Pressure on O'Brien to finish strong

UNC gets late dramatics to top NC State, 43-35

N.C. State head coach Tom O'Brien during the North Carolina Tar Heels vs. N.C. State Wolfpack NCAA football game, Saturday, October 27, 2012 in Chapel Hill, N.C.

By Joe Ovies
Oct 29, 2012

comments

POST VIEW

"Are you finished?"

A simple question put forward to NC State players by head coach Tom O'Brien after Giovani Bernard ripped out their hearts in Chapel Hill. According to O'Brien, the team responded with an angry "no."

It's now up to the coaching staff to properly channel that anger in the final stretch of the season.

The Atlantic Division is out of reach unless Florida State wants to hand it back to the Wolfpack with another loss of their own, but the Wolfpack can still close out the year with 9 wins. NC State historically responds well after losses under O'Brien and they have a favorable home schedule with contests against Virginia, Wake Forest and Boston College (8-16 combined this year). The great unknown will occur in Death Valley, where the concepts of "NC State Stuff" and "Clemsoning" will do battle. Slideshow Slideshow: UNC gets late dramatics to top NC State, 43-35

"Are you finished?"

Pose that same question to NC State fans and the answer might be different from the players. No doubt athletics director Debbie Yow spent a good chunk of the weekend soothing another round of baby colic from angry fans, which is expected after such a dramatic loss to the in-state rival.

The winning streak and potential ACC title run are toast, so the knee-jerk reaction is to demand change in Raleigh. Worse would be to completely check out on football and simply turn attention to a hyped basketball season. The damning apathy would be ironic considering a similar line of thinking has been fodder to blast North Carolina fans the last five years. More Info NCSU offensive leaders

It's natural for fans to already have their minds made up about a coach by the time they enter their sixth season. O'Brien detractors? Quick to pounce on conservative play-calling against North Carolina and the soft defense against Maryland that was bailed out by a lucky bounce off the goalpost. O'Brien supporters? Rationally not throwing out five years of beating the Tar Heels and viewing November optimistically.

Either way, Yow is in a tricky spot with O'Brien.

So let's go ahead and put this out there since folks are bringing it up. O'Brien is probably safe if NC State gets to at least 8 wins and a quality bowl game.

Regardless of where you stand, know this -- it would be difficult to sell NC State to prospective coaches after firing a guy who potentially wins 9 games with a bowl victory and tripped up once against the rival. This ain't the SEC.

Most Recent Comments

View All Comments

RE: Pressure on O'Brien to finish strong

Hit the road Jack and don't ya come back no more no more!...Just an absolute meltdown by the Pack last week and this one. I think Mike London moved more in one down series than Tom O'Brian did the entire game..Mr. Enthusiasm bneeds to lead by example and not Nightime Nyquil...

Pressure on TOB to finish strong,

TOB is basically the Herb Sendek of football. Both ar/were good, if uninspiring coaches, both usually have/had winning records, and bring their teams to post season play. I can understand why State fans are fed up - TOB only gets you so far, and all you have to do is look at what Gott did in ONE year with Sid's recruits. I think State will finish with 8 wins (Clemson is the only ?-mark), and its kind of tough to can a coach who wins 8 games.
- Posted by jgunn

Thank you, Jgunn, you just gave a great opinion about TOB & Sendek, and congrats on your heels winning the game last weekend.

RE: Pressure on O'Brien to finish strong

I'm just curious, but is Ovies saying that no program can ever fire a coach if they have a winning record?

I'm still behind TOB, but I strongly question this statement.
- Posted by Thorpedoed v2

I hope since you're still behind him, would you just pls push him out as the fball coach here at NC State. He has already reach his ceiling here, so thank you getting the program back on soild ground, but you ( TOB ) is not the coach that can get us to the level where we're winning divisional & the title game every 3 or 4 yrs. Its time for new coach at the ending of season even if he does finish 8 -4 with bowl game win.

RE: Pressure on O'Brien to finish strong

Hehehe... unc fans crack me up. 1 win in a half dozen years and they want state to fire coach obrien! He handed you a victory, you should join the wolfpack club...
- Posted by shakennotstirred

I agree, you're cracked. Why would UNC fans want TOB fired?
- Posted by snapjack

...and why would unc fans want legitimate classes for their athletes to have to attend? we like it just the way it is. let us cheat all we want and allow umpteen dumbazz fball players into school so we can finish in the middle of the pack in a mediocre conference. that's known as the carowhina way!

RE: Pressure on O'Brien to finish strong

Hehehe... unc fans crack me up. 1 win in a half dozen years and they want state to fire coach obrien! He handed you a victory, you should join the wolfpack club...
- Posted by shakennotstirred

I agree, you're cracked. Why would UNC fans want TOB fired?

View All Comments

WRAL Sports Fan

Joe Ovies