ESPN College Football

Michael Brockers, Quinton Coples, Stephon Gilmore, Stephen Hill, Luke Kuechly, Ryan Tannehill, Courtney Upshaw, Russell Wilson and Jerel Worthy talk about their playing days before NCAA football.

Up next: "One Shining Moment."

• Peyton Manning's Duke visit has paid dividends in recruiting, Brady Buck writes in The Chronicle.
• Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has had quite the path from Miami to WWE to the big screen, Hal Habib writes in the Palm Beach Post.
• SportingNews.com's Steve Greenberg says Danny O'Brien, unlike Russell Wilson, is no sure thing.
• AthlonSports.com's Mark Ross previews Virginia Tech's spring.
• Georgia Tech's Synjyn Days and Vad Lee have begun their push on Tevin Washington, Ken Sugiura writes in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The Danny O'Brien saga ended Wednesday, 44 days after Maryland announced the quarterback would leave the Terrapins.

And for ACC fans, the landing spot may look a bit familiar.

O'Brien will join coach Bret Bielema at Wisconsin, marking the second straight year the Badgers notched a signal-caller from an ACC school through the graduate student exception rule. Former NC State quarterback Russell Wilson had great success in taking advantage of the rule last season, leading Wisconsin to a Big Ten title and the program's second straight appearance in the Rose Bowl.

The circumstances surrounding each transfer were different, but Wisconsin could reap more benefits in the short-term from O'Brien than it did from Wilson, as O'Brien is set to graduate this spring and will have two years of eligibility upon immediate arrival in Madison, Wis.

Yes, there are certain stereotypes that may plague a program that repeatedly uses the rule to bring in someone at the game's most important position year after year, and Wisconsin will have to overcome that through recruiting in the years to follow. But that shouldn't diminish the importance of the rule, as it is one of the few that truly rewards the student-athlete for taking care of business in the "student" part of that label.

O'Brien did just that, and it was clear that his marriage with Terps coach Randy Edsall was not going to last. So, despite earlier well-documented obstacles after the decision to transfer, O'Brien found a new home, an opportunity that was well-deserved. Now, both he and his former school can officially move on from this complicated chapter.

It’s time to review some of the highs and lows from the ACC bowl season (there were highlights, I swear) …

Best performance: NC State cornerback David Amerson had two interceptions in a 31-24 win over Louisville in the Belk Bowl. He broke the ACC single-season record, and also moved into a tie for second place in FBS history for single-season interceptions with 13. The Pack were leading 24-10 in the third quarter when Amerson’s 65-yard interception return for a touchdown broke the record. His second interception late in the game moved him into a tie for second place in FBS history.

Best offensive performance in a losing effort: Virginia Tech quarterback Logan Thomas. He outplayed Michigan’s Denard Robinson in every phase but the scoreboard. He threw for 214 yards and ran for 53. He also had an impressive 13-yard scramble on fourth-and-11. In his first season as a starter, Thomas finished with 3,482 yards of total offense, breaking Tyrod Taylor’s school record, which was set in 2010.

Best team defensive performance: Florida State. The Noles held the Irish scoreless for two quarters, and forced three turnovers, all interceptions.

Best defensive game plan: Virginia Tech. Michigan was in disarray, and Bud Foster had a lot to do with that. Fitzgerald Toussaint was held to just 30 rushing yards, and quarterback Denard Robinson had just 13 rushing yards. Nobody scored on the ground, and Michigan was just 4-of-13 on third-down conversions.

Best on-the-job training: Florida State’s offensive line. The Noles started four freshmen against Notre Dame, and they gave up five sacks, but they also grew up right before our eyes and looked much better in the second half.

Best quote: “I don't care what people think. I made a decision what was best for this football team going forward. When I made the decision and weighing all options and looking at the talent this kid has I knew we would have a quarterback. I don't have to feel vindicated by anybody. … But he helped [vindicate] me." -- NC State coach Tom O’Brien on replacing Russell Wilson with Mike Glennon, who was named the MVP of the Belk Bowl with three touchdowns.

