Quarterback Mitch Trubisky finally put his stamp on the 2016 North Carolina Tarheels football team. Trubisky led two fourth quarter drives with the Tarheels trailing Pittsburgh 36-23 with nine minutes to go in the fourth quarter and threw the game winning touchdown pass to Bug Howard with two seconds on the clock and the ensuing extra point gave the Tarheels a 37-36 win. Trubisky converted four fourth downs on these two drives with his pinpoint passing. He also set career highs with 35 completions, 453 yards, and five touchdowns. This was in spite of the absence of a runn9ing game that only mustered 18 yards on the day.
The North Carolina Tarheels offense had been stale for most of the second half. They had only scored seven points to that point, getting a touchdown on their second drive of the second half. The Tarheels running game was non existent (only netting minus yardage in the second half), Trubisky was sacked four times as Pittsburgh blitzed a lot more in the second half and he was hit on several different occasions. Trubisky put the team on his back, drove the field twice, stayed poised in the pocket, and his wide receivers helped him out with some big catches.
Showing posts with label Bug Howard. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bug Howard. Show all posts
Saturday, September 24, 2016
Sunday, November 8, 2015
A Statement Win
If the North Carolina Tarheels were looking to make a statement against Duke and their fourth ranked defense, they had accomplished that goal by the end of the first quarter when they held a 21-3 lead. The Tarheels showed from the very first play that they were going to do whatever they had to do to win the game and conservative play calling was not an option.
When the Tarheels ran a flea flicker from their own 11 yard line on their first play from scrimmage, that told me they were all in. When running back Elijah Hood took the handoff from quarterback Marquise Williams, and pitched it back to Williams, there was no pressure from the Duke defense at all. Wide receiver Ryan Switzer hid among the Duke linebackers until the fake was sold and then Switzer was streaking down the field all by himself where Williams hit him with a perfect pass for an 89 yard touchdown and North Carolina's offense was just getting started.
Williams had thrown for 404 yards and three touchdown's by halftime, had ran one in, and UNC held a 38-10 lead. The Tarheels scored two touchdowns with under two minutes to go on long passes from Williams to wide receiver's Bug Howard and Mack Hollins and North Carolina's receivers continually got behind Duke's defensive backs and ended up with nine plays of over twenty yards.
Could it really have been that simple? Duke's safeties play near the line of scrimmage and they were willing to let Williams try to beat them through the air. North Carolina took advantage of their aggressiveness and just through over the top to their wide receivers. Giving up two long touchdown passes with under two minutes to go in the first half really surprised me. Duke did not appear to have anyone in deep coverage in either one of these plays as Hollins and Howard just streaked right by them untouched.
What has been lost in the shuffle of North Carolina's 66-31 win and 704 yards of total offense is the fact that Duke had 543 yards of offense of their own. The Tarheels defense did have three takeaways (two interceptions and a fumble recovery) but that is the most yards a Gene Chizik defense had given up all year long. I don't know if the lopsided score had anything to do with it but the announcer had no problems making up excuses for Duke's poor performance, basing it on the ending of last week's Miami-Duke game.
When the Tarheels ran a flea flicker from their own 11 yard line on their first play from scrimmage, that told me they were all in. When running back Elijah Hood took the handoff from quarterback Marquise Williams, and pitched it back to Williams, there was no pressure from the Duke defense at all. Wide receiver Ryan Switzer hid among the Duke linebackers until the fake was sold and then Switzer was streaking down the field all by himself where Williams hit him with a perfect pass for an 89 yard touchdown and North Carolina's offense was just getting started.
Williams had thrown for 404 yards and three touchdown's by halftime, had ran one in, and UNC held a 38-10 lead. The Tarheels scored two touchdowns with under two minutes to go on long passes from Williams to wide receiver's Bug Howard and Mack Hollins and North Carolina's receivers continually got behind Duke's defensive backs and ended up with nine plays of over twenty yards.
Could it really have been that simple? Duke's safeties play near the line of scrimmage and they were willing to let Williams try to beat them through the air. North Carolina took advantage of their aggressiveness and just through over the top to their wide receivers. Giving up two long touchdown passes with under two minutes to go in the first half really surprised me. Duke did not appear to have anyone in deep coverage in either one of these plays as Hollins and Howard just streaked right by them untouched.
What has been lost in the shuffle of North Carolina's 66-31 win and 704 yards of total offense is the fact that Duke had 543 yards of offense of their own. The Tarheels defense did have three takeaways (two interceptions and a fumble recovery) but that is the most yards a Gene Chizik defense had given up all year long. I don't know if the lopsided score had anything to do with it but the announcer had no problems making up excuses for Duke's poor performance, basing it on the ending of last week's Miami-Duke game.
Saturday, September 12, 2015
It Is Time
This season marks Head Coach Larry Fedora's fourth season in Chapel Hill. This is the season that he has to show that the North Carolina Tarheels are headed in the right direction. He took a major step in the off season by hiring Gene Chizik as his defensive coordinator. Chizik Immediately switched the Tarheels defense to a more traditional 4-3 and the "bend but break like a twig" 4-2-5 of Vic Koenning is gone.
