Well that sucked.
When UNC failed to score on four tries from the goal line and turned the ball over on down only to collect the safety I had the following thought while waiting for the stoplight at Capital Blvd and Old Wake Forest Rd:
Well, the touchdown would have been nice there but at least they got two points. I really hope we do not end up needing that one point we would have gotten from a field goal.
Sigh.
Then again, someone needs to explain to me at some point why you don’t go for two points to try and establish a seven point leas However, all of that did not really screw the Heels as much as Greg Little dropping a pass that was so perfectly thrown TJ Yates probably should have it framed or Shaun Draughan fumbling on the WVU 30. The Heels were in perfect position to put more points on the board since it was clear West Virginia’s run defense was starting to falter. As was the case versus Maryland, Virginia Tech and Virginia, the Heels lost this game by not cashing in on those huge chances.
Despite the progress made this season, UNC still plays with a fairly thin margin of error. That margin was even thinner today because the defense was completely inept when it came to stopping the Mountaineers, especially on 3rd down. Basically the “bend but not break” defense was broken all day long. WVU did pretty much what they wanted and it was UNC forcing two turnovers that keep the Mountaineers off the board more so that actually playing solid defense. The defense along with the general kicking game was simply not very good which put the offense in the position of having to deliver on every single series.
To the credit of the offense they did keep pace and put what probably should have been enough points on the board. Hakeem Nicks broke more UNC records than I have time to list in this space with his three touchdown, 217 yard day that is assumed to be his last as a Tar Heel. Nicks was flat out awesome and really answered the bell playing in his home city. And if you did not see the catch he made where he basically pinned the ball against his back then palmed it and tucked it under all while running upfield, it was one of the best catches I have ever seen. If Nicks decides to go to the NFL it will be a huge loss as we say goodbye to one of the greatest receivers in UNC history.
Ultimately this game and really the season as a whole ends with a feeling this team could have done more. Does that mean there was not a step forward? Of course not. Going from 4-8 to 8-5 is measurable progress. The wins over Rutgers, UConn, Notre Dame, Boston College and Georgia Tech were great wins signaling that the program is move in the direction of playing at a higher level. On the flip side the losses to Virgnia and Maryland were inexplicable. The loss to NC State was a complete mystery as well as completely embarassing. In reality this loss and the one to Virginia Tech actually are more “acceptable” given the caliber of the opponent.
Here at the end of the season I think this team closed the season leaving more questions than you would like to see. The defense needs to be addressed in an comprehensive manner. There is just too much give in terms of yardage by this defense and I hope that receives serious attention in the offseason. The offense will have plenty of uncertainty to it if the Heels end up losing it’s top three receivers. Greg Little played about as well as he has played at UNC but I am not convinced he is the answer as the #1 WR. There will be a need for someone else to emerge whether it is Dwight Jones or someone yet unknown. TJ Yates has been a good QB. Is he capable of taking this program up another level? I am not sure that is the case based on the evidence at hand but he still might be they guy. I think we can assume Shaun Draughan and Ryan Houston will give the Heels a solid running game next season if those two improve in the offseason.
And, at some point, we probably ought to delve into whether the last season swoon is something that should be cause for worry in the future. The Heels were 7-2 and won a huge game over Georgia Tech that, coupled with a Virginia Tech loss five days later, handed the Heels control of the Coastal Division. From there UNC was 1-3 and had the debacle at home versus NCSU. I am not entirely sure why led to the November fade. Hopefully it is an isolated issue and not something we see on a regular basis. At any rate it is something to keep an eye on going forward.
Overall, I will take 8-5 over 4-8 or the other unmentionable seasons over the previous 10 years. Yes it ended bitterly and we all felt like there could have been more. Sometimes you have to take what you can get and given the alternative I will take it.
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I’ve been following the Heels since my college days there in the mid-80s. It seems to be our best teams over the past 20-some years are the ones with dominant defenses that dicated the tone of the games. We’ve got great athletes and supposedly great recruits coming in. We just need better defensive schemes. Giving up so many yards per game, even in our wins, is incomprehensible.
PRGuy, I couldn’t have said it better myself.
