All of sudden, program finds right direction

RALEIGH -- There are a couple of ways to look at N.C. State's football victory over Wake Forest on Saturday in Carter-Finley Stadium. Both are bright for the Wolfpack.

On one front -- that being the here, now and this weekend's trip to play North Carolina -- State has emerged from the turmoil of early-season injuries and frustrating losses to mesh into a solid, precise team that will be completely capable of going into Kenan Stadium and doing damage.

Not only that, who's to say that State can't escape from that early-season jam to finish 6-6 and land a bowl bid somewhere?

Whether State wins at Carolina, and even if there are season-ending losses to the Tar Heels and then Miami on Nov. 29 in Carter-Finley, the future is beginning to look much brighter for the Pack than almost anyone could have guessed just a few week ago.

That outlook begins with quarterback Russell Wilson, a redshirt freshman who basically authored the 21-17 win over Wake. Yet again, Wilson got through a game without throwing an interception, running his streak to six games and 175 straight passes. He completed 16 of 33 attempts for 152 yards and two touchdowns, the latter of which was an 8-yard outcome-sealer to tight end Anthony Hill with just over 10 minutes left in the game. Wilson also rushed for 69 yards and a touchdown to broaden his resume for ACC rookie of the year and all-conference quarterback.

"He keeps getting us first downs and keeps getting us out of trouble," State coach Tom O'Brien said. "Plus, he had three or four dropped passes, but he doesn't let that get to him. He forgets about it, and goes right back to work."

But it wasn't entirely about the players, many of whom will be back in 2009, who were on the field against the Deacons, now 6-4 overall and 4-3 in the league.

Watching from the sidelines were 13 State freshmen currently being redshirted. O'Brien and his staff were forced to swallow a bitter personnel pill in early season, and the temptation was there to use his promising rookies. Four freshmen have played, but only one -- receiver T.J. Graham -- on offense.

Having gone 5-7 last season and then slumping to 2-6 at the close of October after a 27-24 loss at Maryland, O'Brien has withstood a difficult initiation period with the Wolfpack. He easily could have lost this team and entered the always pivotal third season groping for traction.

Instead, O'Brien seemingly found his footing, largely through the talent and grit of Wilson and defensive leaders Willie Young and Nate Irving. And while it's possible that Irving, a redshirt sophomore linebacker, and Young, a junior end, both could leave early for the NFL draft, the Wolfpack will still begin '09 with enough material to rank among the preseason contenders for the Atlantic Division championship.

O'Brien, in preseason, predicted that his team might have to overcome more than its share of difficulty. "It could take us a while to zero in on who we are and where we want to go. But we'll get there if we don't give up on ourselves," he said in July.

Where ACC football is concerned, separating muscle from soft tissue can be a tricky operation. Just last season, State was apparently moving in the right direction only to end the season with a bewildering 37-0 loss to Maryland. This team may lose, too, but it won't be by 37-0 to anyone. And if you're looking for a preseason pick for conference player of the year for '09, you don't have to take U.S. 264 East to find the correct Wilson.