Worst defensive performance. None other than the 70 points Clemson allowed, of course. Most. Points. Ever. In any bowl game. Ever.

Worst moment: The look of devastation on Danny Coale’s face when his would-be 20-yard touchdown catch in overtime was overturned by the replay officials and ruled incomplete.

Worst officiating: The Allstate Sugar Bowl. Take your pick. There were plenty of questionable calls in that game, but the most controversial was probably Coale’s negated touchdown catch. Whether it was a catch or not isn’t the point. Instead, there didn’t seem to be enough indisputable video evidence to overturn the original call of a touchdown.

Worst stat: The ACC dropped to 2-13 in BCS bowls.

Worst stat II: The ACC was outscored by 74 points in its bowl games.

Worst effort: North Carolina played like its coach had one foot out the door. Oh wait, never mind. … Missouri racked up 31 points in the first half. UNC had the ACC’s second-best rushing defense and allowed Missouri 337 rushing yards while UNC had 36.

Russell who?

NC State quarterback Mike Glennon had 31 touchdowns this year.

Former NC State quarterback Russell Wilson had 31 touchdowns in 2009.

This just in: The comparisons can stop.

Ok, so maybe NC State fans haven't completely forgotten Wilson, nor should they -- he's an outstanding player and person. But with the way Glennon performed this season, it's fair to say Glennon should have officially shaken the shadow of his predecessor and the comparisons between them should have come to a halt long ago. Tuesday night's 31-24 win over Louisville in the Belk Bowl further punctuated Glennon's command of the offense and reaffirmed the Wolfpack's ability to win meaningful games with him leading the team.

In his first season as a starter, Glennon has already established himself among the top quarterbacks in school history. With three touchdowns against Louisville, Glennon's 31 touchdowns this year tied Wilson for the second-best mark in school history. Only Philip Rivers, who was named to the Pro Bowl this week, had more in a single season for the Wolfpack with 34 in 2003.

Glennon also had 3,054 total yards for the season, tied as the fifth-best mark in school history. His three touchdown passes against Louisville were the second-highest ever for a Pack quarterback in a bowl game. Rivers threw for five scores against Kansas in the 2003 Tangerine Bowl (NC State 56, Kansas 26).

Glennon deserves a lot of credit for maturing as a quarterback on the field this year, but also for handling the questions from the media about Wilson this preseason, and for helping guide the offense through one of the most dissected decisions of the offseason. Glennon is a good quarterback, and he's only going to get better. Refreshingly in 2012, the only one he'll be compared with is himself, and how much he's improved from 2011.

Much like Wilson, he's already set the bar high.

NC STATE

Record: 7-5, 4-4 ACC

Overview: The Wolfpack couldn’t have made it much more difficult -- or entertaining -- to reach bowl eligibility this year. NC State was one of the ACC’s most inconsistent teams, but with the postseason on the line, the Wolfpack dug deep and battled back from a 27-point deficit against Maryland for the second-biggest comeback in ACC history.

It was arguably the most memorable win of the season, as NC State trailed 41-14 with six minutes remaining the third quarter but scored 35 fourth-quarter points for the 56-41 win. NC State wouldn’t have been in that position to begin with, though, had it fared better in the first half of the season. There was nothing predictable about how the Wolfpack’s season unfolded. There were pretty high expectations considering NC State finished 2010 ranked among the Associated Press top 25 and were coming off an impressive bowl win, but the transfer of standout quarterback Russell Wilson to Wisconsin was one of the biggest storylines of the offseason. Quarterback Mike Glennon has since developed his own identity and fared well in his first season, but it took some growing pains for the entire team. Injuries also played a key role in the 2-3 start, particularly on defense, but it wasn’t enough to keep NC State from winning its fifth straight game against rival North Carolina. One week after beating the Tar Heels 13-0, though, NC State flopped against Boston College and put itself in a precarious position for the postseason. NC State pulled another shocker the following week, though, with a 37-13 upset of then-No. 7 Clemson. A bowl bid seemed a given- - until the first three quarters of the Maryland game.

