University of North Carolina Athletics
EP: Tar Heels Weather The Storm
November 22, 2004 | Football
Nov. 22, 2004
My "Key to the Game" on the Tar Heel Sports Network's broadcast of Saturday's Duke game was for the Tar Heels to "weather the storm."
You knew one was coming. Duke's history in 2004 was to run a gadget play of some sort on every first possession--a flea-flicker, reverse, reverse pass, throw-back to the QB. The Blue Devils have also run fake punts out of a variety of formations. They opened last week's win over Clemson with an onside kick.
As well-prepared as the Tar Heel defense was for potential slight-of-hand plays from Duke, you figured the Blue Devils would surely pop a big play early in the game. It was incumbent on the Tar Heels to maintain their composure and not press. They obviously have better players than Duke; let that talent advantage come to the fore over three hours.
The Duke storm came from an unexpected source, however. On a 38-yard field goal attempt by Connor Barth late in the first quarter, Duke infiltrated the gap between left guard and tackle on the field-goal team and blocked the kick, with Kenneth Sanford getting a perfect bounce of the ball into his hands and a 70-yard TD return.
Duke took a 10-7 lead, and with Tar Heel QB Darian Durant temporarily sidelined with a shoulder injury, the momentum was clearly on Duke's side. The storm was on.
But Carolina responded with two consecutive three-and-out defensive stops and two straight TD drives and retook command of the game. Duke was never a threat from there.
