University of North Carolina Athletics
Inside The Numbers: Western Carolina Game
December 8, 2020 | Football
Inside the Numbers (ITN) is a new feature that can be found exclusively on GoHeels.com each week following a Carolina football game. Here you will find interesting news and numbers focused around the Tar Heels on the gridiron.
PFF PERFORMERS
• According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Sam Howell (93.1) graded out as the top player last week against Western Carolina. For the entirety of the 2020 campaign, our sophomore signal caller ranks fifth nationally with a 92.5 PFF Grade on Offense among quarterbacks with at least 100 dropbacks.
• Howell's 145 first downs is second in the country, trailing Florida's Kyle Trask (156).
• On passing attempts targeted 20 yards or more downfield, Howell's 24 completions are tied for seventh nationally, while his nine touchdown passes is tied ninth.
• Javonte Williams grades out as the top running back in all of college football this season with a 94.3 rushing grade. He has avoided more tackles (63) and pieced together more rushes of 10 or more yards (36) than any other back in 2020. PFF's "Elusive Rating" has Williams over 40 points better than his next closest competitor.
MOST TDS THROUGH SOPHOMORE SEASON (ACC HISTORY)
• Sam Howell has thrown 64 touchdown passes, which is the third-most through a sophomore season in ACC history.
1. Trevor Lawrence, Clemson 66
2. Jameis Winston, Florida State 65
3. Sam Howell, North Carolina 64
SCORING SPREE
• UNC is second in the ACC to Clemson in scoring offense with 41.1 points per game. That figure is 7th nationally among Power 5 programs.
• Carolina ranks fifth nationally and leads the ACC with 534.5 yards per game of total offense.
• UNC is on pace to shatter the school record of 486.9 yards per game set in 2015.
• UNC set a school record with 742 total yards of offense against Wake Forest, breaking the previous record of 721 vs. ODU in 2013.
• UNC has gained 500 or more yards in seven of the last eight games. The Tar Heels registered six-straight 500+ yard outings, the first time it's happened in at least 50 years, dating back to exisiting records that begin in 1971.
• Carolina has more than 400 yards of total offense in 17 of its last 18 games.
• UNC scored 40 or more points in four-straight games and eighth times in the last 13games dating back to 2019. That's the most consecutive games with 40 or more points since 1914 when Carolina did that in 6 straight.
• This is the second season in Carolina history the Tar Heels have scored 50 or more points against three ACC opponents. 2015 was the other.
PAIR OF 1,000-YARD RUSHERS
• North Carolina running backs Javonte Williams (904 yards) and Michael Carter (937) are on pace to rush for 1,000 yards this season. The last time a pair of ACC run- ning backs from the same team rushed for 1,000 yards was Pitt in 2018 (Qadree Ollison 1,213 yards and Darrin Hall 1,144 yards).
ACC LEADERS
Team
• Total Offense (534.5 yards/game)
• Passing efficiency (179.1)
• PAT Kicking (100% - 53 of 53)
• First Downs (26.8 per game)
Single Game
• Total offense yards (742 vs. Wake Forest)
• Total offense yards/play (9.9 vs. Virginia Tech)
• Rushing yards (399 yards vs. Virginia Tech)
• Yards per rush (9.3 yards vs. Virginia Tech)
• Passing yards (550 vs. Wake Forest)
• Sacks (7 vs. Syracuse)
Sam Howell
• Total Offense (324.5 yards/game)
• Passing yards (312.9 yards/game)
• Passing efficiency (181.8)
Javonte Williams
• Scoring (114 points/11.4 points/game)
Dazz Newsome
• Punt Return Average (10.2 yards)
Grayson Atkins
• PAT Kicking (100% - 52 of 52)
MIAMI GAME NOTES
North Carolina's 28-25 win at Kenan Stadium last season left the Tar Heels with a 12-11 overall edge versus Miami in a series that was first played in 1945 and consecutively since the Hurricanes joined the ACC in 2004 • The teams are even at 8-8 in ACC games • UNC is trying to win in Miami Gardens on Saturday for the first time since a 20-13 victory in 2016, while the Hurricanes hope to defeat the Tar Heels for the third time in four seasons • UNC snapped a two-game losing streak versus Miami last year when then-fresh man QB Sam Howell found WR Dazz Newsome on a 10-yard touchdown pass with 1:01 remaining, and RB Michael Carter added a 2-point conversion run • The Hurricanes own an 8-6 edge in home contests versus the Tar Heels, and the teams are even at 3-3 in games played at Hard Rock Stadium • Saturday will mark the fifth time in the last six years that at least one team has entered the game ranked nationally.
LOOKING AHEAD TO BOWL SEASON
Mack Brown's 14 bowl victories at Texas (10) and North Carolina (4) ranks fourth all-time and second among active coaches. Dabo Swinney's 10 bowl wins are fifth among active coaches, while Duke's David Cutcliffe and Virginia's Bronco Mendenhall are tied for 10th with seven bowl victories.
#PATSTAT
FEEL GOOD MOMENT OF THE WEEK
PFF PERFORMERS
• According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Sam Howell (93.1) graded out as the top player last week against Western Carolina. For the entirety of the 2020 campaign, our sophomore signal caller ranks fifth nationally with a 92.5 PFF Grade on Offense among quarterbacks with at least 100 dropbacks.
• Howell's 145 first downs is second in the country, trailing Florida's Kyle Trask (156).
