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Thursday, March 28
The Indiana Daily Student

sports

Wolfpack trio could pose problems for Hoosiers

Playing against a formidable Atlantic Coast Conference foe with a dangerous offensive trio isn't an ideal way for IU to break in its new defense.\nFollowing a dramatic double-overtime win against Arkansas State against an offense that features one of college football's most elusive quarterbacks, is a difficult task for North Carolina State and its new coach, Chuck Amato.\nSo, when the Hoosiers and Wolfpack meet in IU's opener at 11:10 a.m., Saturday at Memorial Stadium, almost no one will go home surprised if a lot of points are put on the scoreboard.\nAfter their 38-31 win Saturday against Arkansas State in Raleigh, the Wolfpack are eighth in college football with 539 yards of total offense.\n"It's going to be a wide-open offense," junior cornerback Sharrod Wallace said of N.C. State's attack. "We prepared well for this offense. It's going to be a great challenge for us and we look forward to it."\nLeading the Wolfpack's attack is redshirt freshman quarterback Philip Rivers. The 18-year-old completed 29 of 57 passes for 397 yards and three touchdowns against Arkansas State. All three numbers were N.C. State freshman records for a quarterback. Rivers' passing yards in the game were the fifth highest total in school history and his number of attempts were the most in the 201 games played at Carter-Finley Stadium.\n"There's no doubt he exceeded expectations," Amato said of Rivers. "He showed a lot of calmness. Some of the things he did were remarkable."\nRivers was a fan-favorite among the 46,943, who braved monsoon-like conditions to watch the Wolfpack open their season. Rivers received a standing ovation after the game's first play despite overthrowing a receiver on a trick play.\n"I love Philip Rivers and it doesn't seem like he's 18," N.C. State junior linebacker Levar Fisher said. "He has fit in well and everyone has embraced him. He will win some rookie of the year awards and break a bunch of freshman records."\nRivers has the advantage of playing alongside the past two ACC Rookie of the Year recipients ' junior running back Ray Robinson and sophomore wide receiver Koren Robinson.\nWith the fate of Saturday's game undecided in overtime, the Wolfpack resorted to Ray Robinson, the 1998 ACC Rookie of the Year. The 5-foot-10, 198-pound tailback finished the game with 139 rushing yards on 27 carries. He also scored a touchdown in the first and second overtime periods.\nThe third part of N.C. State's talented trio is Koren Robinson, who was the 1999 ACC Rookie of the Year. The 6-foot-2, 203 pound receiver caught seven passes for 115 yards against Arkansas State. Koren Robinson caught 48 passes in 1999 for 853 yards and could pose problems for IU's smaller defensive backs.\n"This team has great skill not only at quarterback, but at wide receiver," IU coach Cam Cameron said. "They are a lot like us."\nWhile the Hoosiers will be busy containing the Wolfpack's offensive weapons, N.C. State's defense also has a lot to worry about.\nIU was the only team in 1999 to produce a 2,000-yard passer (junior quarterback Antwaan Randle El), two 750-yard rushers (junior running back Levron Williams and Randle El) and two 600-yard receivers (senior wide receivers Versie Gaddis and Jerry Dorsey).\nAmato is especially concerned about containing Randle El. The first-year coach described Randle El as being "bigger" than former Florida State quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Charlie Ward, "faster" than former Georgia Tech standout Joe Hamilton and as "dangerous" as Virginia Tech sophomore Michael Vick.

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