Overall, this team should have accomplished more, but it should also be commended for not letting a disappointing start snowball into an even more disappointing finish.

Offensive MVP: QB Mike Glennon. He finished fourth in the ACC in passing average per game with 232.5 yards, and had 28 passing touchdowns, 11 interceptions, and completed 62.4 percent of his passes. He was also seventh in the ACC in total offense with 223.1 yards per game.

Defensive MVP: CB David Amerson. He leads the FBS with 11 interceptions, and tied the ACC single-season interception record in the win over Clemson. He set the single-season school record for interceptions, a record that was held for 73 years. He also had 54 tackles.

Turning point: Maryland running back Davin Meggett’s fumble. Let’s face it: We had no clue which direction this team was headed all season. It wasn’t until Meggett fumbled in the fourth quarter and Glennon scored four plays later to close the deficit to 41-35 that NC State truly had a chance to beat Maryland. “From that point on,” coach Tom O’Brien said, “we were rolling.”

What’s next: NC State will face Louisville in the Belk Bowl, but the question now is which NC State team will show up? The one that knocked off Clemson and rallied against Maryland? Or the one that was embarrassed on national TV by Cincinnati and flopped against Boston College? NC State has worked too hard to get to this bowl game. It shouldn’t let another opportunity slip by.

NC STATE

Record: 3-3, 0-2 ACC

This is the team that won nine games last year and finished in the Top 25?

No, it’s not, starting at quarterback, where Russell Wilson is now a Heisman hopeful at Wisconsin.

Injuries have decimated NC State’s defense, the team has yet to win on the road or in the conference, and the Wolfpack’s win over Central Michigan was its best of the season. With two FCS opponents on the schedule, NC State needs seven wins to reach bowl eligibility, and that’s looking like a stretch at this point. It’s not quarterback Mike Glennon's fault. He has a strong arm, he’s gotten noticeably better as the season has progressed, and he’s good enough to win. Most of NC State’s problems have occurred around Glennon.

The Wolfpack is No. 107 in the country with three sacks allowed per game. NC State is No. 97 in rushing offense, and has lost seven fumbles this season -- all problems that have nothing to do with its ailing defense. On that side of the ball, NC State is allowing just more than 30 points and 172 rushing yards per game. Granted, it hasn’t helped that entering the Central Michigan game, NC State had used three different starting combinations on the defensive line in five games. Two of the top six linebackers were also injured in reserve Sterling Lucas and starter Terrell Manning. Cornerback Jarvis Byrd was a projected starter, but he suffered a season-ending ACL tear in July. A total of 12 injured players, including 2010 leading rusher Mustafa Greene, missed the Georgia Tech game.

The bye week couldn’t have come at a better time for NC State, as it needs to get better on the field and in the training room. Expectations within the program were much higher entering the season, as those within the NC State were intent on building upon last years’s success. Now they’d have to win out during the regular season just to match it.

Offensive MVP: WR T.J. Graham: He’s No. 7 in the ACC with 80.7 receiving yards per game and has 484 yards and four touchdowns. He’s made a name for himself in the return game, though, as the track star leads the ACC with 18.5 yards per punt return and one touchdown. He is second in the ACC in kick return average (24.2), and leads the league in all-purpose yards with 210 per game.

Defensive MVP: CB David Amerson: Amerson leads the country with six interceptions and has 77 return yards. He ranks third in the ACC in passes defended with nine and has been a bright spot on an otherwise dreary defense. He’s fourth on the team with 34 tackles.

For the most part this season, NC State quarterback Mike Glennon has played well enough for the Wolfpack to win. He’s put up respectable numbers in his first season as a starter, and he has handled the shadow of former teammate Russell Wilson well. Glennon enters this week’s game against Central Michigan ranked No. 4 in the ACC in passing average per game, and No. 5 in pass efficiency. He has thrown 12 touchdown passes and four interceptions. I caught up with Glennon earlier this week to get his take on the Wolfpack’s struggles. Here are the highlights of our interview:

From your perspective, how have you played and what’s not going right right now?

