University of North Carolina Athletics
Extra Points Q&A
October 25, 2002 | Football
Oct. 25, 2002
By Lee Pace
On cue following the Tar Heels' consecutive losses to N.C. State and Virginia are emails from frustrated fans questioning the heart of Tar Heel football players and the ability of John Bunting and his coaching staff. These are understandable, particularly given the second-half collapses in each of the last two games.
Why do we choke?
Are the Heels in poor physical condition? Is that the reason we're falling apart in the second half?
Why can't the coaches make halftime adjustments?
Can't Bunting motivate his team any better?
That's the drift.
Choking is perhaps too harsh a word to use. But there's no question a lack of confidence and mental assertiveness is hounding the Tar Heels once things get going badly. Momentum is a huge factor in any athletic contest. It usually swings several times in the course of a game. Good teams, particularly ones with older players who've already enjoyed some success, are able to regain momentum once it ebbs in the other direction. The Tar Heels have done that twice this year -- at Syracuse and at Arizona State.
Against the Wolfpack and Cavaliers, however, the Tar Heels were dealt lethal blows. They lost a fumble on their own four yard-line against State. They turned a likely seven points into a turnover on the Virginia two yard-line the next week. The swings in points and emotions were too severe. "Fragile" is a word Will Chapman used following the Virginia game. It's an apt description.
Physical conditioning is not part of the equation. Jeff Connors was widely respected for the job he did at East Carolina getting Pirate teams prepared to thrive in the fourth quarter. Last year, the Tar Heels were clearly in better physical condition late in the game than many opponents. But in second halves like the Tar Heels have endured for two weeks -- where the defense is having a hard time stopping the opponent and the offense can't get the chains moving -- the defense stays on the field too long and eventually starts to wear down. The Tar Heel defense, which is not deep to begin with, has been dealt serious injury blows along the front four. That accentuates the problem.
Anyone who has heard John Bunting speak has no doubt about his ability to motivate his players. Anyone who's played or coached with him or been coached by him has no question about his ability in the Xs-and-Os department. Those who would like more perspective on Bunting are invited to read the series of background stories I wrote during the spring of 2001 which appeared on TarHeelBlue.com (and later assembled into a book titled Born and Bred: John Bunting Takes Dead Aim On His Dream Job At Carolina.
Could you please give me your opinion as to why UNC never placed Kelvin Bryant's number in Kenan Stadium? I figured if he was good enough to make the ACC Top 50 he should be honored in his own stadium. Are there certain requirements like those for honoring basketball numbers? And who decides this stuff anyway?
Duane Jones, Mt. Pleasant, N.C.
Eighteen players have been honored with their jersey numbers hanging from the upper-deck fa?ade in Kenan Stadium. They include five who already had their numbers retired in 1994 (the year the jerseys were first hung), Carolina's consensus first-team All-Americas and any players who were named ACC Player of the Year. Serious consideration is currently being given by Athletic Director Dick Baddour and the Athletic Counsel to adjust the qualification standards that would allow players like Bryant and Amos Lawrence to be included as Honored Jersey players.
What are the coaches doing to teach the Heels how to tackle better? Watching the Virginia game last Saturday was painful because there were so many tackling errors over and over again. Why these guys tackle high I just don't understand. I've see high school teams with better fundamentals that the Heels have, so what's going on?
Dustin Powell, Greensboro, N.C.
I was very interested a year ago March when Bunting opened his first day of spring practice that he took some time at the very beginning of practice working on the proper fundamentals and technique for tackling. The session was for every player on the team, even offensive players, who sometimes might be called upon to make a tackle in the kicking game or after an interception or fumble recovery. He was making a statement of how important the details were in the art of tackling. Bunting believes that two ingredients which helped him endure 13 years in the NFL were his obsession with film study and proper tackling technique. You can be certain that any team coached by John Bunting will be well-schooled in the art of tackling.
