N.C. State's 2010 freshman class is making a good first impression on coach Tom O'Brien.

O'Brien has said Robert Crisp of Athens Drive High looks like a potential All-Pro offensive tackle. Anthony Creecy of Southern Durham High and Mustafa Greene of Irmo, S.C., are competing for the No. 3 running back spot.

A comparison of the N.C. State (Tom O'Brien, left) and UNC (Butch Davis) football coaches as they prepare, and we wait, for their fourth season to begin on Sept. 4:

N.C. State's defense intercepted four passes and held the offense to 11-for-29 passing for 88 yards and one touchdown on Tuesday night in the Wolfpack's third preseason scrimmage.

The defense added eight tackles for loss and four quarterback sacks while the offense rushed for 122 yards on 36 carries. In the situational scrimmage, the offense worked situations when it was ahead by seven points, trailing by seven points and in a tie game with various times on the clock and timeouts remaining.

Coach Tom O'Brien did not release individual statistics.

N.C. State running backs Curtis Underwood and James Washington did not practice in full pads Monday as they were wearing jerseys with a red cross on them signifying that they were injured.

Coach Tom O'Brien declined to comment on their status. His preseason policy is not to talk about injuries unless he knows they are going to cause players to miss the opening game.

"I don't have anything to say about any injuries one way or another," O'Brien said. "They're still good for the first game, and if they're not, I will tell you."

After his players filed into bleachers and posed for the team picture today, N.C. State coach Tom O'Brien expressed confidence that they can meet some of the team's goals for this season.

The Wolfpack has yet to post a winning season under O'Brien and is 16-21 during his three-year tenure. During his Meet the Pack Day news conference with reporters, O'Brien said this team can do better.

"We have enough weapons, I believe, offensively and defensively to have a winning season and get to a bowl game," O'Brien said.

Redshirt freshman football players Morgan Alexander and Denzelle Good no longer are in school at N.C. State.

"They did not live up to their expectations, so they're no longer on the football team," coach Tom O'Brien said.

Alexander played wide receiver and was from Cartersville, Ga.; Good was an offensive lineman from Gaffney, S.C.

Quarterback Russell Wilson remains a bit off target, linebacker Nate Irving didn't scrimmage and the defense held firm in N.C. State's first preseason scrimmage Monday at Carter-Finley Stadium.

Coach Tom O'Brien shared only limited statistics from the scrimmage. He revealed that the offense completed eight of 20 passes for 116 yards and rushed 55 times for 92 yards.

O'Brien said Wilson, who spent the spring and summer playing baseball, is still "a little bit off," but the coach didn't sound concerned.

Fresh off spending the spring and summer playing baseball, N.C. State quarterback Russell Wilson still is adjusting to his first full-team drills since November.

Meanwhile, sophomore cornerback C.J. Wilson is emerging as a possible leader in a defensive backfield that struggled last season. Coach Tom O'Brien and defensive coordinator Mike Archer gave an update on training camp Friday evening.

Russell Wilson, who missed spring practice, isn't in midseason form yet.

It would be easy to misconstrue N.C. State coach Tom O'Brien's comments on quarterback Russell Wilson from last week's ACC media kickoff.

O'Brien said there's a chance Wilson will be rusty because he missed spring practice to play baseball and hasn't played football since the season finale against North Carolina last season. O'Brien said he wants backup Mike Glennon to challenge Wilson for the starting job, and O'Brien genuinely likes Glennon's skills and temperament.

But O'Brien also knows how good Wilson is at handling multiple responsibilities, and he doesn't expect that to suddenly change because Wilson played minor league baseball this summer.

N.C. State coach Tom O'Brien spoke with the media for 54 minutes Monday at the ACC media kickoff in Greensboro.

O'Brien discussed linebacker Nate Irving's return to the team after missing last season with injuries suffered in a car crash; quarterback Russell Wilson's impending return after playing minor league baseball; the return of offensive coordinator Dana Bible from a battle with leukemia, and other topics.

Here are some of the highlights: