Mack Mid-Week: Offense's Week, D Focus, Georgia State & More
CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina Coach Mack Brown met with the media via zoom Wednesday to discuss his team’s week of preparation for its game Saturday at Georgia State, including how the defense has practiced following its effort giving up 61 points to Appalachian State last weekend.
In addition, Brown said the offense hasn’t been as sharp this week as he’d like, and spent some time discussing the Panthers, who were very competitive in a loss at South Carolina over the weekend and have a lot in common with App State.
Above is the video of Brown’s Q&A session via zoom, and below are some notes and pulled quotes from what he had to say:
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*Brown said while the defense has responded and practiced well this week, he’s a bit concerned about the offense. They have scored 119 points in the two games seemingly scoring at will, so they haven’t been as sharp as he’d like.
“We need to stay sharp, continue improving,” Brown said. “You worry that they’ve been bragged on so much that they’ll be complacent and there’s a bad game coming. That happened to us last year; it hasn’t happened to us yet this year.
“I don’t think the offense has looked as sharp this week as they have the previous two weeks. So, I’m a little concerned about them. There’s a lot of youth in that group. They need to wake up and grow up.”
Brown later noted about the unit’s performance in practice this week: “Missed assignments, getting whipped, I think feeling a little cool.”
*Staying on that, the offense has so many young guys, as mostly players still in their teens were responsible for the majority of the production last weekend in Boone. So perhaps this week’s less-than-expected practices are part of their process.
Brown noted he didn’t intend the offensive work this week to be the theme of the press conference, but it was certainly noteworthy enough to ask about, so we did.
“They haven’t been as sharp as they’ve been,” Brown said. “They’ve still tried, they’re still working. But I don’t like some of the things I’ve seen. It’s not that they didn’t show up, it’s not that they’re not trying, and it’s not that they’ve had awful practices. So, let’s don’t make that the theme.
“But they need to play well, they are young and they’re inexperienced. They’ve gotta grow up if they want to have a great season and play old.”
This has something to do with young players learning to understand the standard is their mission regardless of previous performances or what they are going into.
“Yes,” Brown said. “And the same with the defense in the fourth quarter on Saturday. The standard of excellence was played in the second and third quarters, why didn’t we play it in the fourth?...
“This is the ultimate team game. It’s hard, and there are things that you learn; we talk about teachable moments, and it’s hard for people to understand that aren’t in it every day.”
*Brown offered some more intel on how senior wide receiver Antoine Green is coming along, and tossed in Josh Downs’ name as well.
“Antoine Green is progressing,” Brown said. “I’m really about the possibilities of him being on time with his coming back after his injury. So, I’m excited for him. And then same thing with Josh. When we get those two guys back at full speed, plus adding all these other targets, we have a chance to even be better.”
Green (shoulder) was injured in UNC’s first scrimmage in early August and was slated to miss 6-10 weeks, so the range of six or seven weeks would put him back in time for the Notre Dame game September 24.
Downs (knee) was injured in the third quarter of the opening victory over Florida A&M and did not play in the App State game. Sources close to the situation have indicated to THI that it’s unlikely Downs will play this weekend at Georgia State, but it’s likely he will be ready for the Notre Dame game.
*Georgia State held a 14-12 lead over South Carolina midway through the third quarter last Saturday night in Columbia, and after the Gamecocks scored a touchdown and got a two-point conversion for a 20-14 lead with 7:20 left in the period, they were done for the night scoring on offense.
South Carolina won, 35-14, but its last two scores came on 26-yard and 10-yard blocked punt returns. The Panthers did plenty of positive things in the game, and were in position to get a win.
GSU held South Carolina to 306 total yards, including just 79 rushing on 32 attempts. It held the Gamecocks to 3-for-14 on third down and registered three sacks. The Panthers have Brown’s full attention.
“They ran for more than 200 yards against South Carolina, who killed us in the bowl game…,” Brown said. “The difference in the ballgame were the two blocked punts.”
Georgia State and App State are very similar. Both coaches (GSU’s Shawn Elliott and App’s Shawn Clark) worked together, and they run a lot of the same stuff on offense. GSU’s quarterback is a bit different from Chase Brice at App, but last week’s game could help the Heels prepare for this one in Atlanta.
“You look at what Appalachian State does; they’re physical and run the ball, and they run it pretty well against everybody. That’s their trademark. Same for Georgia State,” Brown said. “Their philosophies are very similar. They (GSU) run a little bit more option, have a different type (of) quarterback.
“But they’re gonna line up and just be physical and try to beat you down. And with the amount of running yards that we gave up last week, I’m sure they’ll just line up and try to run the ball right at us.”
*As of now, forecasts show a 70-percent chance of rain during Carolina’s game in Atlanta on Saturday, and Brown was asked how he is preparing the team for playing in inclement weather.
“We’ve practiced in the rain some in the preseason because it rains here so much,” Brown said. “And really and truly, it’s supposed to rain more today down there than it was yesterday, so that may change two or three times.
“We just told the guys, ‘Whatever shows up we’ve got to handle.”
*Also in the presser:
-1-min mark: Brown opens discussing the 24-hour rule.
-2-min mark: Offense needs to be more consistent in the run game.
-3-min mark: Defense has practiced hard this week. The staff focuses on the good, showing them who they can be.
-5-min mark: He spends a couple of minutes on Georgia State.
-11-min mark: Red zone offense success.
-13-min mark: Ball distribution – plenty of players involved on offense.
-17-min mark: What has he seen on defense this week that gives him confidence?
-18-min mark: Couple of minutes more on Georgia State.
-20-min mark: Playing to a standard.