There was ample pressure on Jay Davis and the other quarterbacks who attempted to follow Philip Rivers. With Russell Wilson still in college and now getting more national spotlight than his former team, it’s hard to imagine circumstances less favorable than Mike Glennon’s .
He’s the successor to a beloved former Wolfpack star and Heisman candidate in the midst of a red-hot start for a national championship contender. Chants for that departed star could be heard early in the season opener. Detrimental as they were, that likely won’t be the last we have heard of such remarks.
However, none of this appears to be fazing Glennon . Despite how thoroughly the Pack disappointed in Saturday’s loss to 2010 ACC cellar dweller Wake Forest, his 315-yard, three-touchdown performance was a bright spot, not a problem.
Whether or not the well-documented story of Wilson’s departure is indeed increasing the heat on Glennon is debatable. But the second-half pressure on him Saturday in Winston-Salem was undeniable.
On the road and trailing an in-state and ACC rival by 21 points, his team wasn’t just getting beaten, it was getting embarrassed by a Wake squad beaten by 30 or more points in five of its nine losses a year ago.
But, after a 10-play, 49-yard drive failed to yield any points after Wake Forest made it 27-6, Glennon caught fire the next time the Pack took over. Capitalizing on great field possession, he found T.J . Graham along the sideline for 19 yards, then tight end George Bryan over the middle for 19 more and a touchdown.
Wake answered with a quick score to regain its 21-point lead, this time with 1:16 to play in the third quarter. With the score and time virtually ruling out the threat of handoffs , Glennon took to the air and found Tobias Palmer for a 65-yard touchdown to make it 34-20.
The Deacs maintained their lead until State took over at its own 37 with 5:56 remaining. After three incompletions , Glennon faced what will hopefully be one of the least favorable downs of the year. On fourth-and-10, at this point, an incompletion would have virtually ended it. For good measure, Wake blitzed the house and had two defenders in Glennon’s face almost immediately. But his pass to Graham was perfect anyway, and the senior speedster took it, with Glennon still flat on his back, to keep the Pack alive.
Taking over with 3:26 left in the fourth quarter, the Pack’s signal caller was finally in a position to tie the game. His attempt at a game-tying march fell short after he hit Bryan in the hands on third-and-8 but watched it fall incomplete anyway. He was unable to hook up with Graham one play later for the second game saving fourth down completion of the afternoon.
Despite all the pressure brought on by a big deficit, a handful of dropped passes and a defense teeing off on him, Glennon looked a lot more like a poised star at home than a second-year starter trailing big in his first road game. It wasn’t enough to score a victory, but it made a resounding and encouraging statement on an afternoon that was largely depressing otherwise – regardless of the score, as long as Glennon’s in the game, the Pack is too.
