Critiquing Tom O’Brien

NCS Football Tom O'Brien65

Taking stock of our football program, I thought I would take a different tack and list all of the things I wish we could change about Tom O’Brien. Here’s what I came up with:

1) I wish he was 10 years younger.

Seriously, this man is the best coach NC State has had since one James T. Valvano. Let’s just hope he’s exercising, eating right, and wants to coach until he’s 80.

About BJD95

1995 NC State graduate, sufferer of Les and MOC during my entire student tenure. An equal-opportunity objective critic and analyst of Wolfpack sports.

NCS Football Tom O'Brien

65 Responses to Critiquing Tom O’Brien

  1. Daily Update 11/24/2008 at 3:17 PM #

    Have we been favored in a single game this season? There was no spread for the game against W&M.

    We were even underdogs at Duke, so I can’t imagine we were favored in any other game.

  2. CarnifeX 11/24/2008 at 3:25 PM #

    No critique. Love the guy. Perfect fit at NCSU.

    Only concern is the quality of recruiting, I don’t have any inside info or anything, however, I am concerned for the defensive recruiting and hope that we can keep getting the caliber of player that we have here now. That will be key to TOB’s success.

  3. MrPlywood 11/24/2008 at 3:26 PM #

    State gets some ESPN love, #4 in their ACC Power Rankings:

    4. NC State — The Wolfpack have won three straight behind the play of quarterback Russell Wilson, and this past weekend he got an equally impressive performance from the defense against rival UNC. The Pack needs to beat Miami to become bowl eligible.

    http://myespn.go.com/blogs/ncfnation?tag=power%20rankings%2013

  4. Clarksa 11/24/2008 at 3:49 PM #

    The kicker of it all is that TOB also call UNC-CH to inquire about their vacancy…but they had to make the “splash hire.”

  5. choppack1 11/24/2008 at 3:56 PM #

    Having seen our last 2 football coaches flame out after respectable starts (both MOC and Amato had decent first 2 years) – I don’t dare declare a coach successful until he retires or is wrongly forced out by a short-sighted, cowardly and pig-headed administration.

    However, I’m seeing a team that is playing smart football and is well prepared for its rival for the first time since Dick Sheridan graced our sidelines.

    I think RickJ makes an excellent point. Beat UNC is great – and will definitely buy TOB a long career at NC State. However, the true success of his tenure will not just be measured by how he does against the Heels and the Pirates or even how many state titles he wins. Rather, will he be able to consistently win at least 8 games. Or perhaps better put – can he consistently go at least 4-4 in the conference. (4-4 should be an “OK” season – not your best season -or even your second best season.)

    I’m really interested in seeing what team shows up vs. the “U” Saturday. We really need this game for so many reasons. As it painful as it would be to lose a close one – I certainly don’t want to see us lay down and die like we did vs. UMd. (I have my own theories as to why that happened and suffice to say, unless a certain someone is injured, I don’t think you see the same result again.)

    The only bad news I can think of about winning is that TOBs name will be tossed around for openings if we complete this remarkable turnaround.

  6. Noah 11/24/2008 at 4:14 PM #

    If he’s here, the guy who will get the gig after O’Brien is Dana Bible.

  7. triadwolf 11/24/2008 at 4:16 PM #

    I think it is difficult to compare RW’s mental game with Rivers’. Rivers was asked to do different things. I think the emphasis with him was on making plays vs. making good decisions; Amato was much more aggressive. Also, Rivers had a lot of talent and depth around him; say what you want about MOC, but he left Amato with a pretty talented group of players. And don’t forget that Rivers was a true freshman vs. a redshirt freshman. No matter what we are blessed to have 2 such quarterbacks within such a relatively short period of time. Hell we aren’t even talking about Glennon yet and he’s been marketed as possibly the best QB recruit ever in the program. Future looks bright…

  8. nav 11/24/2008 at 4:39 PM #

    Congrats to Russell Willson named Co-Offensive Back of the week in the ACC and Meares Green named Co-Offensive lineman of the week.

  9. SEAT.5.F.2 11/24/2008 at 5:49 PM #

    I would keep an eye on Andy McCollum as far an Asst. that might be given an HC offer. He’s done it at MTSU and is widely recognized as a gifted eye for talent.

    Any player we can get from Ga or Florida is hugely impacted by this guy. Honestly would like the idea of him taking over here after TOB retires.

  10. tractor57 11/24/2008 at 6:23 PM #

    No criticism of TOB at all here – not even the age. I think the age brings perspective that works in our favor.
    Not only am I pleased with the on field performance of late I’m also proud of the way our young men are carrying themselves.

  11. RagingWolf 11/24/2008 at 6:54 PM #

    tractor 57,

    I will agree that we are making improvements in the “behavior” category but I could have done without the “digging the grave” antics on the sidelines. Seeing Bryan hand the ball to the official after his TD and then celebrate with his teammates was a refreshing sight.

  12. LRM 11/24/2008 at 7:17 PM #

    The Meineke Bowl in 2005 was an absolute nightmare. One Will Call window for every ticket sold through the Wolfpack Club, and several thousand of us still in line at the end of the first quarter.

