NC State locker room report

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Here are quotes from NC State coach Tom O'Brien following Florida State's 34-0 home win over the Pack Saturday at Doak Campbell Stadium.

Opening statement

"That was a good football team we played today and we didn't play very well and when you don't play well against a team of this caliber it ends up the way it ended up today. Certainly, we have to learn from this and get back on the practice field and get ready to play the month of November."

How effective was Florida State's defensive front?

"They play a lot of guys — they probably played 12 guys. They stay after you, they're quick; we didn't give our quarterback enough time to throw, we didn't protect him well enough and it got to him a little bit I think. It's a learning experience for him and he will be better because of this as we go down the road."

Was Mike Glennon holding the ball too long?

"I think we were covered. A couple of times, Dana (Bible, offensive coordinator) said we weren't open. The guy he's (Glennon) looking is stuck at the line of scrimmage or not where he can make the catch. The other thing is, against these guys, you have to try to rush the ball a little better. I mean, 36 yards — I guess their sacks figured in there — but if you can't run the ball and let them pass rush against you all day, you are in trouble."

How good is EJ Manuel?

"He's a special player. He's been the difference in their team. When he went down they had problems. He's back and that's what I said — the last couple of weeks they are back to being a top-10 football team they were. That one second down and forever we got him stopped and I don't know how he gets out of three or four tackles and makes a first down. He's a special player."

How do you put this game behind you?

"You have to. It's the same thing as I said to them in the locker room: You had a heck of a win last week (at Virginia) and you were all excited. Well, as good as that win was is as bad as this loss is. You have to be able to forget about it. We have got to tackle; we didn't tackle well — we could have gotten off the field. You have to protect the quarterback and you have to catch the ball and make plays when you've got a chance.

"Pre-snap penalties got us, too. The five yard penalty before the field goal that we botched anyway, but even if he botches it ... five yards ... that's a 10-3 games. So, a lot of things to take but a lot of that was young guys playing their first game against a defense like that."