The biggest questions the Tarheel football team faced coming in to this season was their defense and special teams. Both performed well enough to win the opener against South Carolina. The defense gave up 394 yards, 254 yards of those were rushing yards, but only 17 points. That point total already best last season's lowest points allowed of 20 against Duke. The Tarheels were facing a South Carolina Quarterback that had only thrown two collegiate passes coming into the game.
The kicking game for the Tarheels was among the weakest in college football last season. The Tarheel kickers did not have a field goal longer than 29 yards last season. Nick Weiler had two field goals (47,30) longer than that in the first game. This was another critical improvement for the Tarheels.
What was not expected to be a problem for the Tarheels was the offense. Their high scoring offense was expected to be even better this season. They have weapons at all of the key positions- Quarterback, Wide Receiver, and a stable of Running Backs that run four deep. The veteran offensive line had several penalties and outside of his touchdown pass to Bug Howard, Starting Quarterback Marquise Williams could never seem to get untracked. He threw three interceptions against South Carolina, two of those in the end zone. Running Back Elijah Hood had 13 carries for 138 yards but was conspicuously absent at key moments in the game.
Coach Fedora's play calling, the fact that he stuck with Williams for the entire game, and the fact that he did not use Hood more was all called in to question after the game. The bottom line is that the Tarheels need to win the games they have a chance to win and they should have won the South Carolina game. The team showed critical improvement in two of the three phases of the game, but the team's strength, their offense, let them down.
The biggest questions the Tarheel football team faced coming in to this season was their defense and special teams. Both performed well enough to win the opener against South Carolina. The defense gave up 394 yards, 254 yards of those were rushing yards, but only 17 points. That point total already best last season's lowest points allowed of 20 against Duke. The Tarheels were facing a South Carolina Quarterback that had only thrown two collegiate passes coming into the game.
The kicking game for the Tarheels was among the weakest in college football last season. The Tarheel kickers did not have a field goal longer than 29 yards last season. Nick Weiler had two field goals (47,30) longer than that in the first game. This was another critical improvement for the Tarheels.
What was not expected to be a problem for the Tarheels was the offense. Their high scoring offense was expected to be even better this season. They have weapons at all of the key positions- Quarterback, Wide Receiver, and a stable of Running Backs that run four deep. The veteran offensive line had several penalties and outside of his touchdown pass to Bug Howard, Starting Quarterback Marquise Williams could never seem to get untracked. He threw three interceptions against South Carolina, two of those in the end zone. Running Back Elijah Hood had 13 carries for 138 yards but was conspicuously absent at key moments in the game.
Coach Fedora's play calling, the fact that he stuck with Williams for the entire game, and the fact that he did not use Hood more was all called in to question after the game. The bottom line is that the Tarheels need to win the games they have a chance to win and they should have won the South Carolina game. The team showed critical improvement in two of the three phases of the game, but the team's strength, their offense, let them down.
Saturday, October 4, 2014
Previewing Virginia Tech
The Virginia Tech-North Carolina game may go a long way in deciding which team goes to a bowl game. Both teams come into the game at 2-2 and this is probably the weakest Virginia Tech team that Head Coach Frank Beamer has had in quite a while. They have one common opponent in East Carolina and they both lost to East Carolina but in very different fashions. Virginia Tech got way behind before taking the lead in the 4th quarter only to lose in the last couple of minutes. All Tarheel fans remember how the 'Heels fared against East Carolina.
The Virginia Tech Hokies have been hit hard by the injury bug. They are down to three Defensive Tackles and against the 'Heels fast paced offense, that could be problematic especially late in the game. The Hokies also lost one of their feature Running Backs to an ACL injury in their last game.
Virginia Tech has also been chucking the ball up in record numbers for a Frank Beamer team. Quarterback Michael Brewer has an ACC high 10 interceptions and when the Tarheel defense is not giving up yards by the mile, they are adept at creating turnovers. It is feast or famine with the 'Heels defensive backs and it should be interesting to see if Beamer is willing to go deep. It may all hinge on the Tarheels ability to put pressure on Brewer. The 'Heels rank last in defense and Virginia Tech is in the bottom third of the league in offense. Who wins the battle of the worst?
The Tarheels offense needs to go to work. East Carolina was very successful throwing deep early against Virginia Tech and North Carolina should utilize its size at Wide Receiver in Bug Howard and Quinshad Davis to their advantage and see what happens. The success of their season may rest on it.
The Virginia Tech Hokies have been hit hard by the injury bug. They are down to three Defensive Tackles and against the 'Heels fast paced offense, that could be problematic especially late in the game. The Hokies also lost one of their feature Running Backs to an ACL injury in their last game.
Virginia Tech has also been chucking the ball up in record numbers for a Frank Beamer team. Quarterback Michael Brewer has an ACC high 10 interceptions and when the Tarheel defense is not giving up yards by the mile, they are adept at creating turnovers. It is feast or famine with the 'Heels defensive backs and it should be interesting to see if Beamer is willing to go deep. It may all hinge on the Tarheels ability to put pressure on Brewer. The 'Heels rank last in defense and Virginia Tech is in the bottom third of the league in offense. Who wins the battle of the worst?
The Tarheels offense needs to go to work. East Carolina was very successful throwing deep early against Virginia Tech and North Carolina should utilize its size at Wide Receiver in Bug Howard and Quinshad Davis to their advantage and see what happens. The success of their season may rest on it.
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