Extra Points: Rewind

By Lee Pace

Today's missive could easily be cobbled together via cut-and-paste from previous accounts of Carolina's semi-annual excursion to Bobby Dodd Way. Over three and a half decades, the Tar Heels have played the Yellow Jackets in the shadows of the Atlanta skyscrapers, and the last 20 years have been laborious indeed—with the brawn of the George O'Leary era through the precision of the Paul Johnson regime and its persnickety option attack confounding the Tar Heels every which way. That's 10 visits since 1997 and one lone victory, the latest dark chapter a 33-7 domination by the Yellow Jackets Saturday afternoon.

"Being out there a long period of time is rough on the defense," a Tar Heel linebacker said. "Your offense always wants to be on the field more than the defense. We have to get off the field and the offense has to hold the ball. It's tough not getting off the field when it's third down and short."

That was Kevin Reddick speaking in 2011 and it could just as easily have been someone like defensive end Dajaun Drennon talking Saturday. Tech averaged seven yards a snap and dominated time of possession, 36 minutes to 24, in a seven-point win during Everett Withers' interim year as head coach six seasons ago. This year it was Tech hitting for six yards per play, converting half its third downs and controlling the ball more than 38 minutes.

"Obviously you want to get off the field on third down and get the offense back on the field," said Drennon, a senior end. "Yeah, it's demoralizing. We just have to make sure we capitalize on making our tackles and not missing so many like we did today."

The Tar Heels' troubles were manifested in a first-quarter Yellow Jacket possession that seemed to run as long as Gone With The Wind. Carolina's defense had a quick and efficient three-and-out to start the game, then Tech began its second drive with its back to the end zone at the 10 yard-line.

The Tar Heels showed flashes of athleticism and discipline, the two commodities you need in defending the option. Tackle Jason Strowbridge and linebacker Ayden Bonilla halted Tech's A-back on first down for a one-yard loss. Strowbridge two plays later shucked a block and slung QB TaQuon Marshall to the ground. Tackle Aaron Crawford later ripped through the center, forced Marshall to run and grabbed his leg for a six-yard loss. Cornerback K.J. Sails timed a downfield pass break-up perfectly. Linebacker Cayson Collins discarded one blocker and dove for a sack in the Tech backfield.

"We were doing some good things on defense," Tar Heel Coach Larry Fedora said. "I thought our guys were playing well early in the ball game."

Then on third-and-13 at the 41, Marshall danced to his left, cut inside and eluded two Tar Heels who were just a step behind. He had a nice chunk of green space before linebacker Cole Holcomb made contact a dozen yards downfield. By the time Marshall finished lunging and diving forward, he'd gained 20 yards. First down.

"Missed tackles," Drennon said. "Too many missed tackles."

"We got people in position, you've just got to make the play," Fedora added. "There were a lot of missed tackles in those situations and we've just got to do a better job."

The Yellow Jackets kept bleeding Carolina to death on down the field—four yards here, two there, 14 more a couple of snaps later. By the time it was over with Marshall running five yards to the end zone, Tech had amassed 90 yards on 18 plays and milked the clock for nine minutes. It added a field goal later in half on a 17-play march that consumed 7:37.

"The defense played 44 snaps in the first half, so there was no doubt that they were going to end up wearing down," Fedora said. "We had opportunities to get off the field on third and long in the first half, and we didn't do that so they were out there 44 snaps."

The defense's woes and eventual exhaustion was just one side a coin that saw the offense sputtering and wailing with three 3-and-out possessions in the first half and missed field goals on its next two—the first of those a routine 40-yard try by Freeman Jones that he pulled way left.

"We didn't have anything going early in the game," a Tar Heel quarterback offered. "I was a little off, never in rhythm really … We were struggling to find that first downfield completion … I'm very surprised. We had a good week of practice. I thought we were prepared to take on these guys. Give a lot of credit to Georgia Tech. They did an amazing job defensively shutting down every aspect of our offense."

That was T.J. Yates in 2009, but it could have been Chazz Surratt this year. Carolina had blistered Tech with 134 cumulative points in winning the last three years, but a well-chronicled roster demolition borne of graduation, NFL departures and injuries has left the Tar Heels short of playmakers and cohesion. At halftime the Tar Heels had only 101 yards, and their second-half prospects were smothered by ill-advised throws by Surratt and then Brandon Harris that were easily stolen by Tech defenders. Possessions are always limited against Tech's time-sucking offense; to donate two of them right back to the Yellow Jackets is heresy.

"I don't know that we executed anywhere on offense," Fedora said. "There wasn't anything that went right offensively. There was never a time where we felt like we were in a rhythm."

It was 24-0 after three quarters, leaving somewhat hollow and forced the Tar Heels' ritual of huddling as a group and holding four fingers aloft to signify the importance of bringing everything you've got the last 15 minutes. One in their midst, receiver Devin Perry, was dressed in sweats with one arm in a sling after landing inconveniently while trying to snare a second-quarter pass in the end zone. But what is Tar Heel football in 2017 without another injury to a receiver or a lineman?

Meanwhile in the north end zone stands at Bobby Dodd Stadium, Tech students bobbed up and down as the band played the traditional ditty borrowed in 1971 from a marketing jingle created by a beer manufacturer. The head coach at the time was Bud Carson (a former Tar Heel defensive back from the early 1950s, incidentally), so the Tech band and students latched onto the line, "When you say Bud-weiser, you've said it all," and it's become a mainstay of the Tech football scene.

Sadly for the Tar Heels, there was nothing left to say at all.

Lee Pace is in his 28th year covering Tar Heel football through "Extra Points" and 14th as the sideline reporter for the Tar Heel Sports Network. His book, "Football in a Forest," is available in bookstores across North Carolina and online at www.johnnytshirt.com. Email him at leepace7@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @LeePaceTweet.

Players Mentioned

Ayden Bonilla

Cayson Collins

Aaron Crawford

Dajaun Drennon

Brandon Harris

Cole Holcomb

Freeman Jones

Devin Perry

K.J. Sails

Jason Strowbridge

Chazz Surratt

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