Via ACC Now(emphasis mine):
North Carolina: A strong running game, and a stronger defense, the Carolina team we all expected in August finally has materialized in the past two games, a pair of ACC wins over Virginia Tech and Duke.
Just to add to the degree of difficulty, the Heels started 0-3 and have had no help from their quarterback.
Coach Butch Davis, and his staff (yes, that includes offensive coordinator John Shoop), deserve credit for bouncing back and finding creative ways to win.
It is easy to criticize the coach and call them out when the team loses. To be fair, Butch Davis and his staff deserve to be recognized when they get it right as well. Considering where UNC was at two weeks ago and the way the running game has performed since the bye week, Davis and John Shoop deserve a hand. Granted we all were pissed after the FSU loss but what was lost in all of that was the fact the Heels started their offensive turnaround in that game. It has carried through nicely now despite the persistent issues at quarterback. Also, Everett Withers deserves some recognition for a defensive unit that has gelled into what we thought they would be prior to the season. Withers had all his bases covered against Duke and the offensive genius of David Cutcliffe. Not an easy task. In two weeks time, the UNC defense held a 200 yard per game rushing offense under 100 yards and the 5th ranked pass defense in the country averaging over 300 yards per game to a meager 113. Well done.
Unfortunately a coaches’ work is never done. With Shaun Draughn out for the season, UNC now needs to fine more creative ways to move the football barring T.J. Yates becoming Darrian Durant.
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Yes, I agree THF that the staff has done an excellent job with the overall game plans. The UVA game and the FSU 4th quarter are the things that make one’s head shake.
Yet, still, Saturday, on a 3rd and one near midfield, what do we do? That play results in a tipped ball for an INT. Thank God, Charles Brown returned the favor two plays later. The fireworks went off literally on that play and it truly was the play of the game, if not the season.
I think that is where you hope the recruiting catches up to the point you have the talent to offset the random moments of inexplicable play calling i.e. the 3rd and 1 call is not a bad call since Duke was expecting the run and if UNC had a QB who could hit Kristie Alley from five feet away, it would have been fine.
THF
that is hilarious. I thought our offense and the play calling really outperfoes against VT. We’ll need to bring everything we got against the canes.
^LOL
The QB situation in the spring will be interesting to watch. I do think the last thing Butch needs to do is move Yates out of the program like he did to Sexton. In my mind the ideal situation would be a competent Renner with TJ as a backup. There hasn’t been any evidence that TJ is improving, although the coaches see much more than I do.
I’ve been as hard on the coaches as anyone so yes they do deserve much of the credit for the turnaround. Even the 3rd-1 call I was thinking as I listened that here’s a good time to throw downfield and catch Duke off guard. THEN I remembered who was under center and how accurate he’d been lately and said “just give the ball to Houston”.
*still laughing about hitting Kirstie Alley”
Instead of having TJ practice with his receivers this week wonder if Shoop can get her to run routes? *snickers*
i hope renner is the real deal and i’m all for investing in his development starting next year. even if we’re thinking next year is the year where our defense is REALLY dominant, i look no further to clemson who is doing quite well w/ a redshirt freshman at QB who is a real competitor. i obviously wouldn’t waste a year of eligibility at this point and am glad we didn’t, given the lines injuries, and that is also not to say this year is a complete waste with a win against two very annoying schools in VT and Duke, and if we can beat NCSU and get to a bowl then i feel good taht a bad year is a bowl game, which certainly was not the case for several seasons during the torbush/bunting eras when i remember losing every single home game we had.
oh, and i am happy to see some credit going to the coaching staff, i think we may have been too hard on them b/c although they’ve been slow to adjust, it’s hard to revamp our entire system in a few weeks after realizing our line is going to be banged up for the entire year. and you just can’t plan on poor QB play, which is due to the line, the inexperienced receivers, and, well, bad QB play. good job coaching for righting the ship the last few weeks.