The Tarheels beat Duke today 37-21 to finish 7-5 on the season in what was probably Everett Withers last regular season game as UNC's coach. It was too much Bryn Renner, Dwight Jones, and Gio Bernard for Duke.
The game wasn't as close as the final score as the 'Heels pretty much dominated the game from the start. Duke only had one sustained drive the entire game with the other two scores coming on long touchdowns. The 'Heels were methodical on offense with a combination of Renners passing, Bernard's running, and Dwight Jones receiving. The 'Heels were opportunistic on defense causing four turnovers and they were led by Zach Brown's 10 tackles and Quinton Coples 2 sacks.
There was a little bit of gamesmanship at the end of the game which I was glad to see. Duke called an unnecessary timeout with 1:22 to go in the game so on the first play after the timeout, backup QB Braden Hanson completed a 47 yard bomb to TE Eric Ebron. It was a beautiful pass by Hanson and he has a big league arm.
There were only two bowl games that the 'Heels seemed to be headed for and that was the Independence Bowl and the Military Bowl but I am sure at this point, UNC will take whatever is offered to them.
Showing posts with label Braden Hanson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Braden Hanson. Show all posts
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Versus North Carolina State
It took me the entire bye week to be able to blog about the NC State game. The Tarheels were unmotivated, lacked any kind of focus, and the offensive gameplan put together by Offensive Coordinator John Shoop was the worst of the year and he has had some real lemons.
The numbers don't lie. 165 yards of total offense and that includes a whopping 3 yards rushing. QB Bryn Renner had -47 himself based on 4 Wolfpack sacks including a whirling dervish of a pass attempt/fumble that lost about 30 yards. That had to make ESPN's Not Top Ten. The only good thing that came out of this game was the fact that RB Gio Bernard went over 1000 yards on the season. Career backup Braden Hanson got his first significant playing time of his career and actually didn't look bad.
I had a diehard Wolfpack fan tell me that he didn't think State's defense played that great, it was just that North Carolina's offense was that bad.
With all of the talking that Everett Withers did in the week leading up to the game, the team should have been fired up and ready to play. They were not in any way, shape, or form and I believe that cost Coach Withers a chance to remove the "Interim" from his job title. I was really pulling for him as a fellow Appalachian State graduate to get the job but I believe that the NC State game took him out of the running.
The numbers don't lie. 165 yards of total offense and that includes a whopping 3 yards rushing. QB Bryn Renner had -47 himself based on 4 Wolfpack sacks including a whirling dervish of a pass attempt/fumble that lost about 30 yards. That had to make ESPN's Not Top Ten. The only good thing that came out of this game was the fact that RB Gio Bernard went over 1000 yards on the season. Career backup Braden Hanson got his first significant playing time of his career and actually didn't look bad.
I had a diehard Wolfpack fan tell me that he didn't think State's defense played that great, it was just that North Carolina's offense was that bad.
With all of the talking that Everett Withers did in the week leading up to the game, the team should have been fired up and ready to play. They were not in any way, shape, or form and I believe that cost Coach Withers a chance to remove the "Interim" from his job title. I was really pulling for him as a fellow Appalachian State graduate to get the job but I believe that the NC State game took him out of the running.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
The Spring Football Game-Offense
A new Quarterback is set to take the reigns for the Tarheels for the first time in 4 years with the graduation of T.J. Yates and it looks to be red-shirt Sophomore Bryn Renner's job to lose. He looked great in last years spring game and I thought he outplayed T.J. Yates. He had another solid spring game this year. Spring games really aren't worth much as far as evaluating talent goes or a good predictor of regular season success.
All of the QB's on the roster are untested with like a total of 6 or 7 career passes attempted so finding a backup is going to be just as important. Braden Hanson, A.J. Blue, and all-everything Freshman Marquise Williams are the candidates and my guess is they will red-shirt Williams. Williams did have a nice 43 yard run on a scramble in the spring game. Blue has the versatility to play running back and operated out of the wildcat formation in his brief playing experience a couple of years ago.
