University of North Carolina Athletics
Turner's Take: Rapid Reactions
December 27, 2014 | Football, Featured Writers, Turner Walston
By Turner Walston
1. Larry Fedora told Jones Angell before the Quick Lane Bowl kicked off that the Tar Heels would have to play with great energy on both sides of the ball, would have to come out and play smart, fast and physical, and they'd be fine. They weren't fine. Rutgers punched the Tar Heels in the mouth on the first drive, and then the Tar Heels couldn't get out of their own way. The first four Tar Heel possessions ended this way: fumble, punt, failed fake field goal, fumble. The defense had some good stops in the meantime, but the poor offensive performance from the regular season finale persisted, and the Scarlet Knights pulled away.
2. Fedora said that Rutgers was “not a huge blitz team,” and that the Scarlet Knights preferred to stick to their assignments, play disciplined defense and then get after the quarterback on third down. Despite Rutgers' reputation, the poor play of the Tar Heel offensive line meant that Marquise Williams was under pressure all night. The Scarlet Knights' front four was dominant. Williams is a terrific playmaker when given time to make plays. Friday, he rarely had that time, often backpedaling and trying to make something from nothing - even when Rutgers rushed just three. A quarterback can't throw with touch and power when he can't set his feet, and when Williams was moving backward, so too was the Carolina offense.
3. Carolina made a coaching change on the defensive side of the ball between the end of the regular season and the Quick Lane Bowl. With Vic Koenning no longer on staff, Dan Disch called defensive plays. But the same players who said Koenning's dismissal was a wake-up call, that realized Koenning didn't miss tackles or take plays off, continued their unfortunate habits in Detroit. The Tar Heels stuck with the 4-2-5 scheme employed by Koenning, and did nothing to change its reputation in Chapel Hill.
Entering the game, the Tar Heels were giving up five yards per opponent rushing attempt. Rutgers continued that trend from the outset. Though the Scarlet Knights were a middling rushing team in the regular season, they found seams and running lanes to gash the Tar Heels. The pass rush often overran the play, allowing Rutgers' Gary Nova to find receivers and make plays.
4. The kicking game continued to be missing in action. Carolina punter Tommy Hibbard has the ability to flip the field, but not if he doesn't make the trip to Detroit due to “conduct detrimental to the team.” The Tar Heels were forced to rely on walk-on Joey Mangili at punter and holder. Mangili played quarterback at Durham's Jordan High School, but he was put on the spot when asked to run a fake field goal early in the game, on 4th and 4 from the Rutgers 5 yard-line. Mangili and Nick Weiler combined to average 31 yards per punt, 10 yards fewer than Hibbard's average during the regular season.
5. Fedora's preferred motto of 'Smart, fast and physical,' sounds great. It makes sense. If a team plays intelligently, with pace, and hits hard, they're going to give themselves a chance to win football games. But Carolina has not had success with the most important aspect of that motto, 'smart.' The Tar Heels' 93 penalties committed during the regular season were among the highest in the nation. Penalties bit them again on Friday. Twice Carolina was called for kick catch interference, gifting field position on punts. On separate possessions, Ryan Switzer and Jack Tabb both got into the end zone, but only after committing an offensive pass interference penalties. False starts, too. Penalties aside, you'd like to see players be smarter after the play as well. Sam Smiley nearly cost the Tar Heels dearly with some extracurricular activity after a stop. Playing smart alone won't win football games - it's merely a component - but it would go a long way to help the Heels stay competitive.
6. Carolina showed some fight late in the game, with Rutgers' victory well in hand. The Tar Heels recovered a pair of onside kicks and moved the ball well with Mitch Trubisky. Again, this was late and with the game out of reach, but anything helps confidence for next year. Unfortunately, Quinshad Davis left the game with an apparent serious leg injury.
7. The Tar Heels finished 2014 at 6-7, with a losing record for the first time since 2007. It's a pivotal time for Carolina athletics, and there is work to be done in Kenan Football Center before the season kicks off next fall. There is a hire to be made on the staff and student-athletes to be signed. Carolina won't have a bowl win to carry momentum into the spring, so just as the players need to play with energy, the staff will have to find a way to build excitement for 2015.
Players Mentioned
