BC runs past Wolfpack

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. -- At least he was honest.

Before leaving his former haunt at Boston College's Alumni Stadium, N.C. State coach Tom O'Brien admitted that his team has "regressed" in the last two weeks.

That much was obvious to anyone who watched sophomore Montel Harris churn out school records of 264 rushing yards and five touchdowns in a 52-20 thumping of N.C. State on Saturday.

Or, for that matter, to fans who streamed out of Carter-Finley Stadium in the fourth quarter the previous week as Duke's Thaddeus Lewis passed for 459 yards and five scores in a defeat of the Wolfpack.

O'Brien's team can't stop the pass. It can't stop the run. For a coach who prides himself on progress, it's a difficult situation to swallow. It's not any easier for the players.

"It comes down to fundamentals," senior running back Toney Baker said. "We can draw up all the X's and O's, but the game of football comes down to tackling, blocking, catching, doing those type of things. And we're just not getting that done."

N.C. State (3-4, 0-3 ACC) has an open date this week, which means O'Brien has two weeks to prepare for the Oct. 31 game at Florida State. The Wolfpack has experience turning things around over open dates under O'Brien.

During his first two seasons, N.C. State was 3-9 before its open dates and 8-5 afterward. But this might be O'Brien's most difficult turnaround job.

In the past, the Wolfpack has used the open week to concentrate on fundamentals and consider changes on the depth chart. This week, O'Brien will self-scout his team to catalogue the team's many problems.

He was asked what the team needs to work on the most.

"There are so many things right now," he said. "It might take me all night to go through, on both sides of the ball. We've regressed the last two weeks for sure. We've got to get it turned around."

Harris did much of his damage for Boston College (5-2, 3-2) from a formation most teams call the "Wildcat," where the running back lines up behind center and takes a direct snap. The scheme, which BC calls the "Bazooka," is common now as a change of pace in college and the NFL. Cornerback Rashard Smith said State practices against it every week.

That didn't make a difference Saturday. As Harris ran laterally in the backfield, looking for a hole, Wolfpack defenders overran the plays early in the game, trying to prevent him from turning the corner.

Harris simply cut back for big gains. Later, with N.C. State's defenders cautiously trying to stop the cutback, Harris accelerated around the end for more big plays.

He gained 70 yards on a Wildcat run in the first quarter to set up the opening touchdown. In the third quarter, he ran 46 yards to set up another touchdown and 29 yards for yet another score out of the Wildcat.

"That was the most I've ever put up in a game in high school or college," Harris said.

After the game, O'Brien spoke briefly to Boston College coach Frank Spaziani. With longtime friend Spaziani coordinating the Eagles' defense, O'Brien turned Boston College into a consistent winner over the last eight years of his tenure there.

The Eagles have kept winning under Jeff Jagodzinski and now with Spaziani as the head coach. They are 25-10 since O'Brien left and lead the ACC's Atlantic Division, which the Eagles have won the last two seasons. N.C. State is 14-18 under O'Brien.

"We're not a good football team right now," he said. "We have some holes that we have to plug. Whether it's by coaching, recruiting or playing, we've got to fill them."

Boston College 52, N.C. State 20

First quarter

BC--Harris 2 run (Aponavicius kick), 8:28. NCSU--R.Wilson 1 run (Czajkowski kick), 5:46. BC--Larmond 59 pass from Shinskie (Aponavicius kick), 3:51.

Second quarter

NCSU--FG Czajkowski 25, 10:46. NCSU--FG Czajkowski 32, 5:44. BC--Harris 12 run (Aponavicius kick), 3:01. BC--FG Aponavicius 37, :00.

Third quarter

BC--Harris 10 run (Aponavicius kick), 8:45. BC--Harris 1 run (Aponavicius kick), 5:51. BC--Harris 29 run (Aponavicius kick), 1:33.

Fourth quarter

NCSU--Ja.Williams 27 pass from R.Wilson (Czajkowski kick), 13:09. BC--Flutie 6 pass from Shinskie (Aponavicius kick), 6:22.

Individual statistics

Rushing--N.C. State, Baker 9-36, R.Wilson 11-35, Eugene 6-6, Spencer 1-2. Boston College, Harris 27-264, Finch 7-30, Haden 2-7, McCluskey 1-0, Smith 3-0, Team 1-(minus 4), Shinskie 2-(minus 4).

Passing--N.C. State, R.Wilson 23-40-1-243, Glennon 8-15-1-72. Boston College, Shinskie 13-25-0-187.

Receiving--N.C. State, Ja.Williams 7-62, Baker 5-46, Bryan 4-25, Bowens 3-38, Spencer 2-52, Barnes 2-15, T.Gentry 2-14, J.Smith 2-14, Howard 2-11, Davis 1-30, Eugene 1-8. Boston College, Gunnell 5-42, Pantale 3-21, Anderson 2-42, Larmond 1-59, Jarvis 1-17, Flutie 1-6.

Att.--35,261.