We just let a kid (Pat White) who throws the second ugliest ball in college football (second only to Tebow) torch us in the air. The worst part is that Pat White is a horrible passer, and UNC let him torch them beyond all belief. I think this is because of two things.
1-Like the UVa loss (and other close games like Notre Dame), we don’t send any pressure on the QB from the LB’s or DB’s. We drop seven and sometimes eight in coverage. Maybe Winters and the staff truly and honestly thing we don’t have the personnel to bring the house like other teams do, but the defensive line can’t get any penetration. Marvin Austin, who I thought would be a beast this year, is only taking up space at best and is a non-factor most of the time. If the defensive front could consistently get to the QB, there wouldn’t be a problem. But because we can’t…….
2-The lack of pressure gives way too much time for the QB’s. White had all day to throw, just like UVa’s QB, and he killed the UNC defense by finding soft spots in the zone coverage between the LB’s and DB’s, and was also able to exploit one-on-one coverages. Notice the two or three times in the entire game UNC blitzed, we were able to get to White, or at least break up the play.
Pat White has NO business throwing for 300+ yards in one game. UNC has the athletes and talent to win at least nine games, but the defensive schemes were just awful. Winters’ Minnesota teams weren’t that great in the Big 10, and I feel he’s going to take these great recruits that can come in and nullify their skill with his poor game planning.
This was a good year, but I think below expectations set when UNC cracked the top 25 and were in contention for the division title. Trying to look at the bright spots for a team that lost three of its last four is tough, but at least we’re on the right track.
I have no idea why we don’t gamble on the blitz more often. When a QB consistently drops back and has 3-4 seconds on average to throw a pass, you’ve got to get in his face some. The truly unbelievable part is you’d think that dropping more defenders back would lead to good coverage, but it hasn’t. We have seen receivers wide open in the middle of the field and on the sidelines. The problem is that a defender can only defend for so long before he’s going to get beat. If a defender can solidly cover for 3 seconds, and YOU’RE RUSHING THE PASSER, then you’re going to get some sacks and hurries. Our defensive scheme has really defied logic. I hope we address the issue this summer.
I also think that not having Paschal and our true 2nd go to receiver in Foster really killed us in this game. And when you’ve got the ball in FG range up 6 late in the 4th, you’ve got to tell your running backs to put two hands on the ball at all times. The fumble was just boneheaded, and no doubt lost the game for us.
One other note, my wife and I were at the game. We were surrounded by WV fans afterwards at our hotel and when we went out to eat. Believe me, some of these folks made State fans look like saints.
HeelYeah, I think the problem is Winters. For some reason he’s scared to blitz more often, and the problem is we’ve got quick LB’s who can tackle extremely well that sit back in coverage way too long. Now, if there was a defensive line that could apply consistent pressure on the QB, it would be a different story, but that’s another thing they lack.
I think UNC will be MUCH better next year. I got to see the look on those kids’ faces and this looks like it hurt pretty hard. As Bobby Bowden says, you first lose big, then learn to lose small, and then you win small, then you win big. Butch has these kids on the right track, but as I said before, I’m afraid Winters will nullify whatever talent this defense has by his poor schemes.
Am I remembering incorrectly, THF, but basically, the Heels ended up getting 9 points out of that series, so I don’t think that series really came into question.
Honestly, do any of you really care more than a little whether or not UNC won this game? The play on both sides was marginal. These games are basically exhibitions which mean less than regular season post-season games.
I guess you could make an argument for that William. They are a little more significant to me just based on the fact that we are not in one often. Would I rather dominate the conference than win a bowl game? Yes, I would. But with us having just marginal success this year (based on our second half of season slump), I thought we needed to win this bowl game. But I don’t have any problem with your premise at all William, as one could make a case for your position.
They used to matter a lot more before this absurd current system went into play. BYU won the National Championship (not that they were the best team) by winning the Holiday Bowl. It used to be that as many as four post-season games would impact the national title, but now only one does.
Only the NCAA football titans could find a way to take a bad system and then make it worse, in the name of improving it. They should take the top 16 teams and play it down. Otherwise, with injuries and all, it is hard to justify playing these meaningless exhibition games at anything resembling full speed.