SB Nation - Greg Little

UNC 33, Miami 24

T.H. — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 03:12:03 -0000

More photos » by Gerry Broome - AP

Jacory Harris is a good quarterback. He has a tremendous arm, the ability to scramble, and great presence to get the ball off as he's being crushed by an oncoming blitz. Unfortunately, you only have so much control once you let that ball go while being pasted into the turf. And today, that ball kept headed towards Carolina blue jerseys.

Specifically, Kendric Burney's jersey, as he intercepted three of Harris' passes, ran one back, and started another, one of the most convoluted defensive touchdowns I've seen in quite some time. Toss in a fourth interception from Da'Norris Searcy and it was a rough afternoon for the most intercepted quarterback in the conference.

It helped that the second most intercepted quarterback kept the ball out of the Hurricanes' hands, even if he put it in the turf a little too often. The Tar Heels were turnover-free, and although half their drives were three-and-outs, managed to consistently drive into Hurricane territory, resulting in four Casey Barth field goals and beautiful touchdown pass to Greg Little. More importantly, after Miami came back in the fourth quarter to cut the lead to 6 at 30-24 managed an eleven-play, five-and-a-half minute drive to the Miami 16 and a game-clinching field goal. John Shoop called a great game, putting the ball in the hands of twelve different players, and ending with Ryan Houston, who ground out 24 carries for 76 yards.

But this was the defense's game, constantly plowing through the Miami line and snatching the ball from opposing receivers every time the game was in doubt. And as a result, UNC is bowl eligible, the same week a quarter of the conference had their postseason hopes dashed. With the remaining two games on the road against hapless Atlantic teams, the Heels have a good chance of getting their highest win total since 1997. So, there's that.

North Carolina 20, Virginia Tech 17: What They're Saying

furrer4heisman — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:00:40 -0000

More photos » by Don Petersen - AP

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Everyone shares in this loss. From Bryan Stinespring to Bud Foster to even Frank Beamer for allowing the chop talk to permeate through the week, there isn't a single Hokie player or coach that doesn't share the blame for losing to North Carolina.

The offensive line didn't give Tyrod Taylor enough time to throw. Taylor missed open receivers when he had the chance. Team MVP Ryan Williams fumbled deep in his own territory late in a tied game. The defense couldn't get a third-down stop to save its families. The middle of the field was open all day for T.J. Yates. The list is never ending after a stunning and heartbreaking loss like that.

As CGB has said on last week's Gobbler Balls Podcast with VT beat writer Kyle Tucker, our fan base loves a scapegoat. But there isn't one this time. This loss was a team effort. But hey, at least we've starting losing as a team instead of being able to blame one unit or coach or player. Now, on to the links after the jump.

National Media and Bloggers

Tar Heels stun Hokies (Annette)
"The only thing left for Virginia Tech running back Ryan Williams to do was sit on the Hokies' bench and bury his face in his hands. Unlike a week ago, when North Carolina quarterback T.J. Yates threw a costly interception, this time it was Virginia Tech with the untimely turnover, as Williams' fourth-quarter fumble led to UNC's game-winning field goal for the 20-17 upset in Lane Stadium."

And that happened (EDSBS)
"With five minutes and change left and trailing 17-14, Davis changed the code against Virginia Tech and went for it on 4th and 7 from the VT 36. Yates, 19 yard completion to Greg Little, and the game-tying field goal. Butch Davis is a machine that learns, and after a forced fumble on Hokie RB Ryan Williams UNC took their leisurely time in running down the clock (SHOOP!) and kicking the winning field goal to beat VT by the default ACC score of 20-17. Williams looked in need of specific electronic diversion on the sidelines after the fumble."

Hokies are alpha dogs no more (Dr. Saturday)
"Virginia Tech is as close as this league has had to a sure thing from the moment it entered in 2004 -- four division titles in five years, three conference titles and the highest final poll finish in the conference five years in a row. Right now, though, the Hokies are just one of the rabble, a half-game ahead of Miami for fourth place in the Coastal Division, sitting behind Virginia and Duke going into the weekend (and since Virginia and Duke play Saturday, coming out of the weekend, too)."

Heels Egg Hokies’ House Before Halloween (Joe Ovies)
"It’s amazing what successful offensive drives can do for the defense. There is a direct correlation to having 3 drives of nearly 80 yards, which took up serious time, and a fresh Heels’ defense that vexed the likes of Ryan Williams and Tyrod Taylor. The Hokies were held to 246 yards, 6-of-16 on third down, and two turnovers. Taylor, who had completed nearly 75% of his passes in the last three games, was a pedestrian 11 for 23 against North Carolina. Williams had 6 carries from inside the 1-yard-line and zero touchdowns to show for it."

Virginia Tech Beat Writers and Columnists

No excuses for Hokies' latest loss (Aaron McFarling)
"So now North Carolina has done it. This wasn't Alabama. This wasn't Georgia Tech. This didn't happen on the road, or even at a neutral site. This happened in Blacksburg, on a Thursday night, against a team that arrived here winless in the ACC. Excuses? There aren't any. There can't be. No need to send any game tapes to the league offices after this one. No need to wonder what might change when the team gains some experience."

Williams now moving on after costly fumble (Randy King)
"Nobody's perfect. Just ask Virginia Tech standout tailback Ryan Williams. Williams, who was beating himself up severely after losing a late-game fumble that led to UNC's 20-17 upset of Virginia Tech last Thursday at Lane Stadium, said Sunday that he's moving forward in the wake of the miscue."

Field goal after costly fumble all but dashes Hokies’ title hopes (Kyle Tucker)
"Virginia Tech said there would be no Georgia Tech hangover, but it certainly looked like it Thursday night as the Hokies stumbled, fumbled and fell flat against North Carolina. The headache will be far worse this morning for the No. 14 Hokies – national title contenders two weeks ago – when they ponder a 20-17 loss to the Tar Heels, who had yet to win an ACC game."

Tech play breakdown and play-calling in UNC game (Norm Wood)
"It certainly wouldn't be stunning for any offensive coordinator to lean on a player producing at such a consistently high level. Of course, much of this conversation goes back to UNC's pass rush, which made it difficult for Taylor to get comfortable in the pocket early on many drives."

