 O'Brien's recruiting classes were frequently in the bottom half of the nation, and Yow wanted a coach who could bring top 25-type talent to Raleigh.NCSU was obligated to pay $1.2 million of non-state funds to O'Brien, as his contract ran through the 2015 season.However, NCSU ended up only having to pay O'Brien $200,000 after the buyout was renegotiated so he could become an assistant at Virginia.