Dailey finds bright side in move to WR

Pinehurst | Joe Dailey, a fifth-year senior at North Carolina, has been converted to wide receiver. UNC doesn't have a proven quarterback yet, but Dailey sees the writing on the wall.

Dailey set a single-season record at Nebraska for interceptions before transferring. At UNC in 2006, he threw 10 interceptions in 195 attempts, his last pass of the season returned 21 yards for a touchdown by Duke's Patrick Bailey.

"I have a great 'completion percentage,'" Dailey said. "Just not to the right guys."

Which one is it?

The league's Atlantic and Coastal division format still hasn't been figured out by everyone.

When asked which division they were in, Virginia Tech representatives Duane Brown and Carlton Powell looked like second-graders who didn't do their homework. Brown said, "Coastal?" then deferred to Powell, whose equally quizzical look didn't convince anyone.

"Yeah, I think that's right," he then said. "Coastal."

A-pluses for both.

Barth gets clipped

Special teamers rarely make an appearance at these media events, but UNC officials said they considered bringing kicker Connor Barth, a senior from Wilmington, as the offensive player.

Dailey came instead, but he had plenty to say about Barth, marveling about the Hoggard graduate's 10-for-10 performance on field goals last season.

"You don't understand the pressure put on that guy," Dailey said. "Back there by himself with the guy holding that ball, guys rushing him. Fans are in there, whipping out flags, holding up signs."

Dailey said Barth had a haircut; his surfer locks are a thing of the past.

"He took it down a couple clips, but he's still crazy," Dailey said.

Fearing Tom O'Brien

N.C. State defensive tackle DeMario Pressley may stand 6-foot-3 and weigh 295 pounds, but he's still a bit scared of new Wolfpack coach Tom O'Brien.

O'Brien, a mere 6 feet, quite thin and 59 years of age, is a former Marine and, according to some of his players, has a certain look that's already gotten their attention.

"You never know what to expect," Pressley said. "He's quiet. Personally, I don't think he wants to be intimidating on purpose, but I can say I'm scared of him. He just wants us to do what he says."

Asked if he can feel O'Brien's eyes on him and not know if the coach liked what he saw in a drill, Pressley quickly responded while laughing, "Have you been to practice? That's exactly how it is."

-Sports editor Neil Amato, assistant sports editor Dan Spears and correspondent Andrew Jones contributed to this story.