Hokies shift goals (Mark Viera)
"After Virginia Tech defeated Cincinnati in the Orange Bowl in January, it was clear to see the Hokies’ potential in the 2009 season. With the core of the team intact, the Hokies were a top-10 team in the preseason poll and expectations ran high in Blacksburg. Oh, how the outlook has changed. With their national title hopes dashed and their chance at an Atlantic Coast Conference championship slim, the Hokies are playing for pride."

Gibson replaces Johnson in starting lineup (Darryl Slater)
"The move isn’t exactly surprising, because Rivers has been getting more snaps of late. Johnson, who is in his first season as a starter, played mostly on special teams last year. The Hokies had two senior linebackers, Brett Warren and Purnell Sturdivant, who they needed to replace coming into this season. In addition to Johnson, Foster, who also coaches inside linebackers, turned to sophomore Barquell Rivers at the other spot."

Tar Heels' defense plays up to Beamer's hype (Nathan Warters)
"The Tar Heels’ front seven caused all kinds of problems for Tech in the first half of Thursday night’s nationally televised game at Lane Stadium. UNC sacked Hokies quarterback Tyrod Taylor three times before the break. Because of that pressure, the Heels were able to neutralize Tech’s offense, holding it to 108 yards and only four first downs."

Virginia Tech Bloggers

Tar Heels Upset Hokies in Blacksburg (Tech Sideline)
"Virginia Tech led this game 17-14 in the fourth quarter, but UNC established their dominance at the line of scrimmage over the final minutes. Trailing by three, they went on 16 play, 78 yard drive that took 8:59 off the clock and resulted in a field goal to tie the game. UNC was aided by a pass interference call on cornerback Rashad Carmichael, and they also converted a fourth and seven play with a 19 yard pass to wide receiver Greg Little."

Thoughts on the North Carolina Loss (College Game Balls)
"What really miffs me is our lack of focus. We still had an outside chance at the ACC Championship, a respectable bowl game, another ten win season, etc, etc. We were playing a team, at night, at home, who had very little to play for, who had their hearts ripped out a week ago and they were flat out hungrier and wanted it more. We could have had Urban Meyer relaying plays to Bill Walsh and we would have still lost."

Ruh-Roh (Beer Control Offense)
"That sucks but having seen the D get shredded all season, not that surprised. That sorta sucks, not being surprised. This actually diminishes GiT a lil. If UNC can run on tech..."

Welcome Back 2003 Hokies (Fight for Old DC)
"As mentioned before, this looks like the '03 squad that choked on their own jockstraps (and media clippings) en route to a 2-5 finish. A few big wins, but a team that's still a little immature in important spots. If they can't take an average UNC team seriously at home, I don't see a bright future against Maryland, ECU and UVA on the road. All of those teams will have a shot at taking down the former champs. If we see an effort/coaching level like tonight, this team that's been sub-par on the road will lose 1-2 more games. Right now, I'm writing out of frustration, but it wasn't pretty at all. Here's hoping Beamer and Co. can stop the bleeding in Greenville."

That Just Happened (The North End Zone)
"Some might say that it is our defense that failed us again (just like last game), but I submit a different culprit. How about our offense? We have now scored a mind boggling 3 whole points TOTAL in the first half of each of the last two games. THREE FUCKING POINTS! In each case, had we scored any more points in either of those halves, we would have won the game. One of them being AT HOME ON A THURDAY NIGHT."

North Carolina Bloggers

UNC 20, Virginia Tech 17 (Carolina March)
"I fully expect most of the coverage of this game to be similar to last week, where all the focus is on FSU and the only reference to UNC is in the fact that by definition, there was another team on the field. There will be articles about what it means for Tech, and the other Tech, and the ACC, and I'm sure the word roulette will be tossed around tonight. But right now, this is Carolina's win, not Virginia Tech's loss. And it's a great feeling."

UNC 20, Virginia Tech 17 (Tar Heel Fan)
"This game was perfect redemption after the way the Heels fell last week. Of course now last week’s loss sticks in the craw a bit but given that FSU was winnable and this was considered a sure loss, UNC is exactly where they would have been anyway had it come according to expectation. Now the Heels only need to get two more wins to qualify for a bowl game."

UNC 20, Virginia Tech 17 (Tar Heel Mania)
"Frankly, Virginia Tech, we’re just as surprised as you are. After the horrible month that the Heels had, there was almost nothing to indicate that we would be able to execute well enough to beat perhaps our toughest opponent of the season on the road. There were only three indications that we stood a chance."

UNC 20, Virginia Tech 17

T.H. — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 03:29:44 -0000

More photos » by Don Petersen - AP

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Let's talk about T.J. Yates.

Yates has taken a lot of grief this season. Coming into this game he had as many interceptions as touchdowns, hadn't broken 250 yards passing in a game this season, and suffered under a collapsing offensive line and an increasingly dire season. He hit a low against Florida State last week, managing only 64 yards and throwing a critical interception early in the second half that brought FSU back into a game at exactly the wrong time.

But this game, on national TV, in Blacksburg was going well. The defense was playing spectacular. Against all odds, the running game had taken hold, with an incredbile mixture of sweeps, end-arounds, and Ryan Houston occasionally powering it right up the middle. Yates even had two touchdowns, on nicely placed passes to the left corner in the red zone. And now, in the fourth quarter, he just had to continue piloting the ship, letting UNC grind out the clock and protect a three point lead.

And on the first play from the line of scrimmage, he throws an interception into the backfield on his own five yard line.

Virginia Tech lives for turnovers, and UNC had done a great job up until that point of denying them. But this was a game killer. The defense put up another great goal line stand, but the Hokies slipped in to take a three point lead and all the momentum. And now it was left to Yates, never a great late game quarterback, to take the team down the field and rescue the season.

Oh, and the offensive line is going to false start twice on third down.

I've seen this before. I saw this last week. This was another Carolina late-game failure, another depressing Thursday evening, another long week in October. And yet, it wasn't. Three successful third down conversions, and one success on 4th and seven. Five completions, none over twenty yards, all on short passes, and then a series of rushes to get Casey Barth and easy field goal. Tie game. Not much more you can ask for.

OK, you can ask for a Virginia tech fumble inside their own thirty and then Ryan Houston grinding away the rest of the clock to set up a winning Barth kick. And hey, Carolina fans got that too! But this was Yates' day, coming back from one of the dumbest passes of the year to put the ball exactly where it needed to be against a Virginia Tech defense they strangely pulled everyone back into coverage. (Even the failed third down touchdown attempt that would have given the Heels the lead was well-placed; Greg Little just misjudged it.) The turnover will remain epically stupid, but the game won't be remembered for it. In an offense not designed for passing - Yates was only 18/28 for a meager 131 yards - he did enough in the clutch to get UNC, ~~0-4~~ 0-3 in conference coming in, a Top-15 win.

