Wolfpack Cracks Top-10 With Top Defense
NC State defense is ranked No. 1 in ACC.
Oct. 28, 2002
By DAVID DROSCHAK AP Sports Writer
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Chuck Amato believes a good defense goes together with winning championships. Undefeated NC State is well on its way to having both in 2002.
The 10th-ranked Wolfpack (9-0, 4-0 ACC) heads into Saturday's game against Georgia Tech with the league's top defense, allowing 301.4 yards a game.
The Wolfpack last led the ACC in defense in 1988 thanks to five All-ACC players.
N.C. State's improvement has come without a defensive coordinator. Buddy Green left in the offseason for the same position at Navy, and Amato decided he and his other defensive coaches would split the duties.
So far so good. The Wolfpack has allowed an average of 14.5 points in their four ACC wins over Wake Forest, North Carolina, Duke and Clemson. NC State allowed 23.1 points in eight league games last season.
This spring, Amato noticed more speed on the field and decided to simplify things, relying on more aggressive playing and fewer schemes.
At first, the change didn't sit well with his staff.
"The defensive coaches were so upset with me," Amato said Monday. "We played two coverages all spring. We played one man coverage and one zone coverage - and that was it. I told them I didn't care if the offense ran up and down the field on them.
"I said, `Gentlemen you don't understand. It's all about execution. It's not who has 83 coverages.' It's not what we know, it's what those kids know."
NC State leads the nation with 36 sacks, breaking the school mark of 35 set in 1992. The defense has also recorded 85 tackles for loss and Shawn Price has returned two fumbles for touchdowns.
Price is part of a senior-dominated defensive line that has been a key for the Wolfpack defense.
"That's where it all starts," Amato said. "If you can't dominate up front, you're going to get your butt waxed. People will be able to do whatever they want to against you."
Amato believes his line will get its biggest test yet against the Yellow Jackets.
"Can we withstand a big, physical (offensive) front?" he said. "We'll find out this weekend."
NC State's defense was questioned after a letdown at Texas Tech in which it allowed 35 second-half points, and a week later by allowing 24 points against Division I-AA Massachusetts.
But since then, the Wolfpack has allowed 17, 22 and 6 points in three key ACC wins.
"They've got a lot of pride in themselves," Amato said. "We're getting better people in the box. The grunting and groaning is where it all starts."
Like Price, Terrance Martin is a junior college player who has played two seasons under Amato and is making an impact on the defensive front.
Amato comes from a defensive background after serving as an assistant for nearly two decades at Florida State. Martin said Amato spends about 85 percent of practice with the defense.
"I love seeing him over there with us," Martin said. "He speaks about how physical you've got to play, and he knows what it takes to win on defense."
Amato said the true test for his defense will come in the final four ACC games against the Yellow Jackets, Maryland, Virginia and Florida State.
"If we can play with the consistency and the intensity defensively that we did Thursday (against Clemson) for four games, we will have improved," Amato said.
NC State Football
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