WRAL Sports Fan

North Carolina State University

O'Brien answers criticism of sideline demeanor

By Chris Morris

Nov 26, 2009

College football coaches serve as the face of their program, and in many cases, the face of their university.

However, if you look at the expression on Tom O'Brien's face during any given game, you would be hard pressed to know if his team was up by 30, or if they had just thrown a costly interception.

O'Brien's stoic demeanor on the sideline has drawn criticism from some Wolfpack fans, who wish that their head coach would show more emotion.

However, O'Brien says that just because he doesn't wear his heart of his sleeve, don't take that as a sign that his team's struggles aren't effecting him.

"I think I catch a lot of heat because I'm supposedly not emotional," O'Brien told 99.9 FM The Fan ESPN Radio on Wednesday. "As long as you stay the same, I think you can handle things a lot better. You don't get too high and you don't get too low. You have to keep your wits about you.

"Those people that want me to jump off of a building, I'm still not going to jump off of a building. I'm going to keep working and keep moving forward."

It has certainly been an emotional week for the N.C. State program. It was revealed Monday that offensive coordinator Dana Bible is battling leukemia. Bible checked into the cancer center at UNC last Friday to begin treatment, and is expected to remain in the hospital for the next few weeks.

"I wasn't able to speak to him yesterday," O'Brien said of Bible. "He was feeling pretty bad. The positive news is that they have identified what the problem is, so now they know what to fight. We know that he will fight it. He's in the best hospital that our nation has to offer. God willing, he will be home by Christmas."

The loss of Bible is certainly a blow for the Wolfpack, who already have the added pressure of arch-rival North Carolina coming to town on Saturday for the season finale. O'Brien thinks that his team will respond well, despite their thoughts being with their ailing coach.

"At first, I think they were in shock. They'll come out of it as the week goes on," O'Brien said. "They know that they have to play football, and Dana would want them to play football."