The job that Chuck Amato has done in four years as NC State’s football coach is amazing. When he arrived in 2000, State fans were desperate for some success from their sports teams. Any success. State has always been a basketball school (more on that in a bit), but their hoops team was in the midst of a decade-long slump and was being coached by the boring Herb Sendek. Before that, the basketball team had a long seven years under Les Robinson, a likable guy, but a miserable basketball coach. In football, State was doing OK under Mike O’Cain, but just that – OK.
So, when Amato arrived with his larger than life persona (and head) and talk of championships, Wolfpackers got excited. Amato brought with him the scent of success from his long tenure as the #2 man at Florida State.
Four years later, that excitement hasn’t dimmed a bit. In fact, it’s grown. It’s grown so much that even after finally seeing some success on the hardcourt, State has become a football school. They fill Carter-Finley to the brim for every home game, while the RBC Center only fills for big ACC games. When expansion talk dominated the area last summer, State fans seemed unanimous in their support, saying basically that they wanted the toughest conference possible, because their program was ready. NC State Chancellor Mary Fox seemed to agree, as she helped push expansion through (despite her odd and brief change of heart when it came time to bring in Boston College).
The recent football pride has helped spur unprecedented improvements to NC State facilities and launch a hot campaign to sell permanent seat licenses. If you want season tickets to Wolfpack football anytime soon, you better act now and you better be ready to pony up about $100 a seat for the next six years.
But is all this hype and excitement justified by what’s happened on and off the field? In Amato’s four years, there have certainly been some bright moments. He has managed to beat FSU three straight times, an achievement no one would have even dreamed of a few years ago. He has also taken them to four straight bowls, including a victory over Notre Dame. On the flip side, State hasn’t yet finished higher than fourth in the ACC under Amato. Also, while their overall record has been pretty good, State has played an awful nonconference schedule in recent years, playing the likes of Arkansas State, U Mass, SMU, East Tennessee State, Connecticut, Navy and Western Carolina. Add in perennial doormats Indiana and Texas Tech (twice each) and you have a ton of free wins.
Amato won all of his games with the great Philip Rivers as his quarterback. Despite the credit that the local papers seem to give Amato, it was O’Cain who recruited and landed Rivers. Amato only talked him into keeping his commitment after O’Cain was sent packing. Other stars recruited by O’Cain that have greatly benefited Amato are Terrence Holt, Koren Robinson and Jerricho Cotchery.
Off the field, nothing too bad has happened yet, but there are hints that there might be problems down the road. First of all, maybe it’s unfair, but that “scent of success” I mentioned that comes from FSU also includes a whiff of scandal. Florida State football is constantly involved in one set of problems or another. As the guy who was said to have run day-to-day operations for years down there, you have to think that he carries some responsibility for those troubles. And the lesson that he must have learned is that those problems don’t really matter when you win.
Amato has had remarkable success recruiting out of Florida. And he’s not just getting the dregs; he’s getting some top players. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that of course, but I can’t help but cast a wary eye at anyone’s who’s too successful in Florida. The three big schools down there are all top notch programs with everything a recruit could want – exposure, coaching, titles, etc. At the same time, all three of those schools, FSU, Miami and Florida, have been known to play pretty fast and loose with the rules. So, any school that’s going down there and consistently beating them for players must have a hell of a pitch.
One of Amato’s recruiting tricks, and one that lots of other coaches have learned from and are starting to emulate, is having his recruits graduate from high school early so they can enroll in State in the spring and play in spring practice. Football-wise, it’s a brilliant idea, giving his freshman at least twice as much practice and preparation time than those who wait to join school until the fall. The problem I have with this is about the academics. College athletes, and football players in particular, aren’t really known for their great academic prowess. Many of the players have a tough time getting accepted by the university and then a tougher time staying eligible. So, how is that this group of academic mice is able to finish high school in less time than most kids? And how are they then able to handle college coursework nine months earlier than their classmates? I’m suspicious of the whole process. I’d like to see the NCAA step in and put a stop to the practice.
In the end, the off the field stuff is inconsequential. Nothing bad has happened yet, and maybe never will. Eventually though, Amato’s going to have to start winning on the field at a clip that’s commensurate with the expectations of the fans. The back-slapping and one-liners will only take him so far. If he doesn’t believe me, he can ask Pete Gillen up at Virginia.