Tar Heel Defense Stands Strong

No longer is there cause for alarm at North Carolina when the defense takes the field.

The last two games have produced consecutive strong efforts, showing a significant improvement in performance over the last three seasons when UNC was one of the worst defensive teams in college football.

Saturday's play helped deliver a 31-24 win against N.C. State, when the Wolfpack was shut out for the final 25:39 and allowed across midfield only twice during that time.

After the first three games last season, UNC had surrendered 107 points and 1,384 yards. This season the totals are 65 points and 1,049 yards against a schedule that some college football analysts consider the toughest in the nation.

Coach John Bunting said that much more progress remains.

"I expect us to get better," Bunting said. "I don't expect us to go backward at all."

The defense will need another strong performance on Saturday against Utah at Kenan Stadium. Utah is missing Alex Smith, a quarterback who was the No. 1 pick in last spring's NFL Draft, but it can still pack a hard wallop. A year ago, in Salt Lake City, Utah hastened the process of UNC building its defense. Smith's dart-like passes led Utah to a 46-16 victory. Utah amassed 669 yards, the most UNC has allowed in a game.

"I just feel like that game represented the worst of the worst when it comes to doing your assignment, playing hard every single play, no matter what the score is and being mentally and physically tough to play the game," Bunting said.

Two important defensive changes have come on the coaching staff. Marvin Sanders is in his second season as the coordinator and the players have a clearer understanding of his scheme. Kenny Browning moved to coach the defensive tackles after coaching the tight ends. Browning's move allowed Brad Lawing to work exclusively with the ends after coaching the entire defensive line last season.

N.C. State was held to 13 yards rushing, the fewest UNC has allowed since 2000. Quarterback Jay Davis was sacked six times for losses totaling 50 yards. N.C. State was held to 186 yards below its average, 456 yards, which had led the ACC.

Bunting said that the defensive front has more talented players now than in previous seasons and that three years of solid recruiting are delivering results.

"We have a good rotation going now," Bunting said. "They're fresh when they're out there. They're playing about 30 or 35 snaps, and they're significant because they're good players. So that's really helping us a lot. We're fresh when we got out on the field."

The proper positions were found for linebackers Larry Edwards and Tommy Richardson. They switched positions, with Edwards moving to strong-side linebacker and Richardson going to the weak side. Depth has improved at linebacker also and allowed UNC to weather, at least for one game, the loss of Doug Justice, the middle linebacker. Victor Worsley took Justice's place at N.C. State and had seven tackles.

Bunting expects Utah to run a spread offense, and he said that UNC will probably remove one linebacker and insert an extra defensive back for pass coverage.

Richardson said that the UNC defensive players felt slighted, given the attention that N.C. State's defense has received, and used the perceived snub for motivation.

"It's just perseverance, man," Richardson said. "We just kept fighting in the offseason and we kept fighting in the spring. We kept fighting in the last half of last year. We're just trying to get better.

"We know we still have so many holes in our defense that we've got to take care of, as far as tackling and being where we need to be, but we're on the right path."

Source-JournalNow

Tar Heels North Carolina Tar Heels North Carolina Tar Heels North Carolina Tar Heels North Carolina Tar Heels North Carolina Tar Heels North Carolina