Extra Points: Who We Are
September 21, 2023 | Football, Featured Writers, Lee Pace, Extra Points
What a script for the first three weeks of the Carolina football season:Â
* Act I against a team from the fleet-footed SEC with a lot of buzz and momentum from a strong finish to 2022 and the afterglow of having whipped the Tar Heels in the 2021 Duke's Mayo Bowl.
* Act II against an in-state opponent with a chip the size of a Watauga County boulder on its shoulder and fresh off a 2022 season that featured a win at Texas A&M and a visit from the ESPN Game Day crew.
* And Act III against the kind of Midwestern team that feeds its players red meat and spinach and meticulously crafts victories by bludgeoning its opponents in the nose.
Exit stage left to South Carolina (31-17 with an emphasis on great defense keyed by end Kaimon Rucker), App State (40-34 with a powerful ground game led by Omarion Hampton) and Minnesota (31-13 as QB Drake Maye takes center stage with his prolific throwing ability).
"Only two teams in the country have won two games against Power 5 teams this year, and we're one of them," Tar Heel Coach Mack Brown says. "That's pretty cool. We've played three really good teams out of conference. We know exactly what we've got to fix before we go to Pittsburgh. A lot of people don't know who they are. We know who we are."
So, just who are these Tar Heels?
They are a team that has developed in key areas mandated by Brown and his staff after the 2022 season. They are running the ball better and are more balanced on offense (last year's team averaged 153 yards a game rushing and this year's is up to just under 200). They are protecting the quarterback better (last year's team was No. 101 nationally in sacks allowed and this year's team has improved to No 41 with eight allowed in three games). They are getting more pressure on the quarterback (they are No. 16 in sacks with 10 after being 127th in 2022). And they are No. 2 nationally in third-down conversions.    Â
"I like the way we're playing complimentary football," Brown says. "I heard Jim Harbaugh use the term 'we-fense' instead of 'offense' or 'defense.' I like that. We can run it and we can throw it, and everyone knows we can do both pretty well. A good running game takes pressure off our passing game and it helps keep the defense off the field."
The Tar Heels are a team that after four years of productive recruiting have developed enough depth on defense that the front line can rotate at least two units through on a steamy afternoon like Saturday, play 21 guys overall and let a player like Des Evans go only 36 snaps at the power end with Beau Atkinson subbing for 15 and Jacolbe Cowan seven. And the secondary can overcome the loss of two starters to the transfer portal and injury limitations to DeAndre Boykins (out for the year), Lejond Cavazos (now back to practicing) and Will Hardy (limited through three games) to make eight break-ups and pick off two passes. The longest pass they've allowed was 37 yards to South Carolina.
Defensive coordinator Gene Chizik and his players insisted throughout the offseason that a year of playing a new scheme was the foundation it needed to take a vigorous step forward in 2023.
"There is a comfort level in the defense in your second year, I think that's number one," Chizik says. "Number two, we have very smart guys that totally understand where they're fitting and what their job responsibilities are."
And the Tar Heels in 2023 display a level of maturity and veteran leadership essential to having a team not only start strong but hopefully maintain it as the aches and pains, bumps and bruises are magnified as the leaves change color and October rolls into November. Brown had messages to deliver to both the offense and defense at times against Minnesota, but as he moved around the sideline area, he found Cedric Gray with the defense and Maye and Corey Gaynor with the offense already at the pulpit in the midst of their respective units.
"That 'Carolina is soft' label doesn't work anymore," Brown says "This is an older team that's been there, done that. And they get it. These kids are enjoying each other, and they're enjoying playing. That's really, really fun for a head coach."
The Tar Heels have not started a season 4-0 since 1997, the last year of Mack 1.0. This week leading up to Saturday's 8 p.m. kick-off against Pitt has been built around the theme of "being comfortable being uncomfortable." Other squads in the last several years got too comfortable with early success or lofty rankings.
"We have to plan on winning and think we're going to win instead of feeling too good about ourselves, getting pats on the back and not being ready to play," Brown says. "We have to really press ourselves, make ourselves very uncomfortable and try to get to somewhere we haven't been before."Â
Chapel Hill writer Lee Pace (Carolina '79) is in his 34th season writing about Tar Heel football under the "Extra Points" banner. Look for his columns throughout the season. Write him at leepace7@gmail.com and follow him @LeePaceTweet.
