By Joedy McCreary
Associated Press
RALEIGH ó North Carolina Stateís quarterback race is down to two players.
Coach Tom OíBrien said Wednesday that freshman Mike Glennon will redshirt this season, leaving returning starter Daniel Evans or redshirt freshman Russell Wilson as the Wolfpackís options for the opener next week at South Carolina.
iWhile (Glennon) is an exceptional talent, heís just not ready to handle some of the situationsî that he might face, OíBrien said.
OíBrien also said he wouldnít name his starter for a few more days, when he has to exchange information with the Gamecocks.
iNo sense rushing what weíre doing right now,î he added.
Glennon, the younger brother of Virginia Tech quarterback Sean Glennon, was a high school player last year in Virginia and, as one of OíBrienís top members of the recruiting class announced in February, is considered N.C. Stateís quarterback of the future.
Yet he remained a candidate for this yearís starting job perhaps for longer than outsiders expected. The decision to redshirt him was reached after the teamís third preseason scrimmage, which featured situational work, OíBrien said.
iThings have to happen fast and youíre in a two-minute offense, youíre in a four-minute offense, a lot of things that win games for you at the end of games,î OíBrien said. iA lot of it had to do with the experience factor, and the college game moves an awful lot faster than the high school game did ó getting signals, knowing what the clockís doing, all of those kind of things that come with experience, which, heís got everything else. He just needs some time to soak.î
Picking a quarterback has been a chore in Raleigh this preseason.
Five players were in the mix before OíBrien trimmed the field to three last week, eliminating Nebraska transfer Harrison Beck and sophomore Justin Burke. Beck will be N.C. Stateís No. 3 quarterback, while Burke is transferring to Louisville.
Evans burst onto the scene as a sophomore in 2006, beating nationally ranked Boston College and Florida State in the first two starts of his career. Then, he threw for 2,030 yards in 12 games last season with 12 touchdowns and 13 interceptions and keyed the four-game winning streak that had the Wolfpack on the cusp of bowl eligibility for the first time since 2005.
Wilson, whose redshirt was preserved last season, is considered more of a threat to tuck the ball and run it.
iThatís a good thing ó I trust them all,î OíBrien said.