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ADs on the watch for fan behavior this weekend

Security has been beefed up for N.C. State's game against East Carolina this weekend.

Posted — Updated
By
Bob Holliday

East Carolina has emphasized crowd involvement with football. But when some rushed the field after the Pirates' upset of West Virginia, the school drew a $10,000 fine from Conference USA.

"Sometimes you have to learn lessons the hard way," admitted East Carolina Athletics Director Terry Holland. This is a hard lesson. "

ECU could lose the opportunity to host the Conference USA Championship game if it happens again.

"We understand the eventual consequences," said Holland. "I don't think you'll see our fans doing anything that would hurt our team."

The ACC does not have a league-wide policy on crowd control. The league does, however, expect each school to provide the security necessary to protect the officials and players.

In a rivalry like this weekend's ECU-at-N.C. State game, State will have more than 250 security personnel to protect the people on the field – and the goal posts.

State installed retractable goal posts several years ago and actually brought the posts down when ECU upset the Pack in 2006.

"There was a miscommunication last time," said N.C. State Athletics Director Lee Fowler. "We got one of them down before zero hit the clock. Some people were upset about that. But we're not going to drop the goals this time. We've kind of resolved that we won't drop them. The head of security here, Chief Younce, thinks it's better not to drop them at all."

Fowler was quick to remind everyone, though, that fans should not see this as invitation to come running out of the stands.

"We don't want people to come on our field," Fowler said. "We want them to celebrate in the stands, and hopefully that's what will happen. We have a lot of security there during the game to make sure that happens."

N.C. State fans have not rushed the field since the big Florida State upset of 2002.

While ECU is favored, not everyone thinks State is going in as the underdog.

"I think, truthfully, we expect to beat East Carolina on a year-in year-out basis," said Fowler. "To us, it wouldn't be that big an upset. "

Should ECU win, as everyone (save perhaps Lee Fowler) expects, Pirate fans would do well to stay put.

In fact, they would be wise to do that the rest of the year in order for their school to retain its hosting rights in Conference USA.

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