TALLAHASSEE, FL – Perhaps the most accomplished basketball player in North Carolina’s fabled history famously owned the nickname “Psycho T.”
Tyler Hansbrough earned the moniker because he relentlessly went after the opposition. Take no prisoners. A bull in a china shop if it was required.
Although not by intent, it’s quite coincidental the name for UNC’s most aggressive defensive calls comes with the Tar Heels’ ‘Psycho Package” on the field. It’s a combination of dudes getting after with a dogged need to affect the quarterback.
Hit him hard, bring him to the soil, or at the very least make him leave his area of comfort. That’s the mission, and over the last two games, the Heels have essentially written the book on how to execute this package.
“It’s amazing,” sophomore linebacker Amare Campbell replied, when asked what it’s like for him seeing the impressive player grouping in front of him. “We just sit there and let them go free. They run their games, they get sacks, they flush them out, and we go make plays. It’s amazing. Everybody in that package, everybody can rush the passer.”
In UNC’s 35-11 stomping of Florida State on Saturday at Doak Campbell Stadium, the Heels recorded seven sacks against a club that attempted only 18 passes on the day. In addition, Geoff Collins’ defense racked up 11 hurries, hit the quarterback three other times as he was throwing, and forced two interceptions.
A week earlier in a 41-14 win at Virginia, Carolina had 10 sacks, 12 hurries, hit the quarterbacks five times as they were throwing the ball, batted a pass, and had two more interceptions.
In keeping score, that’s 17 sacks, 23 hurries, eight times hitting the quarterback as he was throwing, one batted pass, and four interceptions in the last two games.
"(We’ve) got a special package where they put (Beau Atkinson) and Des (Evans) and Jahvaree (Ritzie) and Kaimon (Rucker) in on third downs for pass rush,” UNC Coach Mack Brown said. “All those guys are special pass rushers and I thought they held Kaimon and Des a couple of times tonight, because they're just all over the quarterback and they're just affecting the passer more than like we thought we would.
“And like we've always said, stop the run and affect the quarterback. And that's what we've done here for the last two weeks with Beau and the rest of them both a special player.”
For good measure, the Heels limited FSU to only 42 yards rushing on 28 attempts. So each defensive box was checked, but what has taken the Heels to another level the last two weeks is the Psycho Package. And the Tar Heel shining the most has been sophomore defensive end Beau Atkinson.
The numbers are almost numbers from Saturday: 21 snaps; 3.5 sacks; 4.5 TFLs; 5 total tackles; and a PFF grade of 83.6. And, what makes his work even more impressive is he was on the field for just 15 drop backs by Seminoles quarterbacks.
And in the last two weeks, Atkinson has played 53 snaps, registered 5.5 sacks, 7 TFLs, 8 tackles, 3 hurries, and twice hit the quarterback as he was throwing.
“I think it’s because we have so many great edge guys, like having Des and Kaimon and then Jahvaree out there,” Atkinson said Saturday when asked why he’s been so successful the last two weeks. “It kind of puts the stress all around so it makes it really hard on the o-lines and the offenses. I think just having those guys there with me helps a lot.”
Apparently, UNC athletics needs more psychos, and certainly it has suited the football Heels well over the last two weeks.