Mike Glennon: For me, I think I’ve learned from each game. I think I made a big jump from Game 1 to Game 2. I seem to have gotten more comfortable with everything. Things that haven’t gone well are we have yet to put a full game together. We’ve shown a spark, we’ve shown signs of being a good football team, but we have yet to put together that full, four good quarters.

What do you attribute that to?

MG: We have good players, we have good coaches. We have guys who work hard. I’m not really sure why that is.

I know the defense has been banged up, but from your side, are you surprised you guys have struggled?

MG: Yeah, I think we had high expectations coming in this year. We felt like we had a good opportunity coming in, but we still feel like we have seven more games to turn this around. We’re excited to get ourselves out of this hole.

What do you need to do to do that?

MG: Well, like I said, we need to play four good quarters and come out strong from the get-go and finish strong and really just play the way we’ve been coached and taught I think we’ll get everything going again.

What’s been the most frustrating part of it so far?

MG: Probably just having the high expectations. Coming in we felt like we could keep the ball rolling. Obviously we haven’t been able to do that.

I have to ask you, do you still feel that Russell Wilson’s shadow is hanging over you, given the success he’s having this year with Wisconsin?

MG: He is doing a great job over there, but really I think he’s doing the same thing he was doing when he was here. He’s just getting more attention up there than he did down here. I don’t think that really plays into the role of our team’s success.

And it hasn’t factored into your psyche at all?

MG: No. I’ve always known he was a good player, it’s just that now he’s in more of a national spotlight and that’s why he’s getting the credit he has always deserved.

So tell me specifically about things you have been working on, whether it’s your release, footwork, timing with the receivers. Are all of the mechanics going well, or is it things around you that are breaking down?

MG: I think as an offense it comes back to the whole consistency factor. The last game we started off real slow and finally we got it going. They couldn’t stop us. That’s been the thing with us the whole year is that we haven’t been consistent. Some drives we play really well, other drives we don’t.

Do you feel like you’re playing for a bowl team?

MG: Yeah, I think we definitely have the talent. We have the capabilities to beat the teams on our schedule. We just have to start playing more consistently for four quarters.

Heather Dinich says even if Wisconsin's Heisman-worthy quarterback Russell Wilson was suited up for NC State, the Wolfpack would still be struggling.

» Power Rankings: ACC | Big 12 | Big East | Big Ten | Pac-12 | SEC

Can we fast-forward to the Georgia Tech-Clemson game? It would really help settle the No. 1 position here. Until they meet head-to-head, though, Clemson gets my vote because it has the stronger résumé, having become the first team in ACC history to defeat three straight ranked opponents -- including one on the road. It’s a great start for the Tigers and the Yellow Jackets, who are clearly once again the two best teams in the ACC. Déjà vu, anyone?

No changes at the top this week, and only one change overall:

1. Clemson (4-0, 2-0 ACC; LW: No. 1) – The Tigers beat Virginia Tech 20-3 in Lane Stadium and held the Hokies without a touchdown on their home field for the first time since 1995. It was also the first time Clemson beat Virginia Tech since 1989. The Tigers were the more complete team.

2. Georgia Tech (5-0, 2-0; LW: No. 2) – The Yellow Jackets earned a road win with their 45-35 victory over NC State. The Jackets are 5-0 for the first time since 1990, and their offense is one of the best in the country.

3. Virginia Tech (4-1, 0-1; LW: No. 3) – The Hokies’ problems on offense, namely up front and in the passing game, were exposed in the loss to Clemson. Following the game, those within the program were confident they’re still a championship-caliber team, but they’ve got to rebound this weekend against Miami.

4. North Carolina (4-1, 1-1; LW: No. 5) – The Tar Heels get bumped up a notch this week because of an important road win at East Carolina. They avoided a letdown and got impressive performances from quarterback Bryn Renner and tailback Giovani Bernard.

5. Florida State (2-2, 0-1; LW: No. 4) – The Seminoles had a bye week and they needed one to get several key players healthy, including starting quarterback EJ Manuel. The Noles travel to Wake Forest this weekend, and it’s not a gimme. FSU can’t afford another loss in the Atlantic Division race, and believe it or not, the Deacs have the edge right now.

