UNC Tar Heels Post Game Thoughts: GT

Lawrence Jordan: Well, needless to say, I think every Tar Heel fan expected more this weekend. Better play calling. Better execution. Better balance. Better football. Paul Johnson and GT deserve credit for their coaching and execution. If the Tar Heels are going to take the proverbial "next step," they have to avoid performing like they did last weekend.

TJ Yates: Yates put on his best Delhomme impression this weekend and stunk up Bobby Dodd stadium. His passes were inaccurate, late, and poorly chosen. The young WR's did their best to save him on several opportunities (see Erik Highsmith), but Yates could not get the job done.

• Stats: 11/26, 137 yds, 1 td, 2 int
• Yates commented on his performance, "Embarrassing...That's all it is, embarrassing."
• Davis commented on Yates' performance, "Balls were behind guys, they were short of guys, then obviously you start to press a little."
• Not exactly a ringing endorsement...

Sean Draugh / RBs: The Offensive Line is thin and young this year, but Draughn has got to read his blockers better. Hop-skipping into a pile at the line of scrimmage on first down does not start an offensive possession aggressively. Davis/Schoop seem to like the "thunder & lightning" aspect with Draughn/Houston but it they aren't more successful it will be time to switch things up. Houston, with his Brandan Jacobs build, will need to see more touches earlier if Draughn keeps proving ineffective. Let's not forget, the Heels have Jamal Womble on the sidelines who put up impressive numbers as a prep and against Citadel earlier this year.

So on the year RB totals are as follows:

• Daughn: 60/249, 4.2 ypc, 0 tds, 0 fum
• Houston: 31/143, 4.6 ypc, 4 tds, 0 fum
• Womble: 6/41, 6.8 ypc, 0 tds, 0 fum

Offensive play calling: Creative? Nope. Aggressive? Never. Predictable? You know it. UNC finished 1/11 on 3rd down conversions. Anemic. That's a result of Yate's innacuracy but also horribly conservative play calling early in the series. Combined with turnovers early in possessions...and you witnessed the onslaugh in Atlanta.

Let's take a look at how the 1st down play calling resulted (possession, call, yards, plays, result):

• 1st, rush middle, 3 yards, 4 downs, punt
• 2nd, rush right, 1 yard, 4 downs, punt
• 3rd, incmp screen pass, 0 yards, 4 downs, punt
• 4th, rush right, -7 yards, 4 downs, punt
• 5th, rush middle, 9 yards, 6 downs, fumble
• 6th, rush left, 5 yards, 10 downs, missed FG (1st half: time of poss: 11 min 34 sec)
• 7th, screen pass, 12 yards, 5 downs, punt
• 8th, pass, 1 down, INT
• 9th, pass, 11 yards, 4 downs, TD
• 10th, incmp screen pass, 0 yards, 9 downs, INT (2nd half: time of poss: 6 min 20 seconds)
  

Tired Defense: The defense did not play a stellar game, but they played almost the entire game. Only 1 third down conversion, 2 INTs, and a fumble results in the GT offense having the ball for 42:06 minutes of a 60 minute game. That breaks down to rounghly 50 plays for the UNC offensive unit, and 90+ plays for the defensive unit.

The entire UNC offense, players and coaching staff, are to blame for this. There is no excuse for such an unbalanced game. The play calling was absurdly conservative on first down, the QB was terribly inaccurate and inefficient, the RB's were ineffective, and the offense turned the ball over early in possessions. This leads to losing 24-7 at GT...and it could have been worse.

Short missed FGs. This is the most consistent part of our offense and that is not positive for young Mr. Barth.