CHAPEL HILL – A year ago, as North Carolina continued working its way through Phil Longo’s air raid offense, one of the bugaboos was an inefficiency scoring touchdowns in the red zone. Scoring on the ground, in particular.

Carolina managed just 13 rushing touchdowns all season with nine coming in the final three games. Only 10 were red zone scores. The Tar Heels settled for too many field goals, so a point of emphasis in the offseason and fall camp when it commenced in August was to score more touchdowns from inside the red zone and do so with a greater volume of runs plays.

The Tar Heels have satisfied that objective.

In three fewer games thus far, UNC has 29 rushing scores, and while it is ranked No. 34 nationally in red zone scoring, the Heels have significantly elevated their touchdown percentage. Last season, the Heels were near the bottom among Power 5 teams in touchdown efficiency, as they crossed the goal line just 31 times in 55 trips. Yet, Carolina scored 11 red zone touchdowns over its final three games, including six of its 10 rushing scores in the red zone. That uptick fed into this season.

Carolina's current scoring breakdown inside the red zone is 24 rushing touchdowns, 10 passing scores and five field goals for 39 scores overall. That is considerable improvement.

“We wanted to be better in red zone touchdown percentage,” UNC offensive coordinator Phil Longo said earlier this week. “The scoring percentage last year was good, but the touchdown scoring percentage wasn’t where we would like it. It’s a lot better this year. It’s a credit to our players – we’ve had greater execution, that comes with having veterans.

“We’re doing a few things different down there in the red zone that are helping us. We’re doing a better job of running the ball down there, that’s helping us… I think between the staff and the players having a better plan and those guys executing has been really the big reason why we are better in the red zone in comparison to last season.”

As far as getting into the end zone, consider that Florida, Oklahoma and Alabama all rank ahead of UNC in scoring percentage in the red zone, but UNC is crossing the goal line at a greater clip.

The Crimson Tide have 36 touchdowns in 48 trips (75 percent), the Gators have 33 touchdowns in 45 trips (73.3), the Sooners have 35 touchdowns in 51 trips (68.6), but the Tar Heels have 34 touchdowns in 44 trips, which is 77.2 percent.

UNC placekicker Noah Ruggles was 16-for-18 last fall on field goals on possessions UNC reached the red zone. This season, Grayson Atkins has attempted just six kicks after the Heels got inside the opponents’ 20. Many fewer attempts because the Heels haven’t settled as much. They’ve gone for it on fourth down more often and are simply having much more success getting touchdowns.

“Really, I think the biggest part is we're running the football a lot better this year than we were last year,” UNC quarterback Sam Howell said. “So last year, we kind of struggled running the football in the red zone, just people would load the box up. And this year, I think we've ran the ball exceptionally well in the red zone.

“So, I would probably credit that to the two success we're having right now.”

As a result of Carolina’s improved efficiency when it nears the goal line is the Tar Heels average 41.1 points per contest this season as opposed to 33.1 a year ago. They are also 7-3 versus 4-6 through 10 games last season, as well.

That is significant improvement in one of the most important elements of the game.