Wolfpack cut USC lead to 7-3

RALEIGH - It could be worse.

N.C. State fumbled on its first snap on offense, had a punt blocked and picked up only three first downs but trails South Carolina, 7-3 with 7:50 left in the fourth quarter.

On State's first possession of the game, Toney Baker fumbled on his first carry since 2007 opener, which gave South Carolina the ball at its own 14-yard line.

Four plays later, the Gamecocks turned the miscue into a 7-0 lead. Brian Maddox rushed 1-yard for the touchdown at 9:10 in the first quarter.

After State was stopped on the next series, Devin Taylor blocked a Jeff Ruiz punt to give South Carolina the ball at the 38-yard line.

South Carolina has had its own litany of errors. The Gamecocks muffed a snap, missed a 27-yard field and had a touchdown called back because of a penalty.

After Taylor's blocked field goal, South Carolina quarterback Steven Garcia hit Tori Gurley for a touchdown but it was called back for pass interference. The Gamecocks ended up punting on the series.

State later dodged a bullet when Stephen Flint bobbled a snap on a 31-yard field goal attempt, leaving South Carolina with the lone touchdown.

When USC did execute a successful snap, Spencer Lanning missed a 27-yard field goal in the third quarter.

After a Michael Lemon interception, State put together its first drive of the game — which was aided by an overturned fumble — which ended with a 43-yard field goal by Josh Czajkowski with 55.8 seconds left in the third.

-- J.P. Giglio

South Carolina strikes first

RALEIGH - As far as scripted beginnings go, this would not be high on Tom O'Brien's list.

N.C. State has fumbled and had a punt blocked and trail South Carolina, 7-0 at the end of the first quarter.

On State's first possession, Toney Baker fumbled on his first carry in two seasons, which gave South Carolina the ball at its own 14-yard line.

Four plays later, the Gamecocks turned the miscue into a 7-0 lead. Brian Maddox rushed 1-yard for the touchdown at 9:10 in the first quarter.

After State was stopped on the next series, Devin Taylor blocked a Jeff Ruiz punt to give South Carolina the ball at the 38-yard line.

On the first play, South Carolina quarterback Steven Garcia hit Tori Gurley for a touchdown but it was called back for pass interference.

The Gamecocks ended up punting on the series.

Duke releases injury report

Duke released its injury report headed into the season-opener against Richmond on Saturday at Wallace Wade Stadium.

Injury Report

DT Kinney Rucker (foot) -- probable

RB Kyle Griswould (leg) -- OUT

CB Randez James (hand) -- OUT

S Anthony Young-Wiseman (knee) -- OUT FOR SEASON

Tar Heels add Gophers for 2013, 2014

North Carolina has added Minnesota to its nonconference football schedule in 2013 and 2014, team spokesman Kevin Best announced Thursday.

Minnesota will visit the Tar Heels on Sept. 7, 2013. North Carolina will return the trip on Sept. 13, 2014.

The teams have never met in football.

-- Ken Tysiac

Fresh look to greet visitors at Carter-Finley

Staff photo by Ethan Hyman. To see more photos from Meet the Pack Day, go to: http://blogs.newsobserver.com/multi/aug-29-2009-meet-the-pack-day-at-carter-finley

A fresh, new look will greet fans at Carter-Finley Stadium tonight when N.C. State plays host to South Carolina.

During the offseason, the school installed banners on the west concourse underneath Vaughn Towers recognizing special moments in N.C. State history.

The east concourse is decorated with huge tapestries strung between the support posts. The tapestries are giant photos of the team in action.

"I don’t know that it could have turned out any better," said Ray Brincefield, N.C. State's assistant athletic director for outdoor facilities.

Athletic director Lee Fowler said the project cost between $85,000 and $90,000, which came out of a capital account fund reserved for facilities improvements. Fowler said the west concourse improvements in particular improve the stadium’s appearance in an area recruits commonly stroll through on official visits.

・Thousands of students who applied for tickets won’t get the opportunity to see Carter-Finley’s facelift or the game.

Fowler said 12,935 students applied for tickets, but only 7,950 were available. The total student attendance, including the band, cheerleaders and members of the student Wolfpack Club, will be 9,250.

The nearly 13,000 student ticket applications was among the largest totals the school has had for a game, Fowler said.


Ken Tysiac

Burden, Bryant, Pascal, Ford in ACC Legends class

Former players Willie Burden of N.C. State, Kelvin Bryant of North Carolina and Bob Pascal of Duke will be honored as ACC legends during the conference's annual celebration of its football championship game in December in Tampa.

Heisman Trophy winners Vinny Testaverde of Miami and Chris Weinke of Florida State are the headliners in the Legends class along with Danny Ford, who coached Clemson to the 1981 national championship.

Others in the class include Bill Barnes of Wake Forest, Mike Mayock of Boston College, Eddie Lee Ivery of Georgia Tech, Kevin Glover of Maryland, Jim Bakhtiar of Virginia and Bob Schweickert of Virginia Tech.

The Legends will participate in the Coaches and Awards Luncheon and the Night of Legends gala on Dec. 4. The following evening, they will be honored prior to the ACC championship game at Raymond James Stadium.

Ken Tysiac

Flag has special meaning

The American flag that former N.C. State football player Drew Wimsatt kept behind the seat of his helicopter in Afghanistan will lead the Wolfpack onto the field tonight as the Wolfpack plays host to South Carolina in the season opener.

