Pack's Young says Spurrier's calls not the key

After a preseason of guarded comments from N.C. State players and coaches, senior defensive end Willie Young provided some explosive bulletin board material for South Carolina, which visits the Wolfpack in Thursday's 7:03 p.m. season opener.

During a meeting with reporters on campus Monday afternoon, Young was asked if Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier - who's renowned as one of the most innovative minds in college football - is an offensive genius.

"No," Young said. "No. I think you can be as sophisticated as you want to. Coach (Dana) Bible (N.C. State's offensive coordinator) can be sophisticated. But if you can beat somebody with basic plays, then you can whip them. It all comes down to their individuals against our individuals. And if you have a better individual, that individual can shake and bake, probably, and break the other individual down and make a play. That's just generally speaking.

"He (Spurrier) knows his offense. Don't get me wrong. No doubt. No doubt whatsoever. And I think he's confident. But it's going to come down to individual play."

Young also was asked whether South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia's ability to get out of the pocket and run will change anything about the way Young rushes the passer.

"Until he hurts us, I'm not worried about him," Young said. "It's as simple as that. Until he starts to hurt us, he can stand back there and juke and jive all he wants to. But until he hurts us, he has no effect on my pass rush or anything I intend to do.

". . .He's not getting around (defensive end) Shea McKeen over there. And he's definitely not turning anything up the middle between (tackles Leroy) Burgess and (Alan-Michael) Cash. You can take it to the bank."

Finally, Young was asked about Gamecocks tight end Weslye Saunders' comments last week. Saunders said he was going to ask Spurrier for permission to get a 15-yard penalty for extra celebration after scoring a touchdown against the Wolfpack.

"He just talked himself into the biggest MA (missed assignment) possible," Young said. "I'll just put it like that. That leads to nothing but mistakes. I think he's trying to draw attention to himself, if what he's trying to do. Becaus I know, me and my goons, we ain't seeing it."

Ken Tysiac