Of course, it wouldn't have been possible without some incredible defensive play. The defense held the Hokies to 256 total yards, and 6-15 on third down conversions. Without the excellent field position from the interception, they'd never have been able to take the lead, and even then the Heels almost stopped them at the one. And then there was Shops play calling, learning from the rare successes of the FSU game and building a running attack that could frustrate Virginia Tech's big defensive line. If you had told me before the game the Heels would get 181 yards on the ground, I wouldn't have believed it. I may have even said something to that effect. But after two drives of rush-rush-sack-punt, they changed things up, eschewing the straight Draughn runs for early uses of Houston, wide reciever sweeps, and the occasional Draughn trickery. And it worked.

I fully expect most of the coverage of this game to be similar to last week, where all the focus is on FSU and the only reference to UNC is in the fact that by definition, there was another team on the field. There will be articles about what it means for Tech, and the other Tech, and the ACC, and I'm sure the word roulette will be tossed around tonight. But right now, this is Carolina's win, not Virginia Tech's loss. And it's a great feeling.

2009 Virginia Tech Football: What to Watch vs. North Carolina

furrer4heisman — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:00:20 -0000

by Gerry Broome - AP

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The Team

The Hokies may not go to the ACCCG because of their loss to Georgia Tech. But that doesn't mean the team has nothing to play for this season. It's important for the Hokies to play well in these final five games to transition into 2010. And if they get some lucky bounces, they could still end up in Tampa.
This will be my only trip to Blacksburg this year. I have faith that the crowd won't disappoint. The Thursday night crowd in Lane Stadium is always my favorite.

Virginia Tech Offense vs. North Carolina Defense

The North Carolina defense is nearly a carbon copy of Virginia Tech's. The Tar Heels have a solid front seven that has played well against the run. However, they were prone to big pass plays in the second half against Florida State when they weren't able to get pressure on the quarterback.
In three conference games, the Tar Heels are allowing 5.1 yards per play, fifth in the ACC.
I think the Tar Heels are going to have success stopping the Hokies' traditional run game. However, if Tyrod Taylor can avoid pressure and break containment, he could have a big day on the ground.
I also look for Taylor to have success throwing the ball against the Tar Heels. The shorter routes to guys like Danny Coale may not be open in this game, but guys like Jarrett Boykin and Dyrell Roberts should be able to get open down field. I like the matchup when the 6-2 Boykin and 6-4 Xavier Boyce are going against 5-9 Kendric Burney and 5-10 Charles Brown.
North Carolina has a -6 turnover margin in three league games, last in the ACC. The Heels have forced one turnover (a recovered fumble vs. FSU). Things could get ugly if they don't force a couple of turnovers against the Hokies.
Conversely, the Hokies need to hang on to the ball. They lost a fumble in each of their first three conference games before Tyrod threw two interceptions against Georgia Tech.
The penalties also need to stop. We're the third-most penalized team in the conference by yards at over 55 yards per game. It's even worse in league games at 59 yards per game.

Virginia Tech Defense vs. North Carolina Offense

Greg Little keyed last week's game for the Tar Heels. He made plays both as a wide receiver and on carries that ignited the North Carolina offense.
Look for Little to be in motion when the ball is snapped on a lot of plays. This is not only to give him the ball on end arounds, but to set up a bevy of other plays. Out of the same look, the Tar Heels will give the ball to Shaun Droughn and throw the ball on play-action.
A lot of times, it will be like facing another triple-option offense. If the Hokies can key in on these plays and not let any of them break for big yards, they'll be in good shape.
Like a lot of quarterbacks, T.J. Yates isn't very good when he's being pressured. The Tar Heels have allowed 17 sacks this year, 6 in their three conference games. Late in the FSU game the Tar Heels were trying to make a comeback, but a good pass rush from the Seminoles kept North Carolina from having any chance at winning. The Hokies have to get pressure from Jason Worilds and Nekos Brown to disrupt the passing game.
If Yates has time to get the ball away, he has receivers that are capable of making big plays. Little has been outstanding of late and freshman Erik Highsmith is coming along.
The key battle to watch is Nekos Brown against left tackle Kyle Jolly. The Tar Heels are going to focus on Worilds. While Brown isn't having a bad season, I think he can play a lot better than he has been. He needs to get to the quarterback and take pressure of Worilds in this game.
In three conference games, the Tar Heels have three touchdowns and two field goals in seven trips to the red zone. That's not getting the job done. The Hokies have been average in red zone defense, but should be able to have success against the Tar Heels when down by the goal line because of North Carolina's struggles with the run game.

Outcome

The Hokies shouldn't have any trouble stopping the Tar Heel rush attack. If they can do that, they can force T.J. Yates into obvious passing downs and then just pin their ears back. I don't think North Carolina will be able to do enough on offense to win this game.
I know I'm usually a pessimist, but I think we win this one comfortably. Unless T.J. Yates has a Kyle Wright moment and suddenly becomes Joe Montana for a game.

Watch the Box Score For:

North Carolina rush yards
North Carolina sacks
VT first down yards
Tyrod Taylor passing stats

Virginia Tech Players to Watch:

5 - Tyrod Taylor, Jr., QB
81 - Jarrett Boykin, So., WR
47 - Nekos Brown, Sr., DE
17 - Kam Chancellor, Sr., FS

North Carolina Players to Watch:

8 - Greg Little, Jr., WR
72 - Kyle Jolly, Sr., OL
52 - Quan Sturdivant, Jr., LB
92 - E.J. Wilson, Sr., DE

Final Score

Virginia Tech 29, North Carolina 10

Poll

Who will win Thursday?

Hokies by less than seven

11 votes

Hokies by seven or more

125 votes

Tar Heels by less than seven

19 votes

Tar Heels by seven or more

4 votes

159 votes | Poll has closed

Virginia Tech vs. North Carolina: Q&A with Tar Heel Fan

furrer4heisman — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:00:18 -0000

More photos » by Gerry Broome - AP

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Tar Heel Fan blog is here to answer some questions about North Carolina to help us prepare for Thursday's game.

GC: When he was healthy last season, T.J. Yates had a passer rating of over 150. This year he's toward the bottom of the league in passer rating. What factors have contributed to that this year?

