University of North Carolina Athletics
Extra Points: Speed Bump
October 5, 2014 | Football, Featured Writers, Lee Pace
by Lee Pace, GoHeels.com
CHAPEL HILL—In the wake of Carolina's defense allowing 120 points and 1,317 yards in consecutive losses at East Carolina and Clemson, Tar Heel offensive coordinator Seth Littrell was asked last week if he felt undue burden or pressure on his side of the ball to score points at a pinball pace just to keep up.
"No. I don't worry about the defense," Littrell said directly and without hesitation. "We could have made a lot of plays on offense that would have given us an opportunity to win. We have to worry about how we can get better. We're a team, a family. There is absolutely no frustration from that standpoint."
Good answer. Because on Saturday on a sun-splashed afternoon in Kenan Stadium against Virginia Tech, it was the Tar Heels' fast-paced and big-play offense that hit a major speed bump. The Tar Heels didn't score a touchdown in the first half. They had only 323 total yards for the game and converted just two of 13 third-downs. A protection breakdown by tackles on both sides of the line led to a Marquise Williams fumble on the game's first snap. One receiver cut a slant route short, allowing a Virginia Tech cornerback a clear view of Mitch Trubisky's pass and an unfettered pick-six. And two center snaps flew early, surprising Williams and eliciting a rare show of aggravation and frustration from the normally composed and affable junior.
Most of the damage was done by intermission, with the Hokies enjoying a 24-3 lead and able to put their template of ball-control offense and salty defense to optimum use in getting out of town with a 34-17 win.
"Why we would do what we were doing in the first half, I have no idea," Tar Heel coach Larry Fedora said. "That's the frustrating thing. For whatever reason that entire first half, we kept shooting ourselves in the foot and didn't give ourselves a chance to win the game. What could go wrong, went wrong. We made every possible mistake we could make."
"We weren't in rhythm all day, guys were missing assignments, not doing their jobs," Williams added. "But you can't point fingers at anyone. You have to go back and be critical of yourself and look at the film, see what you can do better to help win football games."
The Tar Heels couldn't gain an advantage in their usually productive kicking game, either. Ryan Switzer had six punt returns for seven total yards, and on three straight fruitless returns in the third quarter, Fedora was quick to seek out players who had botched their jobs jamming the Hokies racing downfield to cover. And after leaving the game in the fourth quarter to attend to a hand injury, Switzer waved off replacement Austin Proehl as Tech was lining up to punt and did a poor job fielding the kick, the ball bouncing off his shoulder pads and into Virginia Tech possession, setting up the Hokies' final score.
The two phases of the game that we have come to know and depend on during Fedora's two-plus seasons at Carolina both struggled. By being flaccid on offense and unproductive in the kicking game, the Tar Heels allowed Tech's offense to play it conservatively— exactly what the Hokies have done well for nearly three decades under head coach Frank Beamer.
"North Carolina has a very good offense, very explosive," Tech QB Michael Brewer said. "So we felt like if we could run the football and control the clock, keep their offense on the sideline, that would be a big advantage for us. And it definitely was."
The Tar Heel defense was left to play 94 snaps, far more than a team with as many depth problems as it has can be expected to play well. That said, the Tar Heels' performance against the run at Clemson last week (92 yards allowed) and after the first quarter Saturday shows promise. Redshirt freshman Nazair Jones had his second sack in as many weeks, continuing his emergence after a quiet beginning to the season. Freshman M.J. Stewart read and reacted well on a fourth-quarter pass, making an interception and giving the Tar Heels possession at the Tech 16. The defense had five three-and-out stands.
But all three phases were hounded once again by penalties, 10 flags flying for 62 yards. Norkeithus Otis was offside on a third-and-six play in the second quarter, helping Tech keep a drive alive that ended in a field goal. The O-line had two false starts and an illegal receiver downfield. Field position advantages were negated with one hold on the punt team and a blocking-in-the-back on the punt return team.
"I don't know how to explain it right now," Fedora said. "We'll have to go back and look at each of them, and break them down, and see what the problem was. We had 10 penalties the whole game, and a majority of those were in the first half."
Those are not physical issues, they are mental ones and discipline concerns—just like the two snaps from center Lucas Crowley that came out early and caught Williams off-guard.
"We wanted to change the tempo up a little this week and have some hard counts," said right guard Landon Turner, who returned to action after two weeks sidelined with an injury. "It was just a mental lapse as the defense was moving around, we were switching the call and for a split second I think he was thinking about the call and not the snap. It happens, but we have to clean that up. That's really unacceptable as an offensive line. We have to be on the same page. We have to be mentally tough is what it comes down to."
Linebacker Jeff Schoettmer echoed those thoughts.
"It's real frustrating," Schoettmer said. "The penalties are unacceptable. It comes down each of us being mentally focused. You can drill all you want, punish them all you want after practice. But in the heat of battle, you've got to be able to stay onside and watch the ball and keep your cool."
This is a team clearly bereft of momentum and with its confidence hanging by a thread, and any wrong turns early in a game can launch it into a "Here we go again" mentality. Which is why a quick start against Tech was essential, and Littrell and the offensive brain trust drew up an opening play they hoped would go to the house. Out of a two-back set and with an end and H-back split left, the play had Romar Morris slipping out of the backfield along the left hash. The receivers on that side cut inside, taking with them the Tech cornerback and linebacker, who were playing man-to-man. No one was within 20 yards of Morris.
Unfortunately, Tech's outside rushers beat Carolina's two tackles and pinched Williams at the same time, the ball popping loose as a fumble, though the Tar Heel staff kept waiting on an officials' replay to see if it was actually an incomplete pass.
"Oh man, I slept on that one, I dreamed about it all night," Williams said. "We had Romar on the rail and it was wide open. It was wide open. I dreamed about it, it was so awesome."
In time all three phases will click together, the Tar Heels will slice the rash of mostly pre-snap penalty flags, and the coaching staff will recruit and develop more depth across the board. Then Marquise Williams' nocturnal visions can become consistent reality.
Chapel Hill writer Lee Pace (leepace7@gmail.com) is in his 25th year writing "Extra Points" and 11th reporting from the sidelines for the Tar Heel Sports Network. His unique look at Tar Heel football will appear regularly throughout the fall. Follow him on Twitter @LeePaceTweet.
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