RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -Tom O’Brien and North Carolina State are bracing for another potential headache – one that could be just as tricky as Wake Forest’s offense.
After playing the Demon Deacons Saturday afternoon in Winston-Salem, the Wolfpack will have to navigate U2 concert traffic on their bus ride home. The rock band is performing at N.C. State’s home field, Carter-Finley Stadium, in front of some 60,000 fans.
“They’re going to have to bus us in here somehow,” O’Brien said.
The N.C. State coach isn’t overly concerned damage to the Wolfpack’s grass playing field. Back-to-back U2 shows in Chicago left the turf at Soldier Field shredded, and by the time the Bears played their next game there, the surface had been resodded.
“I probably shouldn’t be so quick to say no, but it’s been done in the past, and I know there haven’t been problems,” O’Brien said. “We won’t know until it happens.”
O’Brien was the grand marshal of this year’s St. Patrick’s Day parade in Raleigh, but he shrugged off a suggestion to sneak into the stadium and listen to noted Irishman Bono.
n’t know too much about (U2) … but (my son) asked me if I was still alive when the Steve Miller Band was playing,” O’Brien quipped. “I told him, ‘No, I’m still brain dead. I haven’t been around since then.”’
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JAYBO IS BACK: Georgia Tech’s Jaybo Shaw is expected to return and could give quarterback Josh Nesbitt a break this weekend against Mississippi State.
Nesbitt had a career-high 32 carries for 97 yards and two touchdowns in last week’s win over North Carolina, but looked winded late in the game. Shaw, back from broken collarbone, could give coach Paul Johnson a chance to allow Nesbitt a breather.
“It might be a situation where we can give Josh a series (off),” Johnson said. “I think it’s always good if you can get over on the side and watch a series if things aren’t going great.
“Jaybo was playing really well when he got hurt so it will be interesting to see how he comes back. You certainly have a comfort level with him because he knows what is going on and he knows what is supposed to be happening.”
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FILLING BIG SHOES: Linebacker Jonathan Jones has an unenviable task at Wake Forest – replacing first-round draft pick Aaron Curry.
The fifth-year senior has started all four games in the spot that used to be filled by Curry, who was the fourth overall pick in the NFL draft. Jones has 19 tackles.
before get to him. Instead, he’s kept in contact with Curry by text messages while gathering all the advice he can get.
“It’s not as bad as I guess people would think it would be,” Jones said. “I think that partly has to do with I know what I’m up against and I know the situation. I’m not under the impression by any means that I’m replacing Aaron Curry. That’s an impossible task.
“I’m just striving to be the best I can be.”
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A SPITTING IMAGE: Under coordinator Bud Foster, Virginia Tech’s defense has finished in the top five – first twice and fourth twice – in defense in the past five seasons.
So Foster was understandably displeased when they fell to 77th overall in the nation two weeks ago.
After being challenged by the coach to live up to tradition, the Hokies rebounded last week by holding No. 17 Miami to 209 yards.
Linebacker Cody Grimm said Foster’s methods aren’t always pleasant, but effective.
“I don’t wear a visor, but you would hope to have a visor on usually because stuff will be flying in your face as he gets going,” Grimm said of Foster’s rants. “He can coach hard.
a reason – he wants you to play the best football that you can.”
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DILLON MATH: Clemson defensive coordinator Kevin Steele put his math skills to good use Tuesday. Then again, the Dillon, S.C., native says he’s got a lot to live up to.
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke grew up in Steele’s South Carolina hometown. Steele and his best friend, LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis, attended Dillon High along with Bernanke’s younger brother, Seth.
“John and I tutored (Ben) in math a little bit,” Steele said.
Truly? he was asked, before Steele flashed the universal look that meant he’d hooked you in.
Steele said the current Fed chairman was older “and wiser” than he and Chavis.
Steele’s making his hometown proud with the way his defense has played so far. It held Boston College to just 54 yards total two weeks ago and limited No. 11 TCU to two touchdowns in a 14-10 Clemson loss last Saturday.
Steele was discussing Clemson’s points-per-game average, calling it “Dillon math.”
“Of course, Bernanke’s from Dillon, so maybe I shouldn’t have said that,” Steele said.
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AP Sports Writers Aaron Beard in Winston-Salem, N.C.; Pete Iacobelli in Clemson, S.C.; Hank Kurz Jr. in Blacksburg, Va.; and Charles Odum in Atlanta contributed to this report.
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