6. Wake Forest (3-1, 2-0; LW: No. 6) – The Deacs continue to quietly improve and got another leg up in the Atlantic Division race with their win at Boston College. It will be a much bigger challenge this weekend, though, as they host Florida State, which had the bye week to prepare. We’ll find out on Saturday if Wake Forest is truly a sleeper in this conference race.

7. Miami (2-2, 0-1; LW: No. 7) – The Hurricanes got off to another flat start against Bethune-Cookman, but rebounded and got the win they needed. The Canes travel to Blacksburg this weekend for an important Coastal Division matchup for both teams.

8. Maryland (2-2, 1-0; LW: No. 8) – It was another lackluster win against an unheralded Towson team, but the Terps won and took a step toward putting that ugly Temple loss behind them. Unfortunately for Maryland, it only gets harder with three straight games against ranked opponents. Can they pull a Clemson? Methinks not.

9. Duke (3-2, 1-0; LW: No. 9) – After a poor start with a loss to FCS Richmond, Duke has since rebounded and put together three straight wins. They’re halfway to bowl eligibility, but the easiest part of their schedule is behind them, and there was nothing easy about any of those wins. Duke has a bye week to prepare for Florida State.

10. Virginia (3-2, 0-1; LW: No. 10) – The Cavaliers needed overtime to beat Idaho. That says it all. This team is still plagued by turnovers and penalties, but it has a bye week to work on those issues AND prepare for Georgia Tech’s offense. They might need more than a week.

11. NC State (2-3, 0-2; LW: No. 11) – Yikes. The Wolfpack are sinking fast this year. Hard to believe they were a nine-win team and ranked at the end of 2010, and it’s impossible to ignore the success former quarterback Russell Wilson is having with Wisconsin. NC State fans must be going mad.

12. Boston College (1-4, 0-2; LW: No. 12) – And now they’re supposed to win at Clemson? It looks like a daunting task for the Eagles, who are last in the ACC in scoring offense, total offense and passing efficiency. Sorry, but linebacker Luke Kuechly can only do so much.

I can't lie to you.

Former NC State quarterback Russell Wilson checked in at No. 5 on my top five Heisman candidates I turned in to ESPN.com this week.

That was the only connection to the ACC, sorry.

BUT ...

Virginia Tech's David Wilson is still worth watching as a darkhorse candidate. After a 2-0 start, Wilson is leading the ACC with 150 yards per game and 7.1 yards per carry. He also has three touchdowns, and is third in the ACC in all-purpose yards with 169 per game. He is fifth in the country in rushing -- ahead of South Carolina's Marcus Lattimore. But Lattimore racked up 176 yards against Georgia, while Wilson had 138 and no touchdowns against East Carolina.

With upcoming games against Arkansas State and Marshall, Wilson's numbers should only become more impressive. The rest of the Hokies' offense has to catch up, though. The defense stole the show in the win over the Pirates.

Another possible darkhorse candidate to watch is Florida State quarterback EJ Manuel. He's played in some big games before, but none bigger than Saturday's home game against No. 1 Oklahoma. If Manuel delivers a Heisman-worthy performance, the Seminoles could pull off the upset.

In order for either of them to be seriously considered, they have to win. Big.

Heather Dinich talks about the Deacs' heartbreaker, Russell Wilson, Miami over Maryland and Georgia Tech's passing game.

Games. Tonight. TONIGHT!!!

