Russell Wilson ends his N.C. State career as one of the most accomplished offensive skill players in program history, and ends his A.C.C. career on top, as the finest quarterback in the conference. It’s officially over now, after Wilson asked for and was granted a release from the scholarship tying him to Tom O’Brien and the Wolfpack, allowing him to continue his college career elsewhere should he opt to pursue his final season of collegiate eligibility. Thus ends what was once a wonderful relationship, though the parting might be beneficial for both parties.
From Tom O’Brien’s point of view, Wilson’s departure ends any doubt that Mike Glennon won’t be starting for the Wolfpack come September. O’Brien has been trying to make this distinction — often in vain — for several months, once it became clear that Wilson would miss spring practice while pursuing his baseball career.
Glennon’s our starter, said O’Brien, and will be in the fall. There’s just one problem: no one really believed him. Why would we, when O’Brien could possibly turn to Wilson for the fourth consecutive season? O’Brien was consistent in his message and his actions, however, and any doubts we had about his true intentions were due to just how good Wilson has been since taking over early in the 2008 season.
Last fall, Wilson led the A.C.C. in passing yards and of total offense per game; he leaves N.C.S.U. ranked second in program history in passing efficiency, third in passing yards and second in passing touchdowns, trailing only Philip Rivers. So he was a good one, and thanks to his release, may become a good one somewhere else.
Nevertheless, we should applaud O’Brien for his very in-character decision — making a plan and sticking to it — while feeling a slight sense of trepidation. O’Brien did cut off a potential quarterback controversy at the pass, but he might have also cut out a program great in the process, assuming Wilson had eventually opted to return come the fall.
That’s assuming quite a bit. If nothing else, the fact that O’Brien handed the reins over to Glennon suggests that he never really thought Wilson was serious about coming back to football in 2011; it also suggests he was tired of sharing Wilson with baseball. Was O’Brien being selfish? Not a bit: his job depends on putting a winning product on the field, and he knows that his new quarterback will put football first, not share his talents elsewhere.
Glennon can now bask in the spotlight of being N.C. State’s starting quarterback while encountering a very rare situation. We see new quarterbacks step in for established starters ever year, but it’s not often that a new starter step in while last year’s starter remains available — that’s assuming that Wilson really does want to keep playing football.
The bottom line is that O’Brien made his decision at the right time. Whether you agree or disagree with allowing Wilson to walk, O’Brien didn’t allow the situation to fester, to drag out until August. Instead, he made Glennon his starter, bid Wilson adieu and began the process of moving forward at an early date, which will make the situation far less controversial than had he waited for Wilson to make up his mind at a later date.
You might be able to find fault with not waiting for Wilson, however. He’s good enough, one would to say, to wait for. You can also question the career decision of a potential all-American quarterback batting around .230 on the lower levels of minor league baseball, but that’s for another post.
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