Better know a ’12 opponent: North Carolina
Back to ACC play in this edition of our look at this year’s opponents. Today, it’s North Carolina.
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Coach: Larry Fedora (first season at North Carolina, 34-19, 20-12 in four seasons at Southern Miss, former offensive coordinator at Oklahoma State, Florida)
2011 record: 7-6 (3-5 ACC, t-4th Coastal), lost 41-24 to Missouri in Independence Bowl
Looking back: North Carolina’s season was essentially sunk before it ever began. Head coach Butch Davis was fired at an inconvenient time in late July, part of the fallout from the NCAA investigation into academic misconduct and illegal benefits. Defensive coordinator Everett Withers filled in, guiding the Tar Heels to a 5-1 start, but things would turn south quickly. Despite a defense loaded with NFL talent, UNC struggled in midseason losses to Miami and Clemson to start the slide, giving up 89 points in those two games. A win against Wake Forest stopped the streak, but the Tar Heels suffered an embarrassing 13-0 loss to rival N.C. State, their fifth straight loss in the series, before losing in Blacksburg to the Hokies 24-21. They finished the regular season 7-5 but, unlike some other team under the NCAA’s watch, chose not to self-impose a bowl ban, instead going to the Independence Bowl, where they lost 41-24 to Missouri. The NCAA handed down its punishment of the school this offseason, with sanctions that include a postseason ban this year, making the Tar Heels ineligible for the ACC championship game.
2011 stats/rankings:
- Rushing offense: 138.85 ypg (76th nationally, 7th ACC)
- Passing offense: 254.38 ypg (36th nationally, 4th ACC)
- Total offense: 393.23 ypg (53rd nationally, 5th ACC)
- Scoring offense: 28.00 ppg (56th nationally, 5th ACC)
- Rushing defense: 123.92 ypg (27th nationally, 3rd ACC)
- Passing defense: 241.31 ypg (78th nationally, 10th ACC)
- Total defense: 365.23 ypg (49th nationally, 7th ACC)
- Scoring defense: 24.85 ppg (56th nationally, 7th ACC)
- Turnover margin: -.15 (75th nationally, 8th ACC)
Offensive starters returning/lost: 8/3
Defensive starters returning/lost: 5/6
Losses: WR Dwight Jones (2nd ACC, 85 catches, 1,196 yards, 12 TD), HB Christian Wilson (10 catches, 107 yards), C Cam Holland, DE Quinton Coples (1st ACC, 55 tackles, 15 TFL, 7.5 sacks), DT Tydreke Powell (46 tackles, 4.5 TLF, 1 sack), LB Zach Brown (1st ACC, 105 tackles, 13.5 TFL, 5.5 sacks, 3 INT, 3 FF), CB Charles Brown (53 tackles, 6 TFL, 2 INT), S Matt Merletti (35 tackles, 2 INT), S Jonathan Smith (45 tackles)
Returnees: QB Bryn Renner (3,086 yards, 26 TD, 13 INT), RB Giovani Bernard (1st ACC, 1,253 rushing, 13 TD, 362 receiving), WR Erik Highsmith (51 catches, 726 yards, 5 TD), WR Jheranie Boyd 14 catches, 292 yards, 5 TD), OG Jonathan Cooper (2nd ACC, 35 starts), OT James Hurst (2nd ACC, 25 starts), OG Travis Bond (17 starts), OT Brennan Williams (14 starts), TE Nelson Hurst (11 catches, 160 yards, TD), DE Kareem Martin (40 tackles, 7 TFL, 4 sacks), DT Sylvester Williams (54 tackles, 7 TFL, 2.5 sacks), LB Kevin Reddick (71 tackles, 6 TFL, 1 sack), S Tre Boston (70 tackles, 3 INT), S Gene Robinson (49 tackles, 4 TFL), CB Tim Scott (43 tackles, INT), PK Casey Barth (51-63 FG career), P Thomas Hibbard (39.2 avg.) KR T.J. Thorpe (26.7 avg., TD)
2012 schedule:
- Sept.1: vs. Elon
- Sept. 8: at Wake Forest
- Sept. 15: at Louisville
- Sept. 22: vs. East Carolina
- Sept. 29: vs. Idaho
- Oct. 6: vs. Virginia Tech
- Oct. 13: at Miami
- Oct. 20: at Duke
- Oct. 27: vs. N.C. State
- Nov. 10: vs. Georgia Tech
- Nov. 15: at Virginia
- Nov. 24: vs. Maryland
Strengths: The main parts of the offense are back. Renner threw for 3,000 yards last year and Bernard was a first-team All-ACC pick as a redshirt freshman. Both are back behind an offensive line that returns four starters, two of which were second-team All-ACC performers last year. In Fedora’s new spread offense, this group could thrive. Defensively, talent remains from Davis’ strong recruiting classes. Martin, Williams and Reddick lead the way in what is expected to be an aggressive, attacking group.
