By CHIP ALEXANDER, Staff Writer


RALEIGH -- N.C. State coach Chuck Amato called the Wolfpack a "beat-up football team" Saturday after the Pack's 49-21 victory over Texas Tech.
How beat up? That won't be known until today, when an official injury update is provided by the school.

Amato wouldn't comment Sunday on the severity of the leg injury to tailback T.A. McLendon. The sophomore came up limping after a 67-yard run early in the second half that was the longest of his college career.

The injury was first described as cramping in McLendon's left leg. Amato, after the game, said it might be a hamstring pull.

McLendon, who rushed for 115 yards on 10 carries against Texas Tech, vowed he would be able to play this Saturday when the Pack (2-2) faces North Carolina (0-3) at Carter-Finley Stadium.

The Texas Tech game took its toll on the Wolfpack physically.

Receiver Tramain Hall was woozy after making a block. Rover Andre Maddox was slow in getting up after a tackle and left the field, and others were slowed.

Quarterback Philip Rivers, who injured his left shoulder in the loss at Ohio State, landed on it again early in the game after being sacked. Rivers later described it as a "funny shot" and played most of the game, completing 18 of 22 passes for 257 yards and a touchdown.

"It wasn't even a big hit," Rivers said. "They padded it up and it calmed down. It's part of it."

Injuries could be a big part of Saturday's game against the Tar Heels, especially if McLendon isn't healthy enough to play or if his effectiveness is limited.

The Pack has not beaten the Tar Heels at Carter-Finley since 1991, and Wolfpack fans are aching for a victory over the school's biggest rival. But it's clear State is a far better team with McLendon running the ball, and he punished UNC for 164 yards rushing last year in State's 34-17 victory.

"No question we're a different team with T.A.," Amato said.

Against Texas Tech, McLendon broke off a 29-yard touchdown run, knocking over Red Raiders defenders like a city bus running a curb and flattening a stop sign.

But Amato has other concerns, as well.

Texas Tech's B.J. Symons passed for 586 yards, the most ever against NCSU. Symons, a fifth-year senior, completed 39 of 63 passes, and 15 of the completions went for 15 or more yards.

Tech spread the field with receivers and threw short and long, and the Pack did a little bit of everything to try and slow down its passing game. State would rush three and drop eight, play five and six defensive backs, mix up blitzes and coverages.

"I don't like all those yards anymore than anyone else," Amato said Sunday. "We had a lot of breakdowns. We've got to stop the big plays. They had guys wide open, and that makes it too easy to throw.

"We had pretty good coverage early in the game. We'd stop 'em, stop 'em, then a big play. We have to cut that down."

The Pack defense was tough enough in the red zone, though. And of Symons' passing total, 175 yards came in the fourth quarter after State had built a 35-7 lead.

"I don't know that [NCSU] was doing things defensively that was giving us problems," Symons told the Lubbock (Texas) Avalanche-Journal. "I know for a fact that wasn't the case. We just didn't capitalize on our opportunities."

Amato, like most coaches, prefers to dwell on the positives of the victory. State had 217 yards rushing. Freshman defensive end Mario Williams continues to improve. John Deraney boomed seven kickoffs that were so deep they could not be returned.

State's special teams also forced a fumble on a punt, blocked a punt for a touchdown and snuffed out a fake field-goal try by the Raiders.

But it's the Pack's pass defense that should get the most work this week in practice. UNC's Darian Durant is an accurate thrower and the Heels have some offensive playmakers.

"The quarterback we're playing this week is as dangerous or more than the one we just saw," Amato said.

Wolfpack fans can chew on that for a day while they wait to hear about McLendon's injury.
Staff writer Chip Alexander can be reached at 829-8945 or chipa@newsobserver.com