THF: Hakeem Nicks and Brandon Tate left. It has become increasingly clear that Yates was a by-product of great receivers. That, more than anything, explains why we never saw much of a drop off when Cam Sexton spelled Yates. This season Yates cannot hit the broadside of a barn with a sawed off shotgun and when he does happen to get it right, like the 81 yard TD pass against FSU, someone commits a hold.

GC: Tell us a little bit about Greg Little, who had a whale of a game against FSU. Do you think Butch Davis will continue to invent ways to get the ball in his hands as often as possible?

THF: Most UNC fans are saying "About time!" Little has been a bit of an enigma. He came in with some hype that was partly derived from the fact he first committed to Notre Dame. Prior to the FSU game he had not been that effective to the point I called ESPN.com's Heather Dinich out for naming him the offensive MVP. Little then comes up with a huge game which might be more about the FSU defense than Little. At any rate, it would be nice to see Little get the ball more especially on the reverse or even a direct snap here and there. Given the state of the offensive line, UNC's best bet is to hope their athletes can simply get the corner at the edges since running up the middle is like driving through northern Virginia at 5 PM on a Friday.

GC: Were your rushing numbers against FSU the product of facing a bad defense or the result of an improving offensive line and running back?

THF: I am inclined to believe the bad defense theory. All of the major rushing yards UNC accumulated came from running around the ends using either Shaun Draughn or Johnny White. This is why Ryan Houston saw limited touches since they were looking to get the ball in the hands of backs who could turn the corner with speed. Draughn did this quite well and White also had an outstanding game. This won't happen against Bud Foster's defense and since the offensive line is still atrocious(giving up sacks against only three defensive linemen) I am expecting the offense to look about like Boston College's did when they went to Lane Stadium.

GC: The Tar Heel defense had only allowed one passing touchdown going into the second half against FSU. What changed in that 30 minutes for your secondary?

THF: I am not sure it was so much the secondary as much as it was the lack of pressure on Christian Ponder. FSU made the choice to stop running the ball except for spots and established better protection in the pocket. The result was Ponder getting plenty of time to find a receiver and he usually did. FSU also had Ponder make quicker passes which negated any hope of actually getting pressure on him. The secondary played a decent game with the big glaring excepting being Charles Brown biting on a hitch and go that resulted in the disastrous 98 yard touchdown pass from Ponder.

GC: What do the Heels need to do well to come away with a win Thursday?

THF: Channeling Jim Mora: Win on Thursday? You talking about winning on Thursday? Are you kidding me?

UNC's only hope is they shutdown the Hokie offense in totality, force a turnover, get a defensive score. In other words, play Beamer Ball better than the guys who invented it. Not sure if that will happen but we can always hope right?

A Look At How Our Opponents Fared: Week 8

Brian @ BCI — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 23:53:45 -0000

More photos » by Gerry Broome - AP

North Carolina's Greg Little (8) does his best Jumpman impersonation as he dives into the end zone for a touchdown against Florida State. UNC dropped their third straight ACC game on Thursday night, losing to Florida State 30-27. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

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First, a couple of programming notes. Jeff is traveling back from Austin after completing the Livestrong Challenge today. As a result, we'll have our thoughts on the 20-16 loss to the Irish as well as our weekly blogpoll ballot up late Monday or Tuesday morning.

It wasn't a good weekend for BC's remaining 2009 opponents. Our remaining ACC opponents went a combined 0-3, including two home losses by Virginia and North Carolina. The only winner this weekend was Central Michigan, who is 5-0 in conference and continues to roll in MAC play.

Let us take a trip around the box scores of our upcoming opponents in week 8.

Central Michigan 24, Bowling Green 10. Another MAC tilt, another victory for the surging Chippewas. Quarterback Dan LeFevour completed 16-of-27 passes for 147 yards and two touchdowns as well as rushing for a game-high 128 yards in the CMU victory. Antonio Brown caught both touchdown passes, while Carl Volny rushed for 74 yards on 11 carries. Central Michigan pushes its record to 7-1, 5-0 MAC and is one step closer to representing the MAC West in the MAC Championship for the third time in four seasons. Central Michigan has remaining MAC games with Toledo (2-2) and Northern Illinois (2-1) at home, and with punchless Ball State (1-3) on the road. Central Michigan travels to BC this weekend with one win over a BCS conference opponent already under their belt this year.

Georgia Tech 34, Virginia 9. The Yellow Jackets broke an 8 game losing streak in Charlottesville, defeating UVA 34-9 to keep pace in the ACC Coastal Division race. 'Hoos quarterback James Sewell threw for 168 yards on 18-of-32 passing. Vic Hall caught five of those passes for 51 yards. Virginia's only points on the day came from the leg of Robert Randolph who was good from 49, 19 and 30. On a rain soaked afternoon, the Virginia rush attack only managed 30 yards total rushing on 12 attempts. Georgia Tech dominated Virginia in time of possession too, holding onto the ball for 42:43. Virginia (3-4, 2-1 ACC) stays home this week and hosts Duke before traveling to Coral Gables to face Miami (Fla.).

Florida State 30, North Carolina 27. It was a tale of two halves for the UNC Tar Heels. North Carolina went into the locker room at halftime with a 17-6 lead. The much-maligned North Carolina offense could only manage 10 more points in the second half, and saw the defense cough up an 18-point lead late in the second half to hand Florida State it's first victory in conference play this season. The vaunted Tar Heel defense surrendered 438 total yards of offense, including a career high 395 yards passing to FSU quarterback Christian Ponder. UNC quarterback T.J. Yates threw for a mere 64 yards on 12-of-25 passing, as the Heels seem to desperately miss their standout wide receivers from a season ago. Greg Little led all North Carolina receivers with 60 yards on 6 catches. In addition, Little scored on a 5-yard run. Running back Shaun Draughn eclipsed the century mark on the ground, rushing for 126 yards on 23 carries. North Carolina (4-3, 0-3 ACC) searches for its first ACC win of the season this weekend when they travel to Lane Stadium to take on the Hokies.

