University of North Carolina Athletics
Jacobs: A Smooth Transition
September 5, 2011 | Football
Sept. 5, 2011
So far, as transitions go, this one is as subtle as it is satisfactory.
North Carolina's football program showed little sign of disruption or distress in its 2011 season opener, a 42-10 defeat of James Madison at newly expanded Kenan Stadium. Those who fretted about a head coaching change on the eve of preseason practice, or fretted about a head coaching change, period, saw a team that played with remarkable precision for its first outing of the year.
"Obviously, it's a good win for the program, getting started," said interim head coach Everett Withers, working to merit removal of the "interim" tag from his job description.
The Tar Heels suffered few penalties or obvious mental errors. A fumbled snap on a punt and a roughing penalty were the only miscues that proved costly. The offense displayed a good balance of passing and running, and the Tar Heels were able to repeatedly sustain drives. They punted just three times. The defense pressured the Dukes all day, deflecting attention from a rebuilt secondary while recording five sacks.
Bryn Renner, who admits he is claustrophobic, had plenty of room to operate in his debut as the starting quarterback. "I didn't even get touched all day," he said appreciatively. A seasoned offensive line protected Renner and opened holes for elusive freshman tailback Giovani Bernard (65 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries) and powerful senior back Ryan Houston (62 yards and a TD on 16 attempts). Each runner was redshirted in 2010.
Bernard, a high-energy sort, was so excited to be in the lineup, he jumped up and down in place prior to one first-quarter snap. "Just being on that field is just something else," said the genial Floridian. "I don't even know how to describe it."
Renner's performance was nearly flawless statistically. The redshirt sophomore set an ACC record for single-game completion percentage with at least 20 attempts, connecting on 22 throws in 23 attempts (.957). Many were short passes that negated defensive pressure and quickly placed seven different receivers in open-field situations. Only one quarterback in NCAA history enjoyed a more accurate outing -- Tennessee's Tee Martin completed 95.8 percent in 1998. (His position coach was David Cutcliffe, now Duke's head coach.)
Withers, until recently UNC's defensive coordinator, was especially taken with Renner's calm demeanor under fire. "He had a command about him today that, for a first start, was pretty impressive," the coach said.
Meanwhile the defense held JMU to two scores, two third-down conversions in 13 attempts, and a mere 53 yards per quarter.
True, the Dukes compete a step below the ACC and other Bowl Championship Series conferences in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). But James Madison did shock Virginia Tech at Blacksburg in last season's opener, and returned 10 starters and 20 lettermen from a defense that ranked among the top 10 nationally in several FCS categories last season.
So thorough was UNC's offensive dominance, by halftime it amassed more yards (292) than JMU's veteran defense allowed per game in 2010 (287), when it ranked eighth in FCS play. The Heels' 28 points in the first half matched the highest total against the Colonial Athletic Association club in all of 2010, when it finished third in scoring defense at the old Division I-AA level.
The result was a contest essentially decided in the first 15 and a half minutes and a Carolina theme for the day of continuity amidst change.
That included what might be regarded as an odd choice for a career assistant trying to make his own mark after his predecessor was fired: Withers told the team well prior to the JMU contest the game ball would be awarded to Butch Davis, who assembled the squad and coaching staff.
Players embraced the idea. "He was the guy that build this program, and we thank him every day," Bernard said. Thinking Davis was in the stands motivated Renner. "We all know coach Davis and we all have a deep love for him, and we all wanted to play for him today," he said.
Withers made no apology about the decision to honor Davis. "He helped build this football team," he said. "For him to be here today would be an honor for me."
The game-ball gesture and words of affection can be seen as gracious acts, ego-less acknowledgements of a debt owed. Presumably Withers will now work to emerge from Davis' shadow. That's his best bet to avoid the company of the three men who were head coaches at ACC schools for a single season - Lou Saban at Maryland in 1966 (the Terps were 4-6); Al Michaels at N.C. State in 1971 (3-8); and Tom Harper at Wake Forest in 1972 (2-9).
Without sounding criticial, Withers seemed to recognize the need to surpass his predecessor, as well as the path to get there.
"One of the things we've talked about, we've been 8-5 with a lot of talent around here," he said matter of factly. "We feel like, if we do the little things right, we can be better than 8-5. So that's been a real emphasis. I'm talking about on the field, in the meeting room, in the classroom, everything. The little things are what make good teams good, and that's what we're trying to strive for."
Withers offered a similar formulation on the July day he was hired. If he's right, he can expect many more postgame moments like Saturday's, when he trotted across the turf surrounded by cameramen and photographers, state trooper and campus cop in tow, to greet JMU coach Mickey Matthews. "I'm looking forward to the next time I get to run off and shake somebody else's hand who loses," Withers said.