The running game is going to need some of the young players to step up, especially in light of the fact that incumbent starter Ryan Houston broke his clavicle during the game. He had surgery on it today. Red-shirt Freshman Giovanni Bernard was held out of the game for precautionary reasons. The others listed on the depth chart are rarely used Junior Hunter Furr (although he did have some important carries in the Florida State victory last year) and true Freshman Travis Riley who enrolled in January. Fullback is being held down by returning Senior Devon Ramsay.
The offensive line is supposed to be one of the strengths of the team. They average over 300 pounds across the front with quite a bit of experience returning. Several red-shirt Freshmen and walk-ons are listed on the depth chart but some impressive recruits such as Kiaro Holts are coming in to back them up in the fall.
One of the other other positions that brings alot of experience is Wide Receiver. Dwight Jones, Erik Highsmith, and Jheranie Boyd are poised to have solid years. Jhay Boyd is the "X Factor" here. He virtually disappeared after the LSU game last year and the emergence of Dwight Jones. Red-Shirt Freshmen Reggie Wilkins and Sean Tapley have a chance to step up.
Junior transfer Nelson Hurst is the only returning Tight End with a minimal amount of playing time until the Freshmen Eric Ebron and Jack Tabb arrive on the scene. Hurst is backed up by red-shirt Freshman Sean Fitzpatrick. The H-Back position is being manned by Senior Christian Wilson.
I believe the 'Heels will be more of a running team this upcoming season and rely less on the passing game because the offensive line is built to run block. That is where the horses are and Ryan Houston is a big, strong back and if the surgery is successful, he is geared to be the 'Heels first thousand yard rusher since Jonathan Linton in 1997.
All of the QB's on the roster are untested with like a total of 6 or 7 career passes attempted so finding a backup is going to be just as important. Braden Hanson, A.J. Blue, and all-everything Freshman Marquise Williams are the candidates and my guess is they will red-shirt Williams. Williams did have a nice 43 yard run on a scramble in the spring game. Blue has the versatility to play running back and operated out of the wildcat formation in his brief playing experience a couple of years ago.
The running game is going to need some of the young players to step up, especially in light of the fact that incumbent starter Ryan Houston broke his clavicle during the game. He had surgery on it today. Red-shirt Freshman Giovanni Bernard was held out of the game for precautionary reasons. The others listed on the depth chart are rarely used Junior Hunter Furr (although he did have some important carries in the Florida State victory last year) and true Freshman Travis Riley who enrolled in January. Fullback is being held down by returning Senior Devon Ramsay.
The offensive line is supposed to be one of the strengths of the team. They average over 300 pounds across the front with quite a bit of experience returning. Several red-shirt Freshmen and walk-ons are listed on the depth chart but some impressive recruits such as Kiaro Holts are coming in to back them up in the fall.
One of the other other positions that brings alot of experience is Wide Receiver. Dwight Jones, Erik Highsmith, and Jheranie Boyd are poised to have solid years. Jhay Boyd is the "X Factor" here. He virtually disappeared after the LSU game last year and the emergence of Dwight Jones. Red-Shirt Freshmen Reggie Wilkins and Sean Tapley have a chance to step up.
Junior transfer Nelson Hurst is the only returning Tight End with a minimal amount of playing time until the Freshmen Eric Ebron and Jack Tabb arrive on the scene. Hurst is backed up by red-shirt Freshman Sean Fitzpatrick. The H-Back position is being manned by Senior Christian Wilson.
I believe the 'Heels will be more of a running team this upcoming season and rely less on the passing game because the offensive line is built to run block. That is where the horses are and Ryan Houston is a big, strong back and if the surgery is successful, he is geared to be the 'Heels first thousand yard rusher since Jonathan Linton in 1997.
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