Duke 17, Maryland 13. Maryland managed to hand Duke the program's first back-to-back ACC victories since the 1994 season with a 17-13 loss to the Blue Devils. Turnovers once again doomed the Terrapins as they turned the ball over twice in the game's final four minutes - on a fumbled punt return and an interception - to seal another ACC loss. Maryland ranks 117th of 120 nationally in turnover margin this season as they are already -12 in turnovers through 8 games. How did this team beat Clemson again? Maryland QB Chris Turner was 16-of-23 for 182 yards and a touchdown in the loss. The Maryland offense clearly is feeling the effects of not having Da'Rel Scott on the field, as the Terps only managed 67 yards on the ground. Davin Meggett paced the Terps in both receiving and rushing, catching 2 passes for 68 yards and a touchdown as well as rushing for 38 yards on 9 carries. Maryland (2-6, 1-3 ACC) now faces an extremely uphill battle to even make the postseason or make any noise in the Atlantic Division race. The Terps would have to win their four remaining ACC games - at NC State, Virginia Tech, at Florida State, BC - to make a bowl. Even in the remote chance this happens, Maryland would need some help (in the form of another Clemson loss) to win the ACC Atlantic Division. So in all likelihood, it looks like the Terrapins will be playing for pride and Ralph Friedgen's job the rest of the way out. Maryland has a bye week this week before finishing up their 2009 campaign with four straight ACC games.

Florida State Seminoles @ North Carolina Tar Heels Preview, part Deux

FSUncensored — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:23:42 -0000

More photos » by Gregory Smith - AP

Butch Davis- "Thank God I get to play the most undisciplined and worst coached defense in the country!" (AP Photo/Gregory Smith, File)

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First, check out yesterday's part 1. Then read this.

Kickoff is 8pm Eastern. ESPN. Weather looks nice, lower 70's, no rain.

We will live-blog the game like we always do! Be here at 7:30 Eastern to get in on the action.

Inside:

Depth Charts
In-Depth Statistical Breakdown
Personnel Review
A conceptual look at UNC's attack
What can FSU do to stop UNC?
Prediction

Quarterback
13 - T.J. Yates (6-3, 220, Jr.)
Fullback
4 - Bobby Rome (5-11, 245, Sr.) OR
6 - Anthony Elzy (5-10, 215, Jr.) OR
45 - Devon Ramsey (6-2, 245, So.)
Tailback
20 - Shaun Draughn (6-0, 210, Jr.)
32 - Ryan Houston (6-2, 245, Jr.)
Wide Receiver
8 - Greg Little (6-3, 215, Jr.)
87 - Jheranie Boyd (6-2, 185, Fr.)
Wide Receiver
88 - Erik Highsmith (6-3, 175, Fr.)
83 - Dwight Jones (6-4, 220, So.)
3 - Joshua Adams (6-4, 200, Fr.) (questionable)
Left Tackle
72 - Kyle Jolly (6-6, 310, Sr.)
67 - Greg Elleby (6-5, 295, Jr.)
Left Guard
67 - Greg Elleby (6-5, 295, Jr.) OR
64 - Jonathan Cooper (6-3, 295, Fr.*) (questionable, but will start if healthy)
Center
65 - Cam Holland (6-2, 300, So.) Banged up last game
75 - Tavares Brown (6-0, 310, Sr.)
Right Guard
70 - Alan Pelc (6-6, 325, Jr.)
Right Tackle
66 - Mike Ingersoll (6-5, 300, Jr.)
Tight End
80 - Ed Barham (6-3, 265, Jr.) OR
17 - Zack Pianalto (6-4, 255, Jr.) MAYBE
33 - Christian Wilson (6-3, 235, So.)

Let's start with last season:

Actually, let's not. The Heel's offense was good, definitely one of the 35 best in the country. They lost basically everyone. This year?

Here's their performance against 1A competition to date:

UNC Offensive Performance
Opponent	at UCONN	ECU	Gtech	UVA
Opponent Defenisve Efficiency Ranking (Opponent Adjusted)	54th	98th	60th	27th
Plays	67	63	44	59
Yards Per Play	4.1	6.9	3.5	2.9
Rushes	29	37	17	21
Yards/ Rush	2.4	4	1.4	2.3
Passing Plays	38	26	27	38
Yards/ Pass Play	5.4	11	5.9	3.3
1st Downs- Success-Stuffed	27-9 (33%)-11	35-11 (35%)- 11	16- 4 (25%)- 9	21-9-8
Standard 2nd Downs	5-10 (50%)	5-8 (63%)	3-5 (60%)	3-8 (38%)
Passing 2nd Downs	3-14 (21%)	5-13 (38%)	2-9 (22%)	0-12 (0%)
Standard 3rd Downs	2-6 (33%)	4-5 (80%)	2-5 (40%)	2-5 (40%)
Passing 3rd Downs	4-10 (40%)	1-7 (14%)	1-10 (10%)	3-13 (23%)
Note:	Only 6 successes in 29 runs, horrible. 18 successes in 38 pass plays is much better		10 plays and 37 yards in garbage time Did have a bad snap for -20 Very sloppy, dropped passes and inaccurate.	1 Drive over 20 yards 6 of 10 1st down passes went for 5+ yards, very safe. 6 of 21 success rate rushing (terrible) 12 of 38 Success Passing

Yards-Per-Play is used because it is the best standard measure of defense. Total yards is moronic (please don't try to argue this, just use the search feature at right). It really isn't the fault of the defense if the offense allows the opponent to get 17 possessions or take the ball in UNC's red zone three times in a contest. How many snaps did you have, what did you do with them (or allow your opponent to do with theirs). Simple enough.
Sacks have been re-allocated to Passing plays (since they are the result of a failed passing play and not a run play)
Kneel-downs have been removed as they are a non-competitive play.
Passing Down= 2nd & 8+ / 3rd & 5+ / or 4th & 5+
1st Down Success= Gaining 50% of necessary yardage for 1st down (or TD if in goal to go situations)
2nd Down Success= Gaining 70% of necessary yardage for 1st down (or TD if in goal to go situations)
3rd Down Success= Gaining 100% of necessary yardage for 1st down (or TD if in goal to go situations)
Advanced Statistical Ideas are the brainchild of Bill Connelley (RockMNation.com)

That's really bad. Know what else is bad? FSU's defense!

