The North Carolina Tarheels go into their third game of the season looking for their first win of the year against an undefeated Old Dominion Monarchs team. The Tarheels enter the game as a 10 1/2 point favorite.
Games like this make me nervous because the Tarheels are primed for an upset. This is the Tarheels first road game and some in the media have described this game as Old Dominion's "Super Bowl". It's an ACC opponent and the last time the two teams played in 2013, the Tarheels broke just about every offensive record in the book in an 80-20 victory. That game was played to long ago for revenge to be a factor and this game would not be an upset on the scale of Appalachian State-Michigan, but it would be a huge program win for Old Dominion.
The Tarheels come into the game unsettled on offense with no clear cut starting quarterback so I would expect Brandon Harris and Chaz Surratt to split snaps again, the Tarheels have not really established a running game and all but abandoned the run in the second half last week against Louisville and need to get freshman Michael Carter some more carries. The Tarheels have also been slow to develop a vertical passing game. Some of the young wide receivers-Dazz Newsome, Roscoe Johnson, Anthony Ratliff-Williams, Juval Mollette-for North Carolina. The Tarheels are also banged up on the offensive line and depth has already become an issue three games into the season. The Old Dominion defense leads the nation in sacks and already has 21 tackles for loss in their first two games.
Old Dominion has lost some of their top playmakers on offense so this is an opportunity for the Tarheels defense to get things right. Old Dominion features a balanced offense with a fairly even run/pass ratio but Old Dominion will be without one of their top wide receivers Jonathan Duhart and running back Ray Lawry has been hobbled by a hamstring injury.
The phrase "defensive struggle" and the North Carolina Tarheels have never been associated with each other but this may be a rare game in which the defenses will take over and control the outcome of the game. Turnovers will be a factor and whichever team plays mistake free football will win. The Tarheels need to use offensive tempo to keep the Old Dominion pass rushers at bay and I believe North Carolina will pull it out 24-17 to get their first win of the year.
Saturday, September 16, 2017
Thursday, September 14, 2017
No Defense Of or For Larry Fedora
Before the North Carolina Tarheels started their 2017 college football season, most experts agreed that the North Carolina Tarheels defense would have to carry the team until the offense got some game time under their belts, depth charts were decided, and a few playmakers were found.
Two games into the season, the offense has played well enough to win both games but the defense has regressed to its pre-Gene Chizik days and is giving up 41 points a game. Granted, the last game was against Louisville and reigning Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson, but he torched the Tarheels for 525 total yards by himself and 706 total yards to Louisville. In the first game against California, redshirt freshman quarterback Ross Bowers lit the Tarheels defense up for 363 yards through the air and four touchdowns.
The defensive talent is there for the Tarheels. They have a good mixture of veterans and youth in the defensive backfield with M.J. Stewart, Donnie Miles, Myles Dorn, Patrice Rene, and K.J. Sails. The linebackers are also a veteran group led by junior Andre Smith. A lot of veterans on the defensive front as well with Dajuan Drennon, Malik Carney, Jalen Dalton, and Jeremiah Clarke among the notables.
When defensive coordinator Gene Chizik left the North Carolina Tarheels after last season, John Papuchis was promoted from within so the defensive changes should not have been many. A more aggressive defensive was promised and that "aggressiveness" has resulted in three sacks and two interceptions. The two interceptions already doubles the Tarheels interception total from last season.
The Tarheels have blitzed more in the first two games and one example of this is a cornerback blitz by Patrice Rene on Lamar Jackson during the Louisville game. The blitz was perfectly timed and Patrice Rene should have had the sack. Jackson sidestepped Rene and threw a 75 yard touchdown pass. The Tarheels defense has been unable to get off the field on third down. The opposing teams are converting over 50% over their third down opportunities in the two games.
The reasons behind the Tarheels struggles on defense could be classified as "the usual." "Missed assignments" and "lack of communication" are popular reasons given but as a Tarheel fan, there is nothing more frustrating than watching the Tarheels take a 28-27 lead over nbationally ranked Louisville going into the fourth and watching it disappear within minutes.
Two games into the season, the offense has played well enough to win both games but the defense has regressed to its pre-Gene Chizik days and is giving up 41 points a game. Granted, the last game was against Louisville and reigning Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson, but he torched the Tarheels for 525 total yards by himself and 706 total yards to Louisville. In the first game against California, redshirt freshman quarterback Ross Bowers lit the Tarheels defense up for 363 yards through the air and four touchdowns.
The defensive talent is there for the Tarheels. They have a good mixture of veterans and youth in the defensive backfield with M.J. Stewart, Donnie Miles, Myles Dorn, Patrice Rene, and K.J. Sails. The linebackers are also a veteran group led by junior Andre Smith. A lot of veterans on the defensive front as well with Dajuan Drennon, Malik Carney, Jalen Dalton, and Jeremiah Clarke among the notables.
When defensive coordinator Gene Chizik left the North Carolina Tarheels after last season, John Papuchis was promoted from within so the defensive changes should not have been many. A more aggressive defensive was promised and that "aggressiveness" has resulted in three sacks and two interceptions. The two interceptions already doubles the Tarheels interception total from last season.
The Tarheels have blitzed more in the first two games and one example of this is a cornerback blitz by Patrice Rene on Lamar Jackson during the Louisville game. The blitz was perfectly timed and Patrice Rene should have had the sack. Jackson sidestepped Rene and threw a 75 yard touchdown pass. The Tarheels defense has been unable to get off the field on third down. The opposing teams are converting over 50% over their third down opportunities in the two games.
The reasons behind the Tarheels struggles on defense could be classified as "the usual." "Missed assignments" and "lack of communication" are popular reasons given but as a Tarheel fan, there is nothing more frustrating than watching the Tarheels take a 28-27 lead over nbationally ranked Louisville going into the fourth and watching it disappear within minutes.
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