The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/73006
2012 FOOTBALL PREVIEW for a 31-24 triumph over the co-Big East champions. Glennon completed 21 of 33 passes for 264 yards and three touchdowns with an interception in a performance that earned him the game's MVP award. The victory helped the Pack finish 8-5 after starting the season 2-3. It's quite possible that NC State's loss to Wake Forest played an indirect role in the win over Louisville. The near comeback against the Deacs gave him the experience to help pull off a more improbable rally against Maryland. Without that season- ending win over the Terps, there would have been no bowl game. "I feel like I can take another step in learning the game of football more than I did in the past because now I know what it's like to play," Glennon noted. "I didn't exactly know what it would be like out there. Now I can relate situations to actually playing. Game experience is irreplaceable." That last point is one that O'Brien has also been making. "His starting point is much better than a Glennon guided the Pack to six wins in its final eight games, capping the run with a 264-yard, three-touchdown performance in the 31-24 victory over Louisville in the Belk Bowl. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN yards and 31 touchdowns with just 12 picks. The scoring total tied the second most in school history. By the end of the year, he became ac- cepted as a legitimate starting quarterback in the ACC. He, however, never felt like he had to prove that to his teammates. "I think my teammates were always with me," Glennon said. "As long as your team- mates and coaches support you, that's the most important thing." With their help, Glennon went through a rapid maturation process. There were down games. Notably he went through a tough three-game stretch at Florida State, home versus UNC and at Boston College when he completed 58.8 percent of his passes for 514 yards with one touchdown and four picks. State went 1-2 in those contests, scoring a combined total of 27 points. But through it all, Glennon grew and, in his eyes, improved. "Even a game like Florida State where I didn't play my best, team didn't play its best, I still feel like I was a better player having been through that situation, having going through a game that level," Glennon said. "As a first-year starter there are things that you have never done or seen before. I think I learned and really studied the game, knew what I did good, knew what I did bad, and just kept building on it." Glennon credits offensive coordinator Dana Bible for his progression as much as anyone. Bible was a major asset for 34 ■ THE WOLFPACKER NC State when Glennon chose the Pack in 2008 over offers from a list of prestigious college football programs that included Florida State, Michigan and Virginia Tech, among others. "He has taught me a ton about playing quarterback, what it takes at this level to be a quarterback on and off the field," Glen- non said. "He's one of the main reasons I came here in the first place. He's been a huge help for me." Bible in turn has enjoyed his time tutor- ing Glennon. "What you see is what you get when you see Mike Glennon," Bible said. "It's always fun to coach somebody that is team- oriented, somebody that is talented, and somebody that is really driven. He's fun to coach." Glennon also appreciated O'Brien's steadfast support. "I knew that some people may be criti- cizing him about what he had done, but I knew he had confidence in me," Glennon added. Ready To Complete His Wolfpack Journey In front of 58,427 mostly NC State fans at the Belk Bowl in Charlotte Dec. 27, there would no need for a rally against Louisville. Glennon threw three first-half touchdown passes to help the Pack build a 31-10 third-quarter lead before holding on year ago," O'Brien said. "I think that he's in a situation where he's no longer worried about anything offensively because now he's played it, he knows it, he understands it. He spends more time on the little things and the fundamentals to make him a better quarterback." As Glennon gazed at the bowl game MVP trophy, he could not help but have at least a mild sense of satisfaction. "This is what I came here to do," Glen- non remembered thinking. "This is kind of what I envisioned happening when I came to NC State. It was good after three years of not playing to finally get that moment where we had a good year, not great, but I finished my year strong, and going into my last year we have high expectations." He enters 2012 in a good place. He grad- uated college in three years and should complete his master's work in liberal stud- ies this winter. "It's been great," Glennon said. "I came here to play under this style of offense. I came here to win championships, which we haven't done yet, but I think me and my classmates have all been looking forward to this and have one more opportunity to do that. "I love NC State, I love everything about it, proud alumni now." Glennon is also a potential NFL Draft target with another good season. "He took his lumps early and came out the other side," Bible noted. "We all saw together the growth and development of a quarterback right before our eyes, and we're excited about his prospects this year." ■