Opponent	Miami	at BYU	USF	at BC	Georgia Tech
Opponent Offensive Efficiency Ranking (Opponent Adjusted)	22	6	94	61	2
Plays	74	53	60	57	63
Yards Per Play Allowed	6.4	9	6.2	7.1	8.5
Rushes	29	18	37	34	55
Yards/ Rush Allowed	3.4	6.3	5	5.7	7.4
Passing Plays	35	35	23	23	8
Yards/ Pass Play Allowed	10.8	10.3	8.2	9.1	16.4

Yards-Per-Play is used because it is the best standard measure of defense. Total yards is moronic (please don't try to argue this, just use the search feature at right). It really isn't the fault of the defense if the offense allows the opponent to get 17 possessions or take the ball in UNC's red zone three times in a contest. How many snaps did you have, what did you do with them (or allow your opponent to do with theirs). Simple enough.
Sacks have been re-allocated to Passing plays (since they are the result of a failed passing play and not a run play)
Kneel-downs have been removed as they are a non-competitive play.
Passing Down= 2nd & 8+ / 3rd & 5+ / or 4th & 5+
1st Down Success= Gaining 50% of necessary yardage for 1st down (or TD if in goal to go situations)
2nd Down Success= Gaining 70% of necessary yardage for 1st down (or TD if in goal to go situations)
3rd Down Success= Gaining 100% of necessary yardage for 1st down (or TD if in goal to go situations)
Advanced Statistical Ideas are the brainchild of Bill Connelley (RockMNation.com)

Click to enlarge (works today)

Yes, you're reading that right. UNC's offense is the 99th best in the country. You could call it the 22nd worst! And not to be outdone, FSU's defense so far has been the 101th best! Yes, 101. To sum it up in one sentence, North Carolina's offense failed to move the ball at all against both good and bad defenses, while FSU's defense allows everyone to do whatever they wish.

Who does it for them?

At quarterback is TJ Yates. He started 12 games in 2007, and started 6 last, missing some time due to injury. He's now a Junior. As you can see from the chart above, he is an average player who doesn't get a lot of publicity. He's not much of a running threat, though there are some whispers that UNC will try to run him a bit more as he's better conditioned this year and he did drop some weight in the off-season.

I would like to note that he probably will not have a 3-1 TD/INT ratio this year, given his past. I wrote that this summer, and so far this year against D1 competition, he has a 4-6 TD/ INT ratio.

They did visit Texas this off-season to pick up some concepts. I'm sure some of that was the zone read. It might also be some of this: Texas Passing Game They've shown little of either so far.

He's not your ideal running threat, but against the most undisciplined, worst coached defense in the nation, look for him to be running with the ball.

Offensive Line

The Tarheels have a rock at Left Tackle in Kyle Jolly. While he's not a special player, he is pretty consistent. The 6'6" 300lb Senior has started 25 career games at left tackle, and even played a bit as a freshman. At Right Tackle, the Heels have a new face in 6'5" 300lb Junior Mike Ingersoll. He played 78 snaps last year, though didn't start any games. He does have this position almost by default now, as his competition for the job, Carl Gaskins is down with an injury for the season. I think Jolly is pretty good, but this group doesn't have much depth.

At Right Guard, Junior Alan Pelc started 9 games last year at guard. At 6'6" 325 he's a decent run blocker and does an okay job maintaining his ground in pass protection. Pelc won UNC's newcomer of the year award last season and many are impressed with him. At left Guard, the Heels have Redshirt freshman Jonathan Cooper. The 6'3"295lb first time starter (obviously) got reps at guard in the spring after Senior Aaron Stahl decided to forgo his senior year and pursue his graduate degree. At Center is the steady 6'4" 290lb Senior Lowell Dyer. Dyer has started 14 games over two seasons. He's your typical savy Senior center.

The key for UNC's line will be health. With just 58 career starts among them (slightly below average nationally), and no proven depth, the Heels line really needs to stay healthy. They were pretty decent in pass protection last year, and considering UNC's desire to throw deep a lot, their sacks allowed weren't terrible. They were sometimes very bad running the ball, however, and they averaged more than 4 yards per carry only once against an ACC team (GTech).

I think I nailed this. UNC still can't run the ball worth a damn. They have not stayed healthy. Center Lowell Dyer strained a muscle in his right shoulder in practice the week of the Connecticut game and has missed five straight games. He is
undergoing rehab with the hopes of returning before the season ends, but will not play against FSU. He's been replaced by Sophomore Cam Holland (6'2" 310). Redshirt freshman Guard Jonathan Cooper twisted his right ankle in his first career start vs. The Citadel and did not play the following week vs. Connecticut. He returned last week and will start against the 'Noles.

This is probably the worst offensive line FSU will have played to date (USF being the only challenger). They aren't great in pass protection nor run blocking. Luckily for them, they play the most undisciplined defense in the country.

If FSU gets them in 3rd and long, FSU should use the prowler. UVA had success with it:

Pass Catchers

Wrote this over summer:

Last year UNC had a great crop of pass catchers. Not good, not decent, but great. This year? We shall see. UNC lost 72% of the team's receptions, 81 % of its receiving yards and 92% percent of its receiving touchdowns.

Gone is 1st round draft pick Hakeem Nicks. 6'4" 220lbs. Nicks caught 68 passes for 1222 yards (18 yards per catch!), and 12 touchdowns. He left as a Junior, something UNC didn't expect when the season started. Say goodbye to Brandon Tate, who caught 16 balls for 376 yards (24 yards per catch!), and was also an incredible punt and kick returner (All-American lock before the injury). He's also gone to the NFL. Brooks Foster was a gutty senior who caught 30 balls for 334 yards, which is only an 11 yard average, but he was good on 3rd downs. The Heels are also without Tight End Richard Quinn who caught 8 balls for 97 yards and Cooter Arnold who grabbed 7 for 87.

But UNC has done a great job recruiting under Butch Davis. A really nice job. Davis knows talent and he has picked up at UNC right where he left of at Miami. 6'3" 220lb Junior Greg Little is very talented and has played both running back and wide receiver in his career at UNC. He improved a lot in spring, and should go from a poor route runner to at least an average route runner. They also feature Dwight Jones, a 6'4" 220lb Sophomore, who isn't a blazer but does have good hands. He was the #13 ranked wide receiver recruit in 2008. When the Heels go 3-wide, they will likely use Freshman Josh Adams, a highly touted 6'4" 200lb recruit who made it in for the spring.

As noted above, the Heels often use two tight ends (or an H-Back, as FSU does). They are absolutely giddy about 6'4" 250lb Junior Zach Pianalto. He was banged up a lot last year but impressed in his 7 games. I am not sure who their 2nd tight end will be, and whoever it is, he didn't get much playing time last year.

