MINNEAPOLIS, MN – One had to dig deep into North Carolina’s football history to find a game that was comparable to its stat lines from a 19-17 win at Minnesota on Thursday night at Huntington Bank Stadium.
For example, it was the fewest points scored in victory in a season-opener since a 14-10 victory over East Carolina in 1978. UNC’s 252 total yards were its fewest in victory at any time during a season since amassing only 249 in a 20-14 win over Duke in 2007.
It was also Carolina’s first win while having fewer than 300 offensive yards since 2011 when it defeated Louisville 14-7.
So, the offense wasn’t all that productive outside of Omarion Hampton’s 129 rushing yards. But the defense was fantastic, and is why the Tar Heels won. That at four field goals by Noah Burnette, including from 42, 45, and 52 yards.
“We played great defense the first half and throughout the game, probably as good as we've played since we've been here,” UNC Coach Mack Brown said after the contest. “Tough defense, especially against the run.”
Minnesota finished with 244 total yards, 78 of which came on the ground on 33 attempts for an average of 2.4 per run. The Heels had seven TFLs with five as sacks. They forced two fumbles, falling on one that led to a field goal in the second half.
The Golden Gophers’ yardage was the best output by UNC’s defense since it held Syracuse to 221 a year ago, and the second fewest since the Orange gained only 202 yards in 31-6 Carolina win in 2020.
“We were sound all day just communicating, talking about what we’re going to do up front…,” senior linebacker Power Echols said. “Gap control is trust; trusting your teammate is going to do his job and everything’s going to play out the way it’s supposed to.”
This was the first phase of evidence backing the players’ assertion the defense would be much improved this season over previous ones. Brown said he expected an uptick as well.
First-year coordinator Geoff Collins’ approach is to lead with aggression, play free, loose, and to use each individual’s natural gifts. Put pressure on the quarterback, make him throw off the wrong foot, disrupt pass routes, gap containment, stuff the run, and get off the field.
The Gophers were only 4-for-12 on third down and had five three-and-outs. Their total yardage on those five series was only seven yards. Remarkably, Minnesota had 11 offensive possessions, so 45.4% of its series ended quickly in three plays.
Brown said he saw this coming since fall camp opened July 29.
"Yes, every practice I have seen really good gap control against the run up front,” he said. “In every practice, (defensive line coach) Ted Monachino has done an amazing job. Those linebackers stepped up. I thought, with a club on his hand, that Amare Campbell made so many plays tonight…
“I really felt like that the defense since the spring, since Geoff Collins came, the coaches are all inclusive. They all believe in him. The defense believes in him.”
Only one Minnesota running play went for at least 10 yards, and six pass completions went for 10 or more yards, with nothing longer than 22 yards.
It’s just one game, but UNC won because of its defense, something that hadn’t happened much for the program over the last decade.