Weaknesses: Fedora likes to spread things out and pass, although he doesn’t have a whole lot of receivers. It remains to be seen if Highsmith can be the No. 1 receiver that Jones had been for so many years. In fact, depth could be a concern across the board. The Tar Heels lost a lot from the secondary last year, although for a group that ranked 10th in the ACC in pass defense, that might not necessarily the worst thing. Talent remains on the defense, but when you lose NFL-level players like Coples, Brown and Powell, you’re bound to take a step back.
Fun fact: (Via Wikipedia) “The mascot is a live Dorset ram named Rameses, a tradition that dates back to 1924, when the team manager brought a ram to the annual game against Virginia Military Institute, inspired by the play of former football player Jack ‘The Battering Ram’ Merrit. The kicker rubbed his head for good luck before a game-winning field goal, and the ram stayed.”
Series with VT: Virginia Tech leads 18-10-6
In the last 15 years:
- 2011: No. 9 Virginia Tech 24, North Carolina 21, in Blacksburg
- 2010: No. 16 Virginia Tech 26, North Carolina 10, in Chapel Hill
- 2009: North Carolina 20, No. 14 Virginia Tech 17, in Blacksburg
- 2008: Virginia Tech 20, North Carolina 17, in Chapel Hill
- 2007: No. 17 Virginia Tech 17, North Carolina 10, in Blacksburg
- 2006: No. 16 Virginia Tech 35, North Carolina 10, in Chapel Hill
- 2005: No. 5 Virginia Tech 30, North Carolina 3, in Blacksburg
- 2004: No. 18 Virginia Tech 27, North Carolina 24, in Chapel Hill
- 1997: No. 7 North Carolina 42, Virginia Tech 3, in Jacksonville, Fla. (Gator Bowl)
- Georgia Tech — Team overview | Ask a beat writer
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- Bowling Green — Team overview | Ask a beat writer
- Cincinnati — Team overview | Ask a beat writer
June 6, 2012 - 11:02 AM
Their biggest weakness should be their lack of insentive to win anything since they cannot play in ACC championship game or bowl game, they should have gotten MUCH WORSE !!!!
The biggest cheater – Ohio State or UNC ??? both should be considered for death penalty.
They have played us tough the last few years and beat us in 2009 in a game we expected to win. I believe Renner can play if his line can protect him. I can see why they are your pick for an “under the radar” opponent. They have some “scrimmage games” where they can work out their issues. Last year’s results for them had a bunch to do with off-season turmoil.
We’ll see if Butch Davis really stocked the pantry or not.
The UNC win in 2009 came gift wrapped with a late RW fumble.
Larry Fedora? I think I have one of his hats.
I don’t think VT can overlook anybody in the ACC this year but I am not expecting UNC to win this game when it is played.
I and a Tech alum and live in Oklahoma where Fedora coached at Okla State University. He is the man primarily responsible for starting the successful spread pass-oriented offense now very successful at OSU; taught Coach Mike Gundy all he knows about offense. It took a year and a half for OSU’s personnel to become comfortable with it and it will likely take about the same period of time for UNC to do so; but, starting in the 2013 season Bud Foster and his gang had better be ready or Tech will suffer against the Heels. Foster is a great defensive coach in my opinion but the personnel Fedora faced at Oklahoma and Texas was significantly more physically talented than Tech. Tech had better watch out in 2013.
Tech always loses one game that they should win. UNC almost always plays over its head against Tech. Got to be ready.
That loss never happened. The NCAA made them forfeit it, so, technically, they they haven’t beaten us in the ACC era.
I think this will be a tough game. Any road conference game, Duke excluded, is tough. They’ll be motivated to beat anyone this year, especially VT, to whom they believe the refs gave the game. Always a tough game.
Jonathan, unfortunately we lost regardless of the NCAA. As much as I hate it when people cheapen some of our wins, we must accept our defeats too.
Thanks for the info on the Ram. I have been asking sincew we joined the ACC how teh Tar Heels had a Ramm as a mascot. I even asked UNC people. No one could tell me. Now I know. Resembles the Turkey tradition at Tech>
We will beat UNC.