Head coach Tom O'Brien sat down with the print media for about an hour Monday afternoon, and he had plenty of news concerning Wolfpack football. You can listen to most of his comments by clicking on the link.
Notes from O'Brien's comments:
- He revealed that redshirt junior linebacker Nate Irving had a compound fracture in his left leg, a lung punctured by a rib and a separated shoulder that was discovered a few days after his car accident. His lung, rib and shoulder are fine, but the leg is a serious concern.
- In an interesting development, O'Brien said that he did not expect redshirt sophomore quarterback Russell Wilson to be at NC State for the remainder of his three years of eligibility, and that if Wilson is here as a senior that would mean his baseball plans have fallen apart.
- O'Brien reaffirmed that running back Toney Baker will apply for a sixth year of eligibility.
- Redshirt junior receiver Donald Bowens will not be back until mid-October or early November at the earliest. He had surgery to repair an ACL tear in January.
- O'Brien once again confirmed that redshirt freshman quarterback Mike Glennon will play in the first half of the season-opening South Carolina contest to get ready, but the coach also made it clear that Russell Wilson will be the starting quarterback.
- O'Brien said that senior cornerback Koyal George is the leading contender to start at corner with Dominique Ellis gone. Sophomore Dwayne Maddox will get first shot at replacing Nate Irving, but if that does not work they move fifth-year senior Ray Michel or sophomore Sterling Lucas out there.
- Fifth-year senior Andy Barbee is the leading contender to start at right guard.
- Overall he expects this team to be much more competitive. Whether that equals wins or losses remains to be seen, he said.
