University of North Carolina Athletics
Daly: Offense Seeking Answers
October 4, 2009 | Football
Oct. 4, 2009
By JACK DALY, TarHeelBlue.com
CHAPEL HILL -- Just about all of T.J. Yates' answers were short and to the point, delivered in a flat, monotone voice that hinted at the depth of his frustration.
North Carolina's offense had just finished idling through a second straight game, gaining only 174 yards in a 16-3 loss to Virginia on Saturday at Kenan Stadium. Meeting with reporters on the fifth floor of the Kenan Football Center afterwards, Yates' dejection was as visible as the grass stains on his blue jersey and white pants.
"I'm very frustrated," Yates said. "This is not the way our offense rolls. We're so much better. We're not executing. We're not playing well at all. It's very frustrating because I know what potential this offense has."
That potential was on full display the last time UNC played at home -- the Tar Heels scored 31 points two weeks ago against East Carolina , gaining 433 yards of total offense in a relatively easy win over the Pirates.
In the two games since, UNC's barely gone over 300 yards combined against the Cavaliers and Georgia Tech.
There were a lot of statistics that illustrated how unpleasant an afternoon UNC had on a picture perfect Saturday afternoon, but maybe the best was the fact that only three of the Tar Heels' drives made it to Virginia territory, and only one of those finished inside the Cavaliers' 40-yard line.
Clearly, injuries and inexperience on the offensive line are taking their toll on a unit that came into the season trying to replace Hakeem Nicks, Brandon Tate and Brooks Foster.
With little room for its running backs to maneuver, UNC only ran for 39 yards against the Cavaliers, averaging 1.7 yards per rush. Virginia only sacked Yates twice, but the Cavaliers' pressure directly resulted in one Yates interception -- Nate Collins hit Yates as he threw in the fourth quarter, allowing Chase Minnifield to make a diving interception -- and a number of incompletions.
That doesn't take into account how many times Yates was knocked down with hits that screamed for some Ibuprofen.
"They are taking advantage and looking at a young, inexperienced offensive line," UNC coach Butch Davis said of the Cavaliers. "They are doing what good coaches do, which is try to exploit somebody."
Facing a barrage of defenders, Yates is trying not to speed up his internal clock and get rid of the ball too soon. But human nature being what it is, the Tar Heels' junior quarterback admits there are times he feels a bit antsy in the pocket.
"Sometimes you can't help but see when a guy comes free," Yates said. "You've kind of got to look at them. That's hard when a guy comes free or there's a protection break down and you've got to throw the ball away. You just try to scramble or something."
If there's a reason for hope, it's that center Lowell Dyer (shoulder) and Jonathan Cooper (ankle) could return to the offensive line in the upcoming weeks to give the unit's depth a boost. TE Zack Pianalto is also making progress and could return in the next few weeks.
And even if the offensive performances of the last two weeks were, well, offensive, Davis said that doesn't mean the season's lost.
"I referenced the Baltimore Ravens in 2000 that they won the Super Bowl," Davis said. "They didn't score an offensive touchdown for seven weeks. Sometimes you've got to find ways to win ugly."
Winning ugly.
It's a concept Yates will have no trouble embracing.
Anything beats the disappointment he felt after Saturday's game.
"It's extremely frustrating," he said. "Once again, the defense did a good job. The offense struggled. We struggled moving the ball up and down the field and getting our defense off the field. We just didn't play good on offense. ...
"We've got to hold up our end of the bargain. We've got to point some points on the board. We can't shut everybody out."