Wimsatt, who played for N.C. State in 2001 and 2002, is a 1st Lieutenant in the Marines flying missions in his Cobra attack helicopter. O'Brien said Wimsatt sent him the flag, which was kept in the helicopter with him for a month in April.

"It's seen combat, heroic acts and everything else," said O'Brien, who served in the Marines himself.

As the team comes onto the field, O'Brien has the American flag and the North Carolina state flag carried on to the field by the top scout team players of the week. On Thursday, Paul Horst and Mark Walker will carry the flags.

O'Brien explained the plan Wednesday at the Raleigh Sports Club's weekly lunch meeting. He joked that whoever carries the American flag will have to be strong, because it's larger than the one the team usually carries.

Plan for Glennon. O'Brien's plan for backup quarterback Mike Glennon in the opener might not carry through for the rest of the season.

O'Brien plans to start Russell Wilson against South Carolina and bring redshirt freshman Mike Glennon into the game for a series or two in the second quarter.

"We may not do this every game," O'Brien said. "We're just looking to get him some experience."
O'Brien left no doubt that Wilson is the starter and the team has no plans to work the quarterbacks on an alternating basis.

Redshirt plans. O'Brien plans to redshirt a majority of the freshman class, but identified one first-year player who will play immediately.

Rashard Smith, who returned an interception for a touchdown in his first scrimmage, will be a backup at field cornerback. James Washington, a freshman running back who enrolled early and participated in spring practice, also has a shot at playing, particularly if seniors Toney Baker and Jamelle Eugene don't stay healthy.

Ken Tysiac

ASU's Edwards 'doubtful' against ECU

It's unlikely Appalachian State star quarterback Armanti Edwards will play Saturday when the Mountaineers open their college football season at East Carolina.

Edwards, the Football Championship Subdivision national player of the year last season, is recovering from a lawnmowing accident earlier this summer that required 35 stitches in his right foot four weeks ago. He returned to practice on Monday but has had limited work.

“He’s really doubtful,” Appalachian State coach Jerry Moore said. “His foot is getting better, but we’re like anyone else. We’re not going to put a guy out there if he’s two-thirds ready to play. I doubt seriously that he’ll play.”

If Edwards does not play, he will likely be replaced by sophomore DeAndre Presley. Last season, Presley played in nine games, getting the start against Western Carolina when Edwards was injured.

Presley accounted for 314 yards of total offense and three touchdowns against Western Carolina. He rushed for 156 yards and completed 16 of 25 passes for 158 yards in the victory.

Ron Green Jr.

Pack's Morgan out for opener with ankle injury

N.C. State cornerback DeAndre Morgan will miss Thursday's game against South Carolina with an ankle injury, the school announced Tuesday evening.

Morgan, a returning starter, had been replaced by redshirt freshman C.J. Wilson atop the depth chart last week. Freshman Rashard Smith takes Morgan's place in the No. 2 spot on the depth chart.

Backup center Wayne Crawford also will miss the game with a foot injury. Senior Andy Barbee, who's also the second-team right guard, will back up starting center Ted Larsen.

Other reserves who are out for Saturday's game because of injury include linebacker Ryan Cheek (hip), defensive end Jeff Rieskamp (hip) and safety Javon Walker (knee).

Ken Tysiac

Q&A with N.C. State RB Toney Baker

After missing almost all of the last two seasons with a knee injury, senior Toney Baker returns to the lineup for N.C. State on Thursday night in the season opener against South Carolina.

Baker is listed as the starter at running back on the Wolfpack's depth chart and is completing a rehabilitation effort that started with him being told there was a 50 percent chance he wouldn't play football again. Here's what Baker had to say about returning to the starting lineup:

Q: Can you talk about what your emotions are going to be like Thursday?
A: I know my emotions are going to be up. I understand that. That’s going to be one of my main focuses, too, to keep my composure and keep my mind mentally ready for the game and not just to get to excited or too hyped. I have to be under control.

Q: Is that something that can happen? Can you get too pumped up and lose concentration?
A: Definitely. When you go into a game, depending on the position, it could be a good thing. But at running back I’ve got a lot of assignments as far as the blitz pickups and I’ve got to have my mind set when I’m making reads so I can explode through guys. And that’s what I’m concentrating on.

Q: When you watched Andre (Brown) and Jamelle (Eugene) rotate last year, obviously they would have liked to play more. But they were rotating. Do you think ultimately it made them better backs?
A: No question. . . .especially when you have two backs of that caliber and have somebody to take the load and take the beating like that, especially when they’re different styles. I think in the long run it’s going to help us a lot. It’s going to keep us fresher throughout the year.

Q: Are you and Jamelle different styles?
A: I’d say to an extent, yes. I can run away from you, and I’m more of a power back as well. But Jamelle, he’s more of a quick back, a slasher back. And he’s going to help us a lot in the passing game.

Q: Have there been times in practice when you’ve worked on sets where in the shotgun, for example, when you guys are both on the field trying to use those two different styles?
A: Not really up to this point. We’re just attacking it like just a normal offense. We just rotate in and out.

Q: I guess this is your first time to play with Russell (Wilson).
A: Yeah. That’s really exciting. A player of his caliber with what he brings to the table is just going to open up everybody’s success. That’s tough for a college defense to account for, when you’ve got a guy that can throw the ball like that and take off and be a huge playmaker.

Ken Tysiac