    How about we beat Miami and go somewhere new, like Nashville?

  13. cWOhLFrPAiCKs 11/24/2008 at 7:29 PM #

    I’d be down for Nashville.

    Raging Wolf, I must have missed the “digging the grave” motions on the sideline, but I would be very surprised if O’Brien didn’t address it at some point this week.

    Cannot say enough about the way his teams come out of the bye week! If we can go to a bowl this year, then the extra practice and big-game experience will pay off huge next year.

    I don’t think enough can be said about the way that Tom O’Brien manages his program, from the attitude of the players on and off the field, the consistency he preaches, and his long-term outlook for NC State. I have no doubt that we will go bowling next year (if not this year!) and LRM, I agree that by 2010 we will be heading to Charlotte come championship time!

    GO PACK!

  14. RagingWolf 11/24/2008 at 7:42 PM #

    Of course we need to take care of business on Saturday (no jinxing allowed) but does anyone know what dates these bowl games are held? Charlotte and Nashville?

  15. Big Worm 11/24/2008 at 8:42 PM #

    “If he’s here, the guy who will get the gig after O’Brien is Dana Bible.”

    No slight on Dana, but truthfully, I hope not. The list of experienced assistants (15-20+ years experience) that were eventually promoted to head coach and excelled is extremely short, to say the least. Lifelong assistants are such for a reason. If they had the gumption, or skill set, to be a #1 guy it would have showed, and they would have gotten the opportunity, long ago.

    Norm Chow is the same way. The best offensive coordinator in the history of college football, but I wouldn’t touch the guy with a 10-foot pole if I were looking for a head guy. The skill sets for the two roles may overlap some, but the head coaching skill set is much, much broader and more varied.

    When TOB retires, go get a young assistant or proven head coach, not an experienced assistant.

  16. Noah 11/24/2008 at 9:56 PM #

    My personal opinion is that when O’Brien retires, we should open up the coaching search and go find the best coach in the country. But they very rarely consult me on this things.

  17. wufpup76 11/24/2008 at 10:09 PM #

    I hope someone – ANYONE – just saw Danny Green get absolutely rejected on a dunk attempt by that Chaminade guy … The swat and reaction were PRICELESS!

  18. Dogbreath 11/24/2008 at 10:20 PM #

    Any chance O’brien can pull a Barry Alvarez and run our athletics department while coaching the football team? Can we move Jed out?

  19. LRM 11/24/2008 at 10:23 PM #

    When Carolina fans are complaining that we were classless for running up the score and using all kinds of perverted transitive rationale for why their program is leagues above ours (apparently they’re too busy winning championships to bother with us), then you know it’s been a truly great 48 hours.

    But next year, instead of “running up the score” at the end with those trick plays like halfback off-tackle and inside handoffs, I suggest we just kneel four times instead, like Florida State did to us in 1995, leading 77-17 with just a few minutes remaining and a first-and-goal inside the five…although, I’m sure there will be something classless about that, too.

  20. Greywolf 11/24/2008 at 10:30 PM #

    Since Saturday this blog has been some GOOOOOOOOOOD reading. 😉

  21. PackerInRussia 11/24/2008 at 11:00 PM #

    Can one of the departments at State start working on some cloning techniques so that when we have a good coach, we can keep them for as long as we want?

  22. Primewolf 11/24/2008 at 11:00 PM #

    TOB coaches til he is 70ish, then we finally get rid of Jed and TOB straightens out the rest of the AD.

    The only bad thing about that scenario is putting up with the total incompetence of FOULUP for another 10+ years.

    My critique of TOB would add:

    (2)Show more emotion, not overdone, but show it. Leaders do that. They don’t have to be charismatic, but showing praise must be the equal of showing disgust. The only emotional shots I’ve seen of TOB was when he was mad at a player for messing up. That must be balanced by more obvious praise and excitement.

    Can anyone name a really successful head coach that was as stoic as Tom.

    I’ll take the stoicism, but a little more emotion would not hurt the cause.

  23. Daily Update 11/24/2008 at 11:28 PM #

    Tom Landry.

    If TOB continues to have his teams play like they did the last six games, then I don’t want him to change a thing.

  24. b 11/25/2008 at 2:01 AM #

    “But based on what we’re seeing, we can reasonably be thinking about Charlotte by the 2010 ACC championship game.”

    I understand the conservative prediction, but if we hadn’t blown the Maryland game, the game this weekend would have Tampa implications and we’d be huge Terp fans for a day. We lose very little and should be primed for a run next year. 2010 should be a defending the crown year in my book.

    As for the Holes and their rationalizations, what else is new. They want new rules against stripping the ball, it wouldn’t have mattered. They think Sexton should have played? There would have been 8 TO’s instead of 6. They got whupped where the game of football is really played, on the line of scrimmage.

    And they can point to records all they want. The one that matters is 0-1 against us. If this 41-10 win is a fluke so were their ass whippings of BC and GT, but they aren’t giving those back are they?

  25. Astral Rain 11/25/2008 at 3:56 AM #

    Paul Brown was stoic as well.

    BTW if bowl this year, and two I-AA opponents next year, 8 wins I think would be needed to make a bowl

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