she also name-dropped Franklin's wife and the cost of Vanderbilt's indoor practice facility. Yow said she had texted Franklin on Saturday but the N.C. State athletic director said the Vanderbilt coach would not be in contention for the vacant Wolfpack job.

"He's not a candidate for this job," Yow said Sunday. "He's in the midst of doing something special there."

RALEIGH — Tom O'Brien has led N.C. State to three straight bowl games, and four in five seasons, but it wasn't enough to save his job. O'Brien will not return for a seventh season, the school announced on Sunday.

O'Brien compiled a 40-35 record in six seasons with a 22-26 mark in the ACC. O'Brien's contract runs through Dec. 2015 and he will be paid at least $1.2 million over the next three years.

The Wolfpack completed a 7-5 regular season on Saturday with a home win over Boston College and will play in a bowl game with offensive coordinator Dana Bible as interim coach.

RALEIGH — Quarterback Mike Glennon passed for three touchdowns, two to fellow senior Tobais Palmer, to lead N.C. State to a 27-10 win over Boston College on Saturday to close the regular season with a 7-5 record.

The Wolfpack will play in a bowl game for the third straight season, and fourth time in five years, with Saturday's win. State's season could end where it began — in Atlanta.

CHAPEL HILL — The idea was clear to N.C. State coach Tom O'Brien: punt the ball and get the game to overtime.

Gio Bernard had other plans.

Bernard's 74-yard punt return with 13 seconds left clinched UNC's 43-35 win over the Wolfpack on Saturday at Kenan Stadium. O'Brien said punter Wil Baumann did what he wanted with the game tied at 35 and 30 seconds left on the clock.

"I think at that point, you just want to kick it and get it out of there," O'Brien said. "I think we might have over-kicked it."

N.C. State coach Tom O'Brien suspended running back Mustafa Greene for Saturday's 31-7 win over South Alabama.

O'Brien didn't give a reason for Greene's absence, nor did he give a timetable for Greene's return.

"I don't have any comment on his status going forward," O'Brien said.

Mike Glennon is getting ready for his second season as N.C. State's starting quarterback and Russell Wilson is getting for his first season as an NFL quarterback.

"It worked out for everybody," Wolfpack coach Tom O'Brien said.

Which is what O'Brien had hoped would happen when he decided to split with Wilson after the 2010 season.

ESPNU will feature N.C. State on its "All Access" show today at 6 p.m.

An ESPN camera crew followed around the Wolfpack for a day of practice leading up to Friday's season-opener against Tennessee, which will be shown on ESPNU.

Coach Tom O'Brien normally closes practice to the media but he decided the public-relations benefits of the show, outweighed any of the minuses.

Coach Tom O'Brien sounded optimistic sophomore receiver Bryan Underwood would return to the practice field sooner, rather than later, after recent knee surgery.

Underwood caught 16 passes for 226 yards last season and is expected to have a bigger role this season with the loss of receivers T.J. Graham and Jay Smith. O'Brien said Saturday Underwood was out indefinitely, and his status hasn't changed, but O'Brien said Tuesday night: "It's a question of when the doctors clear him to go."

There was only change from the preseason depth chart on defense for N.C. State in Tuesday's practice. Junior Dontae Johnson practiced with the first team at the boundary corner, while returning starter C.J. Wilson was on the second team.

Johnson is one of the best athletes on the Pack's defense and has played safety, nickleback and a hybrid outside linebacker position.

N.C. State tight ends coach Don Horton is stepping away from coaching but will remain on the Wolfpack staff as the assistant director of football operations, head coach Tom O'Brien announced today.