RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- Tom O'Brien figures he's rarely been tested as a coach quite like he was in this third season at North Carolina State.
A crippling run of injuries started before the season even began and continued through the season. By the end, his offensive coordinator was battling a serious illness and the Wolfpack was just trying to make it through the schedule.
"This is the hardest year I've ever been through in coaching," O'Brien said after his team closed the season by upsetting rival North Carolina on Saturday.
The 28-27 win against the Tar Heels gave the Wolfpack (5-7, 2-6 Atlantic Coast Conference) some measure of relief in a season that got away during a 1-6 stretch in the second half of the schedule. But the Wolfpack had 12 players go down with season-ending injuries, starting with top linebacker Nate Irving in an offseason car wreck. Another four players sat out of the North Carolina game, prompting O'Brien to say "I don't think we could go play in a bowl game if we had to."
O'Brien said the injuries made it difficult to determine where the program stands after his first three seasons.
"The situation we're in now, we had no upperclass at all," he said. "This program is basically two recruiting classes.
"I don't know how you're able to judge when you have no upper class, and your other classes are wiped out, until we get another recruiting class in here and we get some depth and to start moving forward. Basically, we've been hanging on, to be quite frank."
As if things couldn't get tougher, the Wolfpack learned early last week that offensive coordinator Dana Bible had been diagnosed with leukemia. He was to remain hospitalized for 30 days of treatment and missed the final two games.
The Wolfpack will have to wait to find out whether quarterback Russell Wilson will return for his junior season or focus on baseball. Wilson said he would decide "whenever the Lord knocks on my door and lets me know."
N.C. State must also wait to find out whether running back Toney Baker, who was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA after losing almost two full years to knee injuries, will return.
For O'Brien, the win against North Carolina can only help the Wolfpack move past a frustrating season and focus on next year.
"We're going to be a heck of a football team here, and it's all because of the seniors," O'Brien said Saturday. "You know, as disappointing as this year is, I think someday we'll look back and say, 'Things turned.' Maybe today."