That said, some of the Tar Heels' defensive players haven't been around long enough to gain the strength to become good tacklers. Others have not played smart and have gotten out of position to make tackles. One problem the Tar Heels have had is that because they're shy on numbers of scholarship players and walk-ons, they've been limited in the amount of live scrimmaging they could do during pre-season camp and throughout the season. Bunting would like to do more live contact. He will when he has more depth.
I notice that when we kick off the opposing team gets some pretty good blocking; but when we are receiving the kick we might as well just have two players back to receive the ball and let the other nine watch from the bench because they are doing nothing on the field to help the ball carrier. To win a game every job is important, even if the returner is the only one who gets credit for a good return. I'm looking forward to these guys showing up for Saturday's game at Wake Forest. I love John Bunting and feel sorry that he is not getting a 100 percent effort. Every player that walks on the field for UNC should feel a responsibility and should stand up and be counted.
J. Mack Clayton, Burlington, N.C.
I can't argue with concerns about the kick-off cover and return teams. They have played poorly this year. The return team is eighth in the ACC at 19.1 yards per return, and the cover team is ninth in the ACC at 27.8 yards allowed. The issue is not being ignored in the staff meeting rooms, film rooms and practice field. One thing about the Virginia kick-off return for a TD to open the second half Saturday. If you taped the game, go back and watch the play carefully. You might see some interesting stuff going on.
Following up on the questions last week about substituting and offensive formations, what makes a player an eligible or an ineligible pass receiver? Also, in an N.C. State game earlier this year, it looked as if State was using an offensive lineman as a back. Is the fact that a player is a running back merely determined by where he lines up on any given play?
Bill Lenfestey, Greensboro N.C.
I went to rules expert Mick Mixon of the Tar Heel Sports Network for an interpretation of your questions. Here's the deal: An offense must have exactly seven players on the line of scrimmage. The two players on each end of the line and the four players in the backfield are eligible to receive a pass, provided their uniform number is not between 50 and 79. Those players wearing "interior lineman" numbers cannot receive a pass. However, one of those players numbered between 50 and 79 can line up in the backfield and receive a hand-off and run the ball. An offense theoretically could have 11 guys numbered 50 through 79. It would have to run the ball every play.
I also received an answer from one of the game operations staffers at Carolina after I'd answered a question last week about bands playing during action. The specific rule is that once the offense breaks the huddle, all band music is to stop. Sometimes it happens, sometimes a band runs a little over. The question came from a Tar Heel fan about N.C. State's band playing too long, but the Carolina band has been guilty of that as well. Bottom line is the music has not been an issue on the field. The officials watch it as close as they can.
If Andre Williams' injury should keep him out the rest of the year, would he be eligible for a medical red-shirt? I am pretty sure he's played some this year, but not much.
Fred Pearlman, Elon College
Bunting hopes that Williams' back injury will improve enough for him to play again this fall. The rule for a medical red-shirt is that a player cannot have played in more than 20 percent of his team's games. Williams has played in three games, so that's 25 percent of Carolina's 12 games. Williams did play as a true freshman in 2000, so he would have a year to burn as a red-shirt this year if his back does not improve.
What kind if injury does Jacque Lewis have, and is he going to play running back against Wake Forest? If he is injured, why was he on the punt team against Virginia?
Jamaul Riddick, Elizabeth City
Lewis had a calf injury last week and is expected to return to the field Saturday in Winston-Salem. The injury wasn't severe enough to keep him completely on the bench. The coaching and training staff determined that he could function in the best interests of the team and in preventing further injury by limiting his participation to special teams. In those situations, Lewis would do the hitting rather than being hit.
TarHeelBlue.com football expert Lee Pace will again answer your questions about the Carolina program this season in an exclusive column published each Friday. Pace, editor of the Extra Points newsletter that appears each Monday morning, will answer your questions on personnel, strategy, opponents and anything on your mind about the Tar Heels. Please send your questions to Lee at lpace@nc.rr.com, and include your first and last names and your hometown.
