After losing Nate Irving to the NFL, Pack Defense still tough

With Nate Irving, N.C. State's defense made significant improvement last season.

Without Irving, N.C. State doesn't plan to revert to its subpar 2009 form, senior linebacker Audie Cole said.  "I think we'll be all right without him," Cole said Sunday at the ACC Kickoff.

The Wolfpack's revitalized defense created more turnovers and gave up fewer points during 2010, a combination which helped it win nine games. The defense made a significant jump statistically in points allowed (99th in the NCAA to 29th), takeaways (116th to 18th) and sacks (53rd to fourth).

At the heart of the defense, at middle linebacker, was Irving, who led the team in tackles for loss (21.5) and sacks (7.0) and was second in tackles (92). Irving, an All-ACC selection and third-round pick of the Denver Broncos, had missed the previous season because of injuries suffered in a car accident.

N.C. State's defense was young, inexperienced and often out of position during a difficult 5-7 season in 2009.  The group of Cole, linebacker Terrell Manning, safeties Brandan Bishop and Earl Wolff, cornerback C.J. Wilson and defensive tackle J.R. Sweezy learned from its mistakes and grew up last season.  N.C. State's 41 sacks ranked fourth in the country and its 29 takeaways was 18th. The Wolfpack shaved almost 10 points a game off its average down to 21.3.  Irving's return was a catalyst for the improvement but not the only reason.

"Nate was a big playmaker and he always found himself in the right place," Cole said. "He obviously helped us last year, and we probably wouldn't have been as good last year without Nate. But I think this year with our experience, we're going to be just fine." Cole, who third on the team in tackles with 86 last season, is one of eight returning starters on defense. He will slide over from outside linebacker to the middle to replace Irving.

Irving made the same transition last year from the outside slot to the inside. "It's not that big of a change for me," Cole said. "It's not like I had to re-learn everything."  Cole expects his production to improve during his senior season if only because he won't be playing with a cast. He broke his right hand against Florida State last season and then re-broke during the final four games. He had to wear the cast through the bowl win against West Virginia and for more than three months.  Cole now is cast-free and ready to get back to tackling with two good hands.  "It wasn't a fun time," he said.

While not as instinctual as Irving, Cole flourished under linebackers coach Jon Tenuta last season with five sacks. He led the Wolfpack in tackles as a sophomore with 85 during Irving's absence in '09.  "He's going to fill Nate's role perfectly," senior tight end George Bryan said. "I don't think we'll miss a beat."

Report by J.P. Giglio

Read more: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/07/24/2479561/nc-state-feels-it-has-the-tools.html#ixzz1T8bAQBWC