Fun Fact: NC has 6 wideouts who are 6'3+ and 200lbs+. I expect this group to be talented but to be quite inconsistent at least early on.

For the most part, I nailed this. Little is the #1. They like to throw him short stuff and let him work with his legs. The #2, however, was a surprise. It's Freshman Erik Highsmith, a 6'3" 175' kid who has done a lot for them in a short period of time. Starting tight end Zack Pianalto dislocated his foot vs. Connecticut after scoring a touchdown and has missed four consecutive games. He returned to practice last week, and will play against FSU. His effectiveness, however, is yet to be determined.

UNC's wideouts run really poor routes. I did rip Yates for being inaccurate, but part of that needs to fall on the receivers for not being where they are supposed to be. Additionally, they drop balls. These guys are big, fast athletes, but as I predicted, they are inconsistent and really lack polish.

Backs

I wrote:

Teams aren't going to respect UNC's wide receivers, and that will make things even tougher for their running game, which wasn't very good last season (see graph above). UNC has a lot of running backs. They are led by Shaun Draughn, a 6'0" 205lb Junior. He was a good back last year, and that was his first year playing running back (was a defensive player). Draughn rushed 198 times for 865 yards, and did a great job of not losing yards (only lost 32 on almost 200 carries).

UNC also has a huge group of big backs, which I have trouble keeping straight. Junior Ryan Houston is talented and 6'2" 250lbs, and Jamal Womble is 5'10" 225lbs. They also have huge fullback Bobby Rome, a 5'11" 245lb Senior. Let's classify their backs in the "good but not great" category, but they do have tremendous depth.

Womble is out for the year, and Rome has been banged up, largely replaced by 6'0" 245 Devon Ramzey. This is pretty much accurate. Their backs don't scare me, but they aren't a bad group. As usual, the offensive line matters a lot more than the running backs.

Focus on Common Opponents

I want to take a minute to show the differences between the two teams. Both teams played Georgia Tech's defense.

Opponent: Georgia Tech	Opponent Adjusted Efficiency Ranking (Opponent Adjusted): Georgia Tech has the #2 offense in the Country to date.
Defense	FSU's Defense	North Carolina Defense
Plays	63	77
Yards Per Play Allowed	8.5	5.3
Rushes	55	65
Yards/ Rush Allowed	7.4	5
Passing Plays	8	12
Yards/ Pass Play Allowed	16.4	6.9

Yeah, FSU's defense is much worse. The 'Noles allowed 35% more yards per play than UNC did, and UNC was on the road while FSU was at home. I guess that's why the 'Nole's defense is 101st and the Tar Heel's is 10th. I actually believe FSU's defense is even worse than their 101st ranking (can't believe I am saying that).

Now I want to do something a different. Follow me here. FSU's defense ranks # 101. East Carolina's ranks #98. That's pretty comparable. USF's offense ranks # 94, and UNC's #99. That's pretty comparable. Let's look at what FSU's defense did against a bad offense and what UNC's bad offense did against a bad defense:

Team	FSU's Defense against	UNC's Offense Against
v.	USF (94th ranked Offense)	ECU (98th best defense)
Plays	60	63
Yards Per Play Allowed	6.2	6.9
Rushes	37	37
Yards/ Rush Allowed	5	4
Passing Plays	23	26
Yards/ Pass Play Allowed	8.2	11

Remember that USF runs a spread option- the best offense to run against FSU. UNC does not run that.
However, USF also played prevent offense for more than a quarter, so their performance was much better than their 6.2 showed.
ECU's defense is very similar to FSU's
I would expect UNC to get about 6.5 yards per play.

How do they do it?

Bunch & Motion & Stack & Tight - man beaters

UNC runs almost every play out of some sort of bunch, stack, or tight formation. What is that?

Click to enlarge.

The reason for this is pretty simple. UNC's wideouts do not run good routes. Ideally, teams would like to run man-coverage against them and blitz. When receivers are bunched up or stacked or in tight, and a team wants to play man-coverage against those wideouts, they will have to put two defenders in very close proximity to each other. That poses a substantial risk that those two defenders will collide or get tangled up when trying to cover. It also prevents the defense from playing press-man coverage (again, the goal being to help out the young receivers by allowing them a clean release off the line.

ECU played a ton of man and got burnt. I fully expect FSU to bang their heads against the wall and get burnt on this. The 'Nole's defense will look really stupid. Combine that with the problems they have defending the tight end, and you have the recipe for a truly horrid pass offense to look pretty good. Mickey Andrews needs to play some zone and he won't because he is stubborn.

As for the motion, UNC motions on every single play. It allows the offense to get a better idea of what the defense is doing based off how the defense reacts. UNC players have commented how simple FSU's defense is, and that tells me that they are confident they will figure out what FSU is doing based off the 'Nole's reaction to the pre-snap motion. I'll figure that they will have the 'Nole's simple hand signals down by the middle of the 1st quarter.

A Little Clemson

This offense reminds me of the Rob Spence attack Clemson ran in 2006 and 2007.

Self Inflicted Wounds

UNC really does a nice job stopping themselves. Lazy/ bad routes, bad throws, and lapses in protection (and run blocking) hurt this club, as have penalties. I don't figure them to take a lot of risks, but

Slow Starters

For whatever reason, UNC has gotten off to really slow starts in their 4 games against D1 competition.

UConn

1st Quarter
Start Time	Time Poss	Drive Began	# of Plays	Yards Gained	Result
14:55	1:34	UNC 23	3	2	Punt
10:59	3:23	UNC 20	9	37	Int
6:12	2:08	UNC 3	3	9	Punt
3:04	3:51	UNC 35	8	38	FG Miss

2nd Quarter
Start Time	Time Poss	Drive Began	# of Plays	Yards Gained	Result
9:33	1:57	Conn 48	3	-9	Punt
4:48	1:19	UNC 38	3	-7	Punt


3rd Quarter
Start Time	Time Poss	Drive Began	# of Plays	Yards Gained	Result
13:31	3:07	UNC 27	6	15	Punt
8:29	2:56	UNC 1	5	15	Punt
3:33	1:19	UNC 21	3	5	Int

East Carolina

1st Quarter
Start Time	Time Poss	Drive Began	# of Plays	Yards Gained	Result
14:55	1:38	UNC 18	3	6	Punt
11:00	0:30	UNC 31	2	2	Fumble
7:00	2:16	UNC 40	6	60	TD
3:00	1:39	UNC 19	3	4	Punt

