University of North Carolina Athletics
Walston: One of Eleven
November 7, 2009 | Football
Nov. 7, 2009
When you first hear the phrase `one of eleven,' it seems a little simplistic. Of course the individual players on the Tar Heel defense are each `one of eleven.' But sometimes, it's not easy for a defender to maintain that perspective. Players are thinking in more general terms: `Let's get a third down stop,' rather than ` I'll lock down this receiver,' or `I'll spy the quarterback.' Team philosophy is great, but it's on the individuals to execute their own jobs to precision.
Be one of eleven. Count on your teammate to do his job, and know that he's counting on you. Duke quarterback Thaddeus Lewis came into Saturday's game ranked No. 9 in total offense in the nation. And the Tar Heel defense simply beat him up.
Lewis completed 16 passes for 113 yards, but space in the pocket was hard to come by. Defensive end Robert Quinn had three sacks, and the defense on the whole had 14 quarterback hurries.
Against the ACC's top passing defense, it is of paramount importance to maintain discipline. Throughout the game, Duke employed a no-huddle offense that involved coming to the line of scrimmage, getting set, and then turning to the sideline for the call. It's a little hitch in the flow of the game, and if it doesn't fluster a defense, it can certainly frustrate them.
"It's basically just trying to get you like, `Oh my God, what's going on?'" Cam Thomas said after the game. "But like Coach Withers said, just be calm, cool, it ain't nothing new.' The Tar Heel scout team ran this offense in practice during the week, so that Saturday night, the defense was confident enough in their own play-calling to maintain composure.
"They try to keep you a little bit off-balance," Deunta Williams said. "Sometimes, they would go up there, fake-hike it and look to the sidelines, sometimes they would just run a play, so you've got to just be prepared."
Playing their one of eleven worked Saturday night. Duke was held without a touchdown for the first time this season. Their offense was held to 125 total yards - its lowest total of the season by 111 yards. The Blue Devils rushed 19 times for 12 yards. Take out back-to-back Lewis rushes of 19 and 14 yards, respectively, and that number dips to -21.
Carolina's defense got a key stop to open the fourth quarter. Trailing 9-6, Duke used a 38 yard Johnny Williams punt return and a personal foul call to begin inside the Carolina 40. On 4th and 4 at the Tar Heel 35, Robert Quinn's pressure forced a Lewis incompletion. The Tar Heels (and Ryan Houston) took over, and a Tar Heel touchdown extended the lead.
It was in that fourth quarter that the defense buckled down (or tightened up). With the game on the line, when Duke absolutely had to move the ball, they couldn't. The Blue Devil offense ran 14 plays in the fourth quarter. The result? Zero yards. "Everybody played their one of eleven, and you see the results," Thomas said. "No yards."
It was a complete defensive performance in an important game. With the result, Carolina moves to 6-3 on the season and 2-3 in conference. With a win, Duke would have stayed tied atop the Coastal Division with Georgia Tech. For the first time since 1994, both teams have bowl aspirations. Saturday night was about more than pride, and the Tar Heels rose to the challenge.
Saturday night, the Tar Heels rang the Victory Bell for the 19th time in 20 seasons. "We're going to enjoy it tonight, but not too long," Charles Brown said. "Miami tomorrow." Sunday afternoon, the players will begin watching film of the Hurricanes, who come to town next weekend. Saturday night, the individuals on the Tar Heel defense were one of 11. This game itself? Just one of 12.
Turner Walston is the managing editor of Tar Heel Monthly. Turner's weekly Tar Heel football podcast, The Walkthrough, is available on iTunes.
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