Wolfpack aims to put out the Flames

Ohio State, North Carolina State, Miami, Georgia Tech and a myriad of other collegiate football programs have stolen the headlines nationally from what might be one of the biggest stories of the year.

Former quarterback Russell Wilson is now a Badger, and has his first career win away from N.C . State.

That story has stolen the local headlines away from players who are stepping up on the offensive side of the ball for the Wolfpack this season.

An early season football matchup against Liberty may not draw attention like a matchup between No. 3 Oregon and No. 4 LSU. But on Saturday, all eyes will be focused on the 6-foot, 6-inch redshirt junior quarterback Mike Glennon , who has been praised by coaches and players alike to perform as well as, if not better, than Wilson.

Senior wide receiver T.J . Graham said his understanding of Glennon should help them in difficult situations throughout the game.

“He knows what I like to do and I know what he wants to do,” Graham said. “So if a play starts breaking down, I know what he wants me to do and I know where the ball’s going. That relationship should show on the field this year, so it’s going to be really fun.”

While Glennon may be the focal point for local and national media outlets, his teammates know they have to step up as a team to help take the pressure off him.

Graham said Glennon has been performing well, but the key component to the passing game running smoothly will rely solely in the receiver’s hands.

“Mike’s passes are crisp, so the passing game is crisp, that’s really all there is to it,” Graham said. “The ball will be there for us, we just have to catch it.”

Glennon may be the star quarterback for the Pack, but Liberty’s signal-caller is no slouch. Mike Brown, a three-time captain and two-time Big South preseason offensive player of the year, is a 6-foot, 1-inch quarterback who may remind a lot of State fans of another quarterback with a slightly smaller build than the norm.

Brown passed for 2,956 yards along with 854 yards rushing in his junior season. The Charlottesville, Va . native may be worrisome for the Pack on the offensive side of the ball, but defensively, look no further than 6-foot, 5-inch, 380-pound defensive lineman Asa Chapman.

At the Division I-AA level, the Flames have been on fire. They have won the last four straight Big South conference titles and compiled an 8-3 record last season.

While Glennon knows the threat of players like Chapman and Brown on the other side of the ball, he said he plans to go out to the field focused on one thing.

“I just want to compete and get a win,” Glennon said. “I don’t care how we do it. Hopefully get my first win as a starter and move on to week two.”

Another headline for State in the last week has been the announcement of junior James Washington as the starting running back on the depth chart. After it was released that sophomore Mustafa Greene would have to undergo foot surgery in the offseason and would not return until early October, the position appeared to be up for grabs for Washington or redshirt senior Curtis Underwood, Jr .

Though speculation may have been swirling as to which of the running backs would receive the starting nod, Washington said he felt the starting job was his from the opening of camp.

“I started off [in the spring] as the starter,” Washington said. “So hearing that I’m the starter tells me that I’ve held down my position throughout training camp.”

Last year at this time, it was believed that Washington would be the starter by media outlets coming out of practice. But after a hampering hamstring issue held him out of the first five weeks, two inexperienced running backs, Dean Haynes and Greene, took over the duties in the backfield.

This year, though, Washington said he is content with his position on the team.

“It’s reassuring to know that I was able to hold down my spot,” Washington said. “Last year I wasn’t able to hold up because of injuries and other stuff. It’s a big relief. Last year it was really tough having to sit out and watch other players take over.”

While players under coach Tom O’Brien never look ahead to future games, Glennon had a bold statement to make about this season for the Pack.

“I don’t see any reason why we can’t win them all,” Glennon said. “I mean, I know that’s a big statement, but I think it’s a legitimate statement. We have the talent and we have put in the work. There’s not a game on the schedule that I think we can’t win.”