CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey met with the media Monday to discuss his unit’s performance in its 31-17 win over South Carolina on Saturday night.

The Tar Heels scored on five of their first six possessions, but stalled in the fourth quarter leaving the door slightly open for the Gamecocks, which did not take advantage.

Above is video of Lindsey’s presser, and below are some notes from what he had to say:

*Drake Maye was intercepted twice, so Lindsey went into what happened on those two throws.

“I was pleased with his performance other than the two interceptions. We can’t have those turnovers, that was the big thing. Drake, as soon as I got on the phone with him, he said, ‘That was stupid, that was my fault.’ So he’s very accountable for the mistakes that he made.”

Note that Lindsey calls the game from the press box, so when he talks to Maye on the phone, it’s during the game and while Maye is on the sideline.

Lindsey said Maye started fast and they got him some easy completions in tempo. I thought overall, Drake played really well except for those two mistakes.”

UNC Coach Mack Brown said earlier Monday the one interception Maye three across his body the other way was a mistake, something Maye noted after the game Saturday night.

*As much as Lindsey liked much from what the offense did, he also said, “there’s a lot of things to clean up.” He didn’t come off as overall thrilled about 31 points and not hitting 500 yards. Even against South Carolina, this UNC offense should approach 40 points and surpass 500 yards every time it plays.

“But I think the style that we wanted to play; we wanted the style to establish running the football, something we’re really committed to doing. There were some ugly runs in there sometimes… But we were committed to doing that.

“I think that’s important to help protect Drake, I think it’s important for us to be able to throw the football down the field, slow down some pass rush. It’s a good start for us for sure (but) lots of things to fix.”

*Lindsey was pleased with how the tight ends ran routes, caught the ball, and blocked.

*A year ago, the Tar Heels allowed 40 sacks, a season after surrendering 49. Saturday night, they gave up none. That’s not only on the offensive line either way, but Lindsey was pleased with the pass protection overall in Charlotte.

“I thought they did a nice job protecting him. They communicated really well from the standpoint of who we were sliding to, Drake changed the protection a few times, everybody got the check, everybody understood.

“And then our running backs, if you go back and watch the film, they stepped up and protected… And Drake did a nice job of not holding the ball, getting the ball out of his hands, which I think goes back to making good pre-snap decisions.”

*Staying on pass protection, Omarion Hampton struggled with it a year ago, but has made tremendous progress.

“I think he’s progressed really well. And with him, it’s just a matter of understanding how the protection is supposed to work. Are we in a seven-man protection, are we in a six-man protection, is it a quick-game set, a drop-back set? All those things go into those running backs understanding where to protect.”

As Hampton understands why protections are designed certain ways, he will get better, Lindsey said.