WRAL Sports Fan

North Carolina State University

Pack offensive coordinator has leukemia

By Ken Medlin

Nov 24, 2009

N.C. State offensive coordinator Dana Bible has acute promyelocytic leukemia, head football coach Tom O’Brien said Monday.

Bible did not coach the Wolfpack at Virginia Tech on Saturday. O’Brien said Monday that Bible checked into the hospital at UNC on Friday for treatment and will be there for at least 30 days.

Bible, 56, has been the offensive coordinator at N.C. State since coming to Raleigh with O'Brien from Boston College. He played football at Cincinnati and moved into the coaching ranks after that.

Running backs coach Jason Swepson was in the booth at Virginia Tech and called plays down to O'Brien. O'Brien then gave the plays to quarterback Mike Glennon to signal in. 

State likely will use that same system Saturday when they face the Tar Heels.

The Wolfpack will also bring back Jay Civetti. Civetti was a graduate assistant on offense at N.C. State in 2007 and has spent the past two years as offensive coordinator at Division III Tufts.

"He's a tough old guy and he'll fight," O'Brien said of Bible. "Prayers would be welcome, and they're definitely needed."

Bible has coached with O'Brien since 1999.

N.C. State (4-7, 1-6 Atlantic Coast Conference) is fourth in the ACC in total offense (399.2 yards) and fifth in scoring (30.5 points).

"It's a big blow to us," offensive guard Julian Williams said. "He has other things he has to take care of right now and we'll take care of the football."