Tom O'Brien news conference highlights

Some highlights from N.C. State coach Tom O’Brien’s news conference as the Wolfpack prepares to play host to South Carolina at 7:03 p.m. Thursday at Carter-Finley Stadium:

- Gamecocks quarterback Stephen Garcia has been on O’Brien’s radar since he was a high school player and O’Brien was at Boston College. Garcia’s brothers, Brian and Gary, played at Harvard.

“He’s very athletic, strong armed, can pull the ball down and run with it,” O’Brien said. “He can do a lot of different things with the football. So you’ve got to be alert for him. You’ve got to contain him and keep him in the pocket, not let him out of the pocket. You’ve got to be aware that he’s just as liable to pull it down as he is to throw it 60 yards down the field.”

- Place-kicker Josh Czajkowski, who made 16 field goals in 19 attempts last season, has bounced back after a shaky first scrimmage.

“He’s kicked the ball well,” O’Brien said. “He’s done extremely well in practice. I think from that point the next three scrimmages he might have missed one field goal. So he’s been very good for us.”

- Although sophomore Dwayne Maddox will start against the Gamecocks at boundary linebacker, redshirt freshman Terrell Manning will play a lot, too.

They are trying to replace Nate Irving, the defensive standout who is out for the season because of injuries suffered in a June 28 car crash.

“It’s an opportunity for both of them,” O’Brien said. “They’re both going to get in the game and play. We have to see how Manning does in game situations, so how many snaps he gets, I don’t know. But he’s certainly going to play a good portion of the football game.”

- Redshirt freshman C.J. Wilson, who has replaced junior returning starter DeAndre Morgan atop the depth chart at field cornerback, has done a “tremendous” job in camp, according to O’Brien.

“In spring practice, when we were down, Morgan was out with a hamstring there in spring, that gave some of those younger guys, and once again it was a blessing,” O’Brien said. “They got to play a little more, and their development speeded up. He’s done extremely well in the scrimmages, and he’s put himself in position to see what he can do on Thursday night.”

O’Brien declined to say whether Morgan is injured. N.C. State isn’t required to release an injury report for the game until Tuesday.

Ken Tysiac