Notebook: Wilson Diagnosed With a Concussion

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- NC State opened the season with a 34-0 loss at South Carolina, and here are some postgame notables on the Wolfpack.

Redshirt freshman Russell Wilson started his first career game, becoming just the third NC State freshman quarterback since 1971 to start in his first career game. Overall, he is the eighth freshman signal caller during that time period to start for the Wolfpack.

Wilson's first completion of his career went to tight end Anthony Hill, who was playing his first game since 2006 after missing the entire 2007 year with a preseason knee injury. Hill finished with one catch for 12 yards.

Wilson was injured on the Wolfpack's longest drive of the first half after leading the team 41 yards down to the South Carolina 35-yard line in the second quarter. On the next play, a one-yard rushing loss, Wilson was injured when he took a knee to the back of the helmet. He was taken off the field on a stretcher with what the NC State medical staff said was a concussion, and transported to a local hospital for more tests. He was later evaluated and diagnosed with a grade three concussion.

Andre Brown ran for 101 yards on the game, moving into 11th all-time in school history with 1,803 career rushing yards.

It was Brown's sixth career 100-yard effort, tied for the ninth all-time with Wolfpack great Dick Christy.

Sophomore wideout Owen Spencer, who earned his first career start, caught three passes for 27 yards to lead the team. He had just five caches in 12 games as a true freshman.

Twenty-two players saw their first career action for the Wolfpack in today's game, including four true freshman: wide receiver T.J. Graham, linebacker's Dwayne Maddox and Sterling Lucas and fullback Taylor Gentry.

The last time the NC State defense had four interceptions in a game was in 2000 against SMU. The four picks tied for the most since the Wolfpack had six against Florida State in 1998.

The last time NC State was shutout in back-to-back games was in 1956. NC State lost last season's final game, 37-0, to Maryland. The last time a Wolfpack team was shutout to open a season was in 1955.

True to coach Tom O'Brien's comments during the week, nearly every NC State player on the travel roster played. Only eight players did not see action out of the 66 players who made the trip, and one of those was freshman quarterback Mike Glennon, who the coaches plan on redshirting.

Four players recorded the first interceptions of their career in the game. Redshirt freshmen safeties Jimmaul Simmons and Justin Byers each picked off a pass in their first career games, with Simmons picking his on his first career play. Redshirt sophomores Nate Irving and DeAndre Morgan also had their first career picks.

Josh Czajkowski missed his first career field goal attempt, a 49-yard try with just over three minutes left in the half. It was his only attempt of the game.

The NC State offense managed just 49 yards passing, the lowest team total since the Appalachian State game to open the 2006 season.