University of North Carolina Athletics
Post-Game Comments From Coach O'Cain
September 10, 2000 | Football
Sept. 10, 2000
TarHeelBlue: Please evaluate the offense's play tonight?
Coach O'Cain: "We had too many opportunities that we didn't take advantage of. The passing game was very disappointing overall. When we had people open, we either missed them or we didn't protect well. We were just not a good offensive team tonight.
"One thing that we did do was we hung in there. In the second half we started making some things happen. We had one good drive then, but we had the ball on their side of the field far too many times for the number of points we scored.
"We like to throw the ball downfield, and we're going to continue to do so. We've got some guys who can beat you deep.
"Our protection was not good at all early. Sometimes when you throw the ball downfield, you have to hold the ball a little longer, unless you run a straight fly pattern. If you're doing any deception with the route, you have to hold the ball a little longer, and we just weren't protecting well in the first half."
TarHeelBlue: What happened on the play Curry fumbled and Wake Forest scored?
Coach O'Cain: "We wanted to throw the ball quickly, and Ronald just held the ball too long. He just held the ball too long. It was a three-step drop. You better go three steps and let it go, or those things can happen.
"He looked left and then looked back. That's a cardinal sin in a three-step drop. You've got to let it go quickly."
TarHeelBlue: Describe the two long touchdown passes.
Coach O'Cain: "The one to Sam (Aiken) was the same route we got a 35-yard gainer on against Tulsa. We just clear Sam through the middle and bring an end route off from that same side, and I guess they just sat on the end route.
"The last one was just a mis-direction boot leg. I think we had two people open on the play."
TarHeelBlue: It looked like the option was a lot smoother tonight.
Coach O'Cain: "Yes, it was. We had a really good week of practice.
"You know, I said we didn't play well, but you've got to give Wake Forest credit. Their guys played hard and tackled very well. They put a lot of pressure on the quarterback with a five-man rush, and you've got to give them credit. They played very hard.
"After the week of practice we had, we felt like the option could be a very big weapon tonight, even more than it was. Ronald's getting a better feel for it now. Hopefully, it will get better and better."
TarHeelBlue: Can you assess the offensive line's play tonight?
Coach O'Cain: "It's hard until you look at the film. The one thing I can say now is that we were a little too soft in our pass protection. We were giving too much ground.
"You say that as a general rule. It may have been one guy this time and another guy the next time.
"The front five and the quarterback weren't on all cylinders tonight. I don't think Ronald threw the ball crisply. Some of that was the pressure that was on him."
TarHeelBlue: Is it comforting with those problems to have a defense and special team's play like you had tonight?
Coach O'Cain: "(Laughing) Oh, you better know it. That was fantastic tonight. It's very comforting to know that you don't have to score 35 or 40 points to win.
"Kenny (Browning) and the defensive staff have done a great job. Those guys were fired up and ready to play tonight.
"You can't say enough about Bosley Allen. Somebody said in the locker room after the game that we had 85 punt return yard the entire season last year, and now we've already got over 200 yards, and that's another weapon.
"That's why it's a team game. I think the Thursday night game between Virginia Tech and East Carolina shows that. You have two teams you think are fairly even, and all of a sudden the kicking game wins the game."
TarHeelBlue: Did Ronald hold onto the ball too long tonight in some of your passing situations?
Coach O'Cain: "The thing I'm finding out more and more about Ronald is that he's tremendously competitive. He's almost too competitive.
"There's probably times where we should throw the ball out of bounds and get rid of the ball, but he feels like he can make something happen. That's something we have to continue wo work on on a daily basis.
"I'm learning a little more about him each week."
TarHeelBlue: Did you plan to bring in Antwon Black when you did, or was it because of Curry's fumble?
Coach O'Cain: "Yes, it was, but I had wanted to play Antwon more than I did. The fact that he didn't play any more than he did is no reflection on Antwon. I have confidence in him."
TarHeelBlue: Any pleasant surprises tonight?
Coach O'Cain: "It's hard to say right now, there's so much running around in my head.
"The running of Andre Williams there at the end was very good. That was not a surprise, but something that was good to see."
Players Mentioned