• On passing attempts targeted 20 yards or more downfield, Howell's 24 completions are tied for seventh nationally, while his nine touchdown passes is tied ninth.
• Javonte Williams grades out as the top running back in all of college football this season with a 94.3 rushing grade. He has avoided more tackles (63) and pieced together more rushes of 10 or more yards (36) than any other back in 2020. PFF's "Elusive Rating" has Williams over 40 points better than his next closest competitor.
• Michael Carter is 11th with an 88.5 grade. He has 40 avoided tackles (7th) and 32 rushes of 10 or more yards (4th). Carter rates as the fifth best breakaway back this season.Most valuable non-QB in 2020🤔
— PFF College (@PFF_College) December 7, 2020
Who's your pick? ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/lhEqByRKXy
MOST TDS THROUGH SOPHOMORE SEASON (ACC HISTORY)
• Sam Howell has thrown 64 touchdown passes, which is the third-most through a sophomore season in ACC history.
1. Trevor Lawrence, Clemson 66
2. Jameis Winston, Florida State 65
3. Sam Howell, North Carolina 64
SCORING SPREE
• UNC is second in the ACC to Clemson in scoring offense with 41.1 points per game. That figure is 7th nationally among Power 5 programs.
• Carolina ranks fifth nationally and leads the ACC with 534.5 yards per game of total offense.
• UNC is on pace to shatter the school record of 486.9 yards per game set in 2015.
• UNC set a school record with 742 total yards of offense against Wake Forest, breaking the previous record of 721 vs. ODU in 2013.
• UNC has gained 500 or more yards in seven of the last eight games. The Tar Heels registered six-straight 500+ yard outings, the first time it's happened in at least 50 years, dating back to exisiting records that begin in 1971.
• Carolina has more than 400 yards of total offense in 17 of its last 18 games.
• UNC scored 40 or more points in four-straight games and eighth times in the last 13games dating back to 2019. That's the most consecutive games with 40 or more points since 1914 when Carolina did that in 6 straight.
• This is the second season in Carolina history the Tar Heels have scored 50 or more points against three ACC opponents. 2015 was the other.
PAIR OF 1,000-YARD RUSHERS
• North Carolina running backs Javonte Williams (904 yards) and Michael Carter (937) are on pace to rush for 1,000 yards this season. The last time a pair of ACC run- ning backs from the same team rushed for 1,000 yards was Pitt in 2018 (Qadree Ollison 1,213 yards and Darrin Hall 1,144 yards).
ACC LEADERS
Team
• Total Offense (534.5 yards/game)
• Passing efficiency (179.1)
• PAT Kicking (100% - 53 of 53)
• First Downs (26.8 per game)
Single Game
• Total offense yards (742 vs. Wake Forest)
• Total offense yards/play (9.9 vs. Virginia Tech)
• Rushing yards (399 yards vs. Virginia Tech)
• Yards per rush (9.3 yards vs. Virginia Tech)
• Passing yards (550 vs. Wake Forest)
• Sacks (7 vs. Syracuse)
Sam Howell
• Total Offense (324.5 yards/game)
• Passing yards (312.9 yards/game)
• Passing efficiency (181.8)
Javonte Williams
• Scoring (114 points/11.4 points/game)
Dazz Newsome
• Punt Return Average (10.2 yards)
Grayson Atkins
• PAT Kicking (100% - 52 of 52)
MIAMI GAME NOTES
North Carolina's 28-25 win at Kenan Stadium last season left the Tar Heels with a 12-11 overall edge versus Miami in a series that was first played in 1945 and consecutively since the Hurricanes joined the ACC in 2004 • The teams are even at 8-8 in ACC games • UNC is trying to win in Miami Gardens on Saturday for the first time since a 20-13 victory in 2016, while the Hurricanes hope to defeat the Tar Heels for the third time in four seasons • UNC snapped a two-game losing streak versus Miami last year when then-fresh man QB Sam Howell found WR Dazz Newsome on a 10-yard touchdown pass with 1:01 remaining, and RB Michael Carter added a 2-point conversion run • The Hurricanes own an 8-6 edge in home contests versus the Tar Heels, and the teams are even at 3-3 in games played at Hard Rock Stadium • Saturday will mark the fifth time in the last six years that at least one team has entered the game ranked nationally.
LOOKING AHEAD TO BOWL SEASON
Mack Brown's 14 bowl victories at Texas (10) and North Carolina (4) ranks fourth all-time and second among active coaches. Dabo Swinney's 10 bowl wins are fifth among active coaches, while Duke's David Cutcliffe and Virginia's Bronco Mendenhall are tied for 10th with seven bowl victories.
#PATSTAT
First career interception for former @TarHeelFootball player M.J. Stewart. https://t.co/vfaOINGexZ
— Pat James (@patjames24) December 6, 2020
FEEL GOOD MOMENT OF THE WEEK
Chazz Surratt was originally going to play football & basketball at UNC. He ended up focusing on football, which worked out well. Today was his Senior Day. This week, Coach Roy Williams gave Chazz the basketball jersey he would've worn. Great gesture.
— East Lincoln Basketball (@ELMUSTANGSBBALL) December 6, 2020
Up next: An NFL jersey. pic.twitter.com/nGu71WD5Dg
Players Mentioned
Place-Kicker
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Running Back
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Quarterback
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Wide Receiver
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Linebacker
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Running Back
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