2nd Quarter
Start Time	Time Poss	Drive Began	# of Plays	Yards Gained	Result
14:44	2:26	UNC 8	5	14	Punt
10:43	1:32	UNC 23	3	-13	Punt

Georgia Tech

Start Time	Time Poss	Drive Began	# of Plays	Yards Gained	Result
15:00	1:27	UNC 20	3	4	Punt
8:57	1:03	UNC 19	3	1	Punt
3:04	0:55	UNC 8	3	3	Punt

2nd Quarter
Start Time	Time Poss	Drive Began	# of Plays	Yards Gained	Result
13:47	1:37	UNC 20	3	-2	Punt
10:39	2:18	UNC 31	5	1	Fumble

UVA

1st Quarter
Start Time	Time Poss	Drive Began	# of Plays	Yards Gained	Result
15:00	1:40	UNC 20	3	-4	Punt
12:17	1:30	UNC 20	3	3	Punt
9:27	2:09	UNC 44	4	14	Punt
4:46	3:00	UNC 13	6	3	Punt

2nd Quarter
Start Time	Time Poss	Drive Began	# of Plays	Yards Gained	Result
12:00	1:20	UNC 25	3	8	Punt
6:50	2:49	UNC 28	6	18	Punt

It's very important for FSU to not allow UNC to get off to a fast start. This is a team lacking in confidence, and if the longer they go without grabbing a big lead, the tighter they will play. And this team will begin to press. I'd expect them to play conservative early, but if they get down late, expect Yates to chuck it up.

No dropback downfield passing game (only PA)

UNC has zero dropback passing game. There's not much to say about this expect that almost every time they drop back without moving the pocket or using play-action, they look really bad.

Moving The Pocket

UNC's passing game is almost entirely based on bootlegs, rollouts, etc. Yates loves to get far outside the pocket (with his OLine, you would as well) and set his feet before launching. FSU must to not let him set his feet on rollouts.

When they rollout or bootleg, they look to hit a lot of deep crossing routes. This works for them because the wideouts don't typically have to run a great route, it's more of a drift team.

Screen Game

When FSU checks to Cover-3 (after motion), they will run this:

Click to enlarge.

No Huddle

UNC has done a nice job running limited no huddle (hurrying up to the line when running back to back plays).

Cut their Splits and Blast Block the Power?

UNC's primary run play is the Power. Down, Down, Pull (kick-out) and go. The linemen all block down -- meaning they step away from where the play is going -- to crush the defensive linemen and get double-teams. The offense makes up for this by using the fullback to block the defensive end from the inside-out, and they block the linebacker on the play side by pulling the backside guard. Here's a great post on the play. I'd expect UNC to cut their splits to prevent penetration and run this play 20+ times tonight. FSU has struggled against this before.

They also do a lot of end-around motion off the power, occasionally giving it but more often than not just holding the edge player for a second.

FSU's injuries

FSU is really banged up and will be without Starters in bold. Key reserves in italics:

CB Dionte Allen (thumb),
LB Maurice Harris (neck)*,
TE Caz Piurowski (knee)*,
DT Budd Thacker (knee).

WR Richard Goodman (groin),
SS Korey Mangum (shoulder),
DT Justin Mincey (knee),
CB Patrick Robinson (ankle),
LB Dekoda Watson (groin/knee)
* - out for the season

Several of the backups are now walk-ons. That is what happens when you have 5 terrible defensive coaches who don't give a damn about recruiting in 2006 and 2007. You have no depth. This defensive coaching staff really is the worst in the country.

Prediction:

As I said yesterday, I expect FSU to get close to 6.2 yards per play against UNC's defense, which would be by far the most they have given up all year, by 25%. That's a win for the offense, and I think they get about 27 points. I think UNC's offense will get it together against FSU's trash defense. Allowing anything over 4.5 yards per play to one of the worst offenses I have seen in a long time would be ridiculous, but I see FSU allowing UNC to go for much more than that and allow 6.5 yards per play, which would be a complete and utter embarrassment. Special teams are a factor here and UNC's group is nothing to write home about, while FSU's return teams have been good (coverage is another story). I'll say UNC gets 28 points on a mixture of plays for loss and big plays to win 28-27 over a 'Nole's team that could have some serious infighting between an elite level offense and an embarrassment level defense.

Chance to win: 45%

UNC 31, East Carolina 17

T.H. — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 19:13:01 -0000

More photos » by Sara D. Davis - AP

3 months ago: North Carolina's Shaun Draughn (20) moves through East Carolina's Taylor Mazzone (4), Antonio Allison (99) and Joseph Sloan (13) during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Chapel Hill, N.C., Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009. (AP Photo/Sara D. Davis)

Browse more photos »

Let's get one thing out of the way – the offensive line is still undermanned, outmatched and beaten up, and that doesn't look to change any time soon. Faced with that limitation against a tough East Carolina front four, John Stoop came through designing an offensive that relied on the quick thinking and talents of T.J. Yates, Shaun Draughn, and Erik Highsmith to put together 426 yards of offense en route to a comfortable victory.

First, Draughns. Running behind an inexperienced line, he had to earn his yards the hard way, out running defenders to the sides and spinning past and breaking through tackles, all of which he did with aplomb. He had 83 yards on 19 carriers and one thirty-four yard pass that sailed rather well if slightly high to Greg Little. It was all in al his best perfromance I think since last year's Georgia Tech game. Yates rarely had more than three seconds to throw the ball, and the plays were designed around that, mostly going out to the wings with occasional short passes over the middle. Only rarely did the Heels try to go deep, with great success as Yates found Jheranie Boyd for a 59-yard touchdown. But mostly it was quick, short passes to march down the field, as Yates went 19 for 25 for 247 yards, 113 of them to Erik Highsmith, who had the first start of a career that will certainly have many more. This is the brightest the offense has looked all season, and if they can keep this level up consistently, they can hang with any team in the ACC.

Of course, none of this would mean anything without the defense, who continued to excel, completely stifling ECU's running game at 55 yards, and hounding the passing offense all game. The Pirates could rarely put together any momentum, as the defense continued to earn every superlative tossed their way. The offense gets more mention because their success is a greater surprise, but it's the defense that's leading this team, winning these games, and buying their teammates on the other side of the ball the breathing room to find their rhythm. This is the best play I've seen from the Tar Heels in quite some time, and with a trip to Georgia Tech ahead of them next week, it's a good time for them to come into their own.