9/24/2017 football Edit

Some Numbers To Chew On

UNC punter Tom Sheldon has been busier this season than a year ago, 6-game slide, plus much more. (Bruce Young, THI)

Andrew Jones • TarHeelIllustrated

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Andrew Jones has covered sports for 26 years, including all major college & professional sports for daily newspapers & national sites. He's done radio and TV & is entering his seventh year at THI.

Here are some interesting numbers from Saturday's loss to Duke and overall on the season:

*In the last two games, UNC’s defense has allowed just one touchdown in the first half. Old Dominion returned a kickoff for a touchdown and Duke’s offense scored one, but that’s it.

*If you take the first half of the ODU game, before UNC went into cruise control, and all of the Duke game, the Tar Heels’ defense has allowed a total of 20 points in those six quarter. Two touchdowns and two field goals, both by Duke. The Blue Devils scored a defensive touchdown Saturday.

*Last season, Tom Sheldon punted just 50 times in 13 games for an average of 3.84 punts per contest. This season, however, Sheldon has punted 23 times in four games and is averaging 5.75 kicks per outing.

*In the last six quarters UNC has played, beginning with the start of the second half at ODU, Carolina has punted on 14 of its 21 possessions. The seven possessions the Tar Heels did not punt they scored four touchdowns, kicked a field goal, turned the ball over on downs, and threw an interception.

*UNC has just 31 points in its last six quarters of football.

*Michael Carter ran for 94 yards on 11 carries (8.5 average) in the season opener versus California while scoring two touchdowns. Since then, he’s run the ball 29 times for 105 yards (3.6 average) and three TDs.

*UNC’s tight ends combined to catch 15 passes for 178 yards over the first three games, but Saturday versus Duke the combined for 2 receptions for just 22 yards.

*Carolina’s defense broke up just 9 passes in the first three games but registered 7 on Saturday.

*Through four games, UNC’s defense has registered 25 tackles for a loss of yardage, which is an average of 8.3 per game. A year ago, the Tar Heels had 67 tackles for a loss of yardage in 13 games, which was an average of 5.2 per contest.

*During the Heels’ 6-game losing streak to Power 5 teams, the average score of those games are opponents 31.7, UNC 25.5. Here are some per-game averages during this skid:

1st Downs – UNC 22, Opponents 23.7

Rush Yards – UNC 118.5, Opponents 203.2

Pass Yards – UNC 286.8, Opponents 265.2

Total Offense – UNC 69.3-405.3, Opponents 77-467.3

Per Play Ave. – UNC 5.8, Opponents 6.1

Total Turnovers – UNC 10, Opponents 3

Total 3rd Down Converts – UNC 28-79, Opponents 47-99

3rd Down Convert Pct – UNC 35.4%, Opponents 47.5%