GAME PREVIEW: NC STATE vs BOSTON COLLEGE

NC STATE WOLFPACK vs. BOSTON COLLEGE EAGLES

Kickoff: 3:30pm
Location: Chestnut Hill, Mass.
Television: ABC
Records: Wolfpack (3-3, 0-2 ACC) , Eagles (4-2, 2-2 ACC)

Today the Wolfpack will be looking to notch their first ACC victory as they take to the road to face Boston college. After a heartbreaking loss to Wake and a complete second half collapse against Duke, Coach O'Brien and the Wolfpack are desperate for a victory. This week the Wolfpack secondary started from scratch and sured up some definite problems that were allowing opposing offenses to have career days against the Pack. "We just needed to get in the film room. This week guys are in the film room and making sure we're all on the same page." said safety Clem Johnson. With an offense that has been better than average, the Pack defense will need to stop a powerful running game at BC if they want to walk away victorious.

The Wolfpack will need to put the stops on BC runningback, Montel Harris, who is averaging near 5 yards per carry and already has amassed 492 yards and five scores. He's a compact runner that is still only a sophomore and is getting better each week. Stopping the running game is not something that the Pack has had much trouble with, it's been the soft secondary that has been the Achilles heel. Dave Shinskie, a freshman quarterback that has been decent for the Eagles will try his hand this week. The past two weeks, State has gone up against two extremely hot hands in seniors Riley Skinner of Wake and Thad Lewis of Duke who had been torching opponents prior to the matchup. This week they go against a pretty cold hand in Shinskie with only completed 1 of 12 passes for four yards and two interceptions against VT last week. Shinskie was replaced by Justin Tuggle last week, but has been renamed as the starter against the Pack. If ever there was an opportunity to turn things around
for the secondary, this is it.


O'Brien Returns to Chestnut Hill
Tom O'Brien will make his second return trip to Boston College this week, a place where he spent 10 seasons on the home sidelines. The first ACC game that O'Brien ever coached at NC State was also at BC on September 8, 2007.

During his tenure with the Eagles, the posted eight consecutive winning seasons, an NCAA-best six consecutive bowl victories and posted more victories than any other coach in school history with a 75-45 record. He also won the American Football Coaches' Association Academic Achievement Award in 2004 for posting a 100% graduation rate, and won honorable mention status several times.

The first time the Pack's head coach took his new team to play his old team, the result wasn't a good one for the Pack. Although they did lead 10-7 after the first quarter and was only down a touchdown at the half, seven turnovers led to a runaway 20-point BC victory. (BC was playing with all Tom O'Brien recruits)

Homecoming for Wolfpack Staff
Tom O'Brien isn't the only member of the Wolfpack staff who spent a great deal of time with the BC program. Six members of his staff at NC State followed the boss from BC when he took the job in December of 2006.

Another member of the staff played at BC before his coaching career. The Pack strength and conditioning coach and the director of operations both joined the Pack from the Eagles' program as well.

Pack-Eagles Close at Home, Not on Road
In the four games that State and BC have played against each other in 'modern' times, the Eagles have posted a 3-1 record over the Pack. In the last two games at Chestnut Hill, BC won by a 20 point margin each time. In the games played in Raleigh, the Pack won by two, two years ago and lost by only seven last year.

**Some information provided by NC State Media Relations