By Eddy Landreth
Staff Writer
Saturday’s noon game in Atlanta between Georgia Tech and UNC will neither make nor break either team’s season, but the loser will find itself hustling to make up ground.
Each team is off to a 3-0 start, with UNC having defeated Virginia 28-17 in each team’s conference opener this past weekend.
Interim coach Everett Withers emphasized to his team throughout the week how important it was for the Tar Heels to win their conference opener, something a UNC team had not done in 10 years.
“We knew if you are going to win the Coastal Division you can’t start 0-1,†starting left tackle James Hurst said. “Coach Withers talks about conference games counting twice. Someone wins and goes up in the [standings]; the other loses and goes down in the [standings].
“So we put a lot of emphasis on our conference games.â€
The Yellow Jackets appear to be a far superior team to Virginia, however. Beating Georgia Tech in Atlanta will be a difficult task.
The Yellow Jackets broke school records for most rushing yards (604) and most total offense (768) in a startling 66-24 victory against Kansas last week. Tech’s 12.1 yards per carry also broke an NCAA record.
“It’s going to be a big game,†Hurst said. “Georgia Tech is killing some people right now. It’s going to be a great challenge. I’m excited for it. It’s going to be tough and it’s going to be different. We’ll be ready for it.â€
Many people focus on the need to slow Tech’s option attack, and rightfully so. While that is important, a greater goal for Carolina should be to get an early and substantial lead.
What the Tar Heels cannot afford is to go three-and-out. Sustained drives that end with touchdowns are every team’s goal, but their value is especially great for the Tar Heels this week.
Carolina converted a meager 3-of-10 third down opportunities against Virginia.
“We can’t have those three-and-outs we had [against the Cavaliers],†said quarterback Bryn Renner, who went 15-of-21 for 143 yards and two touchdowns against Virginia.
“Every opportunity we have to capitalize with a touchdown or field goal, we have to score the ball,†Renner said. “We have to try to be ahead.â€
One way to do that is by continuing to spring redshirt freshman running back Giovani Bernard for big runs. He gained 102 yards on just 12 carries against Virginia, an average of 8.5 yards per carry.
“He’s just an electric player,†Renner said. “I love having him on our team. He is such a positive guy. We’re very blessed to have him on our team.â€
Heading into practice this week, Carolina had three healthy running backs, all capable of making a positive impact. A.J. Blue got some carries against Virginia and made the most of the opportunity with nine rushes for 40 yards.
Georgia Tech leads the country in rushing, and no one is better than the Yellow Jackets at hogging the ball.
“You don’t get the ball very often against Georgia Tech,†Hurst said.
So while the UNC offense can help by being efficient itself, the defense is going to have to get some stops and not let the Yellow Jackets dominate time of possession and run up and down the field all day.
“We talk about it all the time,†Withers said. “The ball is the issue. You have the ball, nobody can beat you.â€
The Yellow Jackets’ whole game is based on rushing successfully. If they are forced to throw to catch up, the advantage should shift to the Tar Heels. The strategy for UNC’s defense never really changes at the core: Stop the run and force teams to throw on Carolina’s terms.
So far this season, the Tar Heels have proven to be an all-around talented team whose individual parts are working toward meshing into a synchronized unit.
Saturday’s game will provide the perfect test for measuring just where the Tar Heels actually stand, linebacker Kevin Reddick said.
“It’s about time for a road to challenge us, to see where we really are with this football team,†Reddick said.