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 Double trouble for Wolfpack Hurricane, FSU making week unpleasant for N.C. State
Posted: Wednesday September 15, 1999 03:50 PM
The only Floyd anybody in North Carolina ever really cared about was the guy who cut hair on "The Andy Griffith Show." That has all changed in the last two days, as a major hurricane with the same name took aim at the state, after skirting the Florida, Georgia and South Carolina coasts. While the weather for the weekend is supposed to be fine, when Duke hosts Northwestern in Durham, N.C., Thursday and Friday could be horrible, and that could create havoc for N.C. State's travel plans. The Wolfpack is scheduled to play at Florida State Saturday at 3:30 p.m. and was planning to leave Friday at 1 p.m. But the last time a hurricane came through, the Raleigh-Durham International Airport shut down and made a mess out of all commercial travel plans. "We are in a state of turmoil right now," Wolfpack coach Mike O'Cain said. "If the airport comes through this thing OK, then we should be fine." Floyd is on a path to come ashore near Wilmington Thursday morning and the eye could pass near Raleigh later in the day. In 1996, Hurricane Fran took a similar path and caused extensive damage in the Raleigh area, including closing down the airport for a day. That storm hit the area at 1 a.m. on a Friday, but did not prevent North Carolina from taking a charter plane to Syracuse, where they upset the No. 9 Orangemen. O'Cain hopes his team is as fortunate, but he says the Wolfpack's practice plans for this week have already been significantly altered. Wednesday's practice will likely be inside, and the coach has instructed all of his players and assistants to stay inside all day Thursday, when the huge storm is expected to blow through the area. "It's very difficult to plan anything right now," O'Cain said. "We will get our team together around 6 p.m. Thursday, after everything passes, but it will basically be just a walk-through. We will not get done what we need to do to prepare. We'll be getting on a plane Friday with essentially only two days of work." To make matters worse, the Seminoles are mad at N.C. State, which handed FSU only its second loss ever, 24-7, to an ACC opponent last year. Holes to fill Florida State's defense, ranked No. 1 in the nation last year, is licking pretty significant wounds to the ego. Georgia Tech, and its scatback quarterback Joe Hamilton, rolled up 501 yards Saturday night, the most ever by an ACC school against the Seminoles. "I am not alarmed,'' Bobby Bowden said. "Everything is correctable. In fact, it just might be what we needed." No other team the last two years has burned the Seminoles like N.C. State. Over the last seven quarters, the Wolfpack has outscored FSU 59-28. However, seven of those touchdowns were scored by former N.C. State All-America Torry Holt, who is no longer around. The Wolfpack offense churned last week against Division I-AA William & Mary, but has been mostly ineffective in the team's other two games.
Injuries galore early onThe ACC loaded the early part of its schedule with its biggest games, hoping that increased exposure and timing of the games would help its second-place school get a shot at one of the two at-large bids into the BCS. Georgia Tech, which lost to the Seminoles, fell out of the top 10, but only to No. 12. They could easily return to a higher ranking as teams above them lose later in the season.However, some teams may be paying for playing big games early with significant injuries. Florida State fullback William McCray was injured in practice last week and is lost for the season. Georgia Tech lost tailback Joe Burns for the season with a broken leg. North Carolina lost preseason All-America linebacker Brandon Spoon with a torn biceps muscle in his left arm. Duke quarterback Spencer Romine has a separated shoulder and probably won't play this week against Northwestern. And Virginia's entire defense has been ravaged with injuries, especially in the secondary, where cornerback Dwayne Stukes won't play this weekend and safety Antwan Harris is questionable. "I don't think the two things are related, having the big games early,'' O'Leary said. "People can get hurt any time." The loss of Spoon, who will have surgery Thursday and may be out for the year, may have the biggest impact of all. He was one of only two senior starters for the Tar Heels, who were already dangerously thin at linebacker. Spoon was not only a starting outside linebacker, but also the backup middle linebacker. In essence, the Tar Heels have lost two players instead of one. UNC coach Carl Torbush plans to use three players, none even close in talent or experience, to replace Spoon. Senior Shawn Woodard and sophomore Quincy Monk will replace Spoon at outside linebacker and junior Tim Burgess will back up Merceda Perry at middle linebacker. The Tar Heels defense did not fare well against Indiana's option attack, giving up 168 yards to Levron Williams and playing one of its worst games in recent memory, according to Torbush.
Bowden's mid-game interview angers someSome ACC coaches, particularly Virginia sourpuss George Welsh, weren't exactly thrilled when Florida State coach Bobby Bowden spoke with an ABC sideline reporter at the end of the first and third quarters Saturday night, even as his team was playing Georgia Tech behind him. Other coaches might have talked going into or coming out of the halftime lockerroom, but in the middle of a game?"That's not a problem -- when our defense is out there on the field, I am just standing around picking my nose," Bowden said. "It's a personal choice, I guess," Welsh said. "But I would never do it." ABC wanted to put a microphone on Bowden for a quarter, but he didn't allow that. But he was fairly agreeable, perhaps because one of his sons, Terry, is an ABC employee. "I was just trying to get him a job,'' Bowden said.
Kane doWake Forest, known for its dangerous receivers and prolific passing attack the last couple of years, wanted to put a bigger emphasis on its ineffective running game this year. So far, it's worked.Senior Morgan Kane, who was switched in the off-season to tailback from fullback, had a career game last week in the season-opener at Army, rushing for 212 yards and two touchdowns on 32 carries. The performance pleased Demon Deacon coach Jim Caldwell, but he's not ready to put Kane back at tailback full time just yet "He's had one good game,'' Caldwell said. "I think the jury is still out. He will have a pretty good test this week." The Deacons play at Virginia, which has an injury-decimated defense.
Worth NotingN.C. State sophomore tailback Ray Robinson (ankle sprain) is expected to be available for Saturday's game, though he's running at about 75 percent effectiveness. ... Maryland is 2-0 for the first time in five years. Since 1980, the Terrapins have gone to 3-0 three times by beating West Virginia, which visits the Terrapins this weekend. ... Three Florida State players were cleared to return to practice this week after recovering from injuries: running back Davey Ford (reconstructive knee surgery), wide recevier Marvin Minnis (broken foot) and guard Jerry Carmichael (knee injury). ... North Carolina and Clemson are both off this weekend.Tim Peeler covers the ACC for the Greensboro (N.C.) News & Record. Check back each Wednesday for his latest CNN/SI Insider.
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By Tim Peeler, Special to CNN/SI
