RALEIGH, N.C. - North Carolina State junior quarterback Philip Rivers looks at teammate T.A. McLendon and sees a reflection of himself.
Rivers took the Atlantic Coast Conference by storm with a dazzling freshman season in 2000, and he has grown into one of the more dangerous passers in the land. As the Wolfpack's freshman tailback sensation, McLendon is charting the same course, having already become the top scorer in the league.
At 6 feet 5, 236 pounds, Rivers is big and tough enough to absorb nasty hits in the pocket without letting it affect his production or his unflappable demeanor in the huddle. At 5-11, 215, McLendon prefers to punish defenders rather than make them miss. Neither player is flashy.
Both players are fathers who envision themselves supporting their families on NFL salaries one day. McLendon has a 2-year-old daughter, Akaenyjah. Rivers married his high school sweetheart, Tiffany, 18 months ago. On July 7, she gave birth to a daughter, Halle Elizabeth.
Each of them has taken turns carrying the Wolfpack offense during a season of historic success. Rivers is the third-most proficient quarterback in the nation. McLendon needs 138 yards to reach 1,000, and already owns a freshman single-season school record with 15 touchdowns.
Say hello to perhaps the scariest two-headed monster in the ACC.
"We're very similar in the way we hate to lose and like to fight for every inch," Rivers said. "For two guys who haven't known each other for very long, we're fairly close."
"When the defense aims to stop [Rivers], that's when me and our offensive line start running the ball. When they aim to stop me, Philip steps back in," McLendon said. "He's a real leader, and you do what he says. He's made me a whole lot better."
If the Maryland Terrapins (7-2, 3-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) intend to win Saturday's homecoming game against the visiting, 14th-ranked Wolfpack (9-1, 4-1) and remain in contention for the ACC title, they must find a way to tame an offense that ranks seventh in the NCAA with an average of 38.5 points a game.
So far, the Terps are 2-0 against Rivers, who has had his way with most everyone else. Rivers ranks either first or second in eight career passing categories at N.C. State. After a decorated run at Athens (Ala.) High School, where he was coached by his father, Steve, Rivers graduated one semester early and arrived for spring football in Raleigh in 2000.
It didn't take Rivers long to win the quarterback job, and it didn't take him long to reward coach Chuck Amato for his decision to start a first-year freshman. Rivers threw for 397 yards in his collegiate debut against Arkansas State, then became the ACC Rookie of the Year. Two years later, he is on the verge of leading N.C. State to its first 10-victory season and to its third straight bowl game, this time possibly of the Bowl Championship Series variety.
"I can't say I expected this much success, but I certainly believed in myself to do what I've done. I don't get caught up in the numbers," said Rivers, who has completed 63.3 percent of his passes while throwing for 2,421 yards and 17 touchdowns with only seven interceptions.
"I watch for how well quarterbacks see things, and this guy sees things almost instantly. He has great vision," Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen said of Rivers. "He has this unorthodox release. That ball can come out by his hip, sometimes it looks like he pushes it. But the darn thing gets where it has to be. He's extremely accurate."
And what a complementary weapon McLendon has become, despite shoulder and hand injuries and having to learn a new offense and adjust to a Division I-A pace. McLendon set national records at tiny Albemarle (N.C.) High School with 71 touchdowns as a senior and 170 rushing touchdowns in his career.
"I wanted to take a redshirt year and get bigger, faster, stronger and get used to the hits in practice. I was third string over the summer," McLendon said. "Philip is the smartest quarterback in the country. He's always quizzing me during games, coming up to the line of scrimmage. Which way are you going on this play? Who are you blocking if this happens? I'm not going to complain about the way things have worked out for me."
McLendon got his first taste of the NCAA in the season opener against New Mexico, when he carried 10 times in the fourth quarter to highlight a 79-yard day. He also hurt his shoulder, which slowed him for the next several weeks. But after gaining 150 yards on Sept. 21 in a 51-48 overtime victory at Texas Tech, the job has been his.
A national television audience got a glimpse of McLendon two weeks ago, when he shredded Clemson on the road with 278 rushing yards, powering the Wolfpack to a 38-6 rout.
Maryland senior middle linebacker E.J. Henderson looks at Rivers and McLendon and sees a busy day ahead.
"[McLendon] is not too shifty. He will try to run you over. A real good back, especially for being so young," Henderson said. "With the way they can run the ball, you've got to be good to decipher the play-action pass, and they run a lot of screens and run them well. Rivers is always looking to throw the ball and beat you deep. They've got kind of a duo going."
Next for Terps
Opponent:No. 14 N.C. State
Site:Byrd Stadium, College Park
When:Saturday, noon
TV/Radio:Chs. 2, 7/WBAL (1090 AM)
Line:Maryland by 6