Y TIM PEELER
RALEIGH, N.C. ? Tom O?Brien will be looking for new offensive and defensive sparks Saturday night when NC State hosts No. 13 South Florida at Carter-Finley Stadium.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Russell Wilson will not play in the contest, O?Brien announced Monday at his weekly press conference, less than an hour after Wilson was named the ACC Offense Back of the Week for his performance in the Wolfpack?s 30-24 overtime victory over No. 15 East Carolina.
Junior reserve Harrison Beck, who started four games last season for the Wolfpack and came off the bench to lead the team to a 38-28 win over William & Mary in the home opener, will start in Wilson?s place, the team?s third starting quarterback in its five games this season..
Wilson, who threw three touchdown passes against the Pirates, suffered an undisclosed injury in the second half of the game but continued to play. He was evaluated on Sunday and O?Brien made the decision then to hold him out of this week?s game, which is slated to kick off at 7:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPNU.
The coach also announced that starting linebacker Nate Irving, the team?s leading tackler, will also miss this weekend?s game with a lower leg injury. Irving suffered the injury in the first half of Saturday?s win over East Carolina. He attempted to return in the second half, but missed most of the rest of the game.
True freshman Dwayne Maddox, who replaced Irving Saturday, will start at weakside linebacker with redshirt freshman Audie Cole as his backup.
The new injuries to Wilson and Irving are the latest in a string of ailments that date to the beginning of fall football practice. Wilson missed the William & Mary game earlier this year after suffering a concussion against South Carolina in the season-opener. Tailbacks Jamelle Eugene and Toney Baker have missed most of the season with injuries, tight ends Anthony Hill and Matt Kushner are currently missing from the lineup because of injury, wide receiver Donald Bowens is out of the season with a back injury and defensive tackle Alan Michael Cash is out of the lineup with an injury.
?I have never seen a situation like this in any school I have ever been at,? O?Brien said Monday. ?But it is what we have been dealing with all year. That?s the amazing thing about the win on Saturday. What a tremendous job this coaching staff and these kids have done. We have nine or 10 starters that aren?t playing. It?s consistently been that way all season long.
?When you look at the schedule we have played, it?s amazing we have played the way we have.?
Four of the first five opponents the Wolfpack (2-2 overall, 0-1 ACC) have played have been ranked in the Top 25 at some point this season.
?That puts into perspective what a great victory it was, to come out and play and finish the game against East Carolina,? O?Brien said. ?Credit to the coaching staff and great credit to the kids that are hanging in there and healthy enough to play for us.
?We certainly don?t want to go into our fifth game with our third different quarterback, but that is where we are. We have to button our chinstrap, hitch up our britches and go to work against South Florida.?
Wilson?s play was key to the Wolfpack?s win over East Carolina. After the Pirates took a 24-17 lead with less than five minutes remaining in regulation, the native of Richmond led the Wolfpack on a seven-play, 55-yard drive to tie the game, completing four of his five passes. He opened the drive with a 26-yard pass to sophomore Jarvis Williams and followed it up with a 17-yard flare pass to Andre Brown.
He put the Wolfpack in position to score with an 8-yard pass to tight end George Bryan, then hit him again on a press-box-reviewed pass in the back of the end zone with 1:12 remaining on the clock. Placekicker Josh Cjazkowski?s extra point tied the game at 24.
The Wolfpack won the game in overtime after its defense forced East Carolina quarterback Patrick Pinkney to fumble on the Pirates? possession and Brown scored on a 10-yard touchdown run.
Wilson competed 21 of his 31 passes in the game for 210 yards. He also scrambled for 26 yards on 12 carries. He did not throw an interception in the contest and was sacked only once.
Wilson also missed much of the season-opener against South Carolina, after being knocked unconscious and suffering a concussion. He missed the William & Mary game while recovering from his head injury.
This is just the second meeting between NC State and South Florida. The Wolfpack beat the Bulls 14-0 in the 2005 Meineke Car Care Bowl at Charlotte?s Bank of America Stadium.
The Wolfpack has the opportunity to beat Top 15 teams in back-to-back games for the first time since it beat No. 14 Florida State and No. 11 Notre Dame at the end of the 2002 season.