• And one starring former NC State quarterback Russell Wilson. You gonna watch?
• Two true freshmen at Virginia will be needed to make an immediate impact.
• You know about Duke's 'Killer V's.' Brandon Braxton might be better than both of them.
• The Deacs kick off tonight, and David Glenn caught up with Wake coach Jim Grobe.
• Has everyone in Wake's program been too complacent?
• Georgia Tech B-back David Sims has made a significant jump this offseason to the top of the depth chart.
• Maryland's suspensions are nothing compared to what Miami is facing.
• Injured Eagles Donnie Fletcher and Andre Williams insist they'll play against Northwestern.
• How do you win a national title? Practice tough.
• The Orlando Sentinel previews Florida State's season.
• Uh oh. The mother of Miami receiver Aldarius Johnson has hired a lawyer and wants an explanation as to why her son has been suspended indefinitely.
• One of the biggest differences between former UNC quarterback T.J. Yates and his successor, Bryn Renner, is their personalities.
• Virginia Tech running back David Wilson should put up monster numbers in the first four games of the season.
• If Virginia quarterback Michael Rocco struggles, Ross Metheny will be next in line.
• Duke's running game is aiming for better numbers this season.

Our series taking a look back at the highlights of summer camp for each team in the ACC continues today with NC State:

• The Pack’s biggest storyline of the month was the injury to defensive tackle J.R. Sweezy, who is out for six weeks. He’s a team captain and impact player, so his absence for at least two or three games is a significant blow to the defense. The latest depth chart hasn’t been released yet, but Markus Kuhn and Brian Slay are the obvious options to compensate for the loss of Sweezy. Cornerback Jarvis Byrd was also injured before camp started, and will miss the season with another torn ACL.
• Quarterback Mike Glennon has officially taken over the team following the transfer of Russell Wilson to Wisconsin. Glennon has looked good at times, but he has also been inconsistent. Some of that might be attributed to legitimate improvement by the defense. The Pack finally has solid experience in the secondary, the starting linebackers are strong, but it’s hard to tell how good the offense is in one-on-one situations.
• The Wolfpack has had to turn to true freshmen at punter and placekicker, and both Wil Baumann and Niklas Sade have earned the confidence of the coaching staff this summer. It was one of the biggest question marks of the offseason for NC State, and while some of those concerns have been alleviated, the duo is still untested in game situations.
• Running back/halfback still remains a question with Mustafa Greene out with a foot injury. The Pack is still looking for a player to take the lead there, and James Washington, who was the starter towards the end of the season last year, appears to be the frontrunner. Curtis Underwood also has a good shot to earn a lot of playing time, and Brandon Barnes is also an option. Tony Creecy has missed a few weeks because an undisclosed injury.
• The biggest question remaining heading into game week is who will step up at wide receiver. The Pack has been playing three wide a lot, so they need more help and consistency than just one go-to player.

The series highlighting one assistant coach from each ACC school whose position group will be in the spotlight this fall continues today with NC State:

Coach: Dana Bible

Position: Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks/receivers

Experience: Bible has coached in the NFL and at six different colleges including NC State, where he has coached twice. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, Cincinnati, and coached the quarterbacks there from 1978-80. In 1981, Bible coached the receivers at Miami (Ohio), and then left to coach the quarterbacks and receivers at NC State from 1983-85. He has also made stops at San Diego State, Stanford, and coached in the NFL with Cincinnati and Philadelphia. From 1999-2006, Bible was held the same title he holds now at Boston College before following Tom O’Brien to Raleigh.

Of note: Bible has coached more than 15 NFL players, including Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan. His playing days were spent on the defensive side, though, as he was a starting cornerback at Cincinnati from 1972-75.

His challenge: Life after Russell Wilson. The Mike Glennon era has officially begun, and there were plenty of NC State fans left disgruntled about the fact their star quarterback is now wearing a Wisconsin uniform. While Glennon has received praise from those within the program, he is a first-year starter who lacks game experience. Glennon played in only three games last season but completed 69.2 percent of his throws. He threw for eight touchdowns in three spring scrimmages. He’s a different quarterback than Wilson in that he’s taller, has a better arm and is more of a prototypical passer, but only time will tell if Glennon is a better quarterback. Bible also carries the title of receivers coach, and that’s another position that will be in the spotlight this fall at NC State. The Wolfpack has to replace both starting receivers from 2010, and this past spring, none of the receivers separated themselves. That will have to change this summer if the passing game is going to flourish under a new starter. It’s up to Bible to coach ‘em up.