MIAMI GARDENS, FL – North Carolina’s offense has spent most of the 2016 football season picking up its struggling defense. But on Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium, the opposite occurred, and it was a heck of a time for the defense to flex its muscles.
UNC held Miami to just 363 total yards in a 20-13 victory on an afternoon in which the offense left a lot of points on the field.
The defense’s play, which was strong throughout with just a few exceptions, managed to make big plays when they were needed the most. There was a blocked field goal by Jalen Dalton, Myles Dorn running down Joe Yearby, keeping his 4th-quarter dash to 42 yards, bringing him down 6 yards shy of the goal line.
And then there was Malik Carney sacking Miami quarterback Brad Kaaya, forcing a fumble that was scooped up by Jeremiah Clarke inside Miami’s 20-yard-line, sealing the victory for the Tar Heels.
“The defense played their most complete game of the season to this point,” UNC coach Larry Fedora said. “Each week, we’ve been saying there’s been a unit that’s been a little bit better and a little bit better and they’re making more plays and making more plays and these guys have confidence and they’re playing well together.
“We had a few breakdowns on a couple of routes with a tight end — back end in the middle — and had that one run. But other than that, they played real well.”
For a defensive unit that has been criticized most of the season, coming through with its opportunity to pick up the offense for a change was quite satisfying.
“It was just due time for the defense to end the game,” junior defensive tackle Naz Jones said. “Through a lot of points in the season our offense had to win games for us, but our defense came up really big on the road and now we’re Florida State champs.”
The Tar Heels improved to 5-2 overall and 3-1 in the ACC while Miami fell to 4-2 and 1-2.
Here are more positives from Carolina’s second straight road win over a ranked team in Florida in the last 15 days:
3-And-Outs – The Tar Heels forced the Hurricanes into five 3-and-outs, plus a 2-and-out on the Canes’ final possession, which ended with UNC forcing a tunover. Four of the stops came in succession spanning the 2nd and 3rd quarters. This was especially important because that was during a stretch when the UNC offense was leaving points on the field despite moving the ball. The key here was the play of the defensive line
Great Start – Miami’s kick returner caught the opening kickoff near the sideline and immediately stepped out of bounds at the 3-yard-line. Miami then called timeout before running a play, then the Hurricanes were flagged for a personal foul after the first snap. UNC stopped them 3-and-out. There have been times in the not-so-recent past when the defense would have given up some first downs or even a scoring drive in that situation, but not this time. This series was proof they came to play and have improved.
Of Miami’s 36 running plays, 24 went for 3 yards or less, including 15 that went for 2 yards or less. Only one run went for more than 10 yards. The defensive has reduced the number of catastrophic plays in recent weeks.
“No doubt. Our defensive line has gotten better and better every week,” Fedora said. “Last week, they were the only bright point in that game. And then this week, they played well again today.
“There were so many times that the running back never got to the linebackers when they ran to the football. They didn’t get to the second level and when you’re doing that, you’re going to be okay.”
Another Blocked Field Goal – UNC picked up its second blocked field goal of the season when Jalen Dalton blocked a 36-yard attempt on Miami’s second possession. Jeremiah Clarke blocked one two weeks earlier in the Heels' win at FSU.
UNC’s 2nd Possession – The Tar Heels’ best drive of the game came on its second possession, a 12-play, 80-yard series that included a great counter trap that sprang T.J. Logan for a 30-yard run. Also, at the end of the possession, Trubisky made two outstanding plays with his eyes on a completion over the middle to Bug Howard for a 1st-and-goal at the 4, and on 3rd down when he found Austin Proehl in the end zone. On the scoring pass, Truisky beautifully and quickly went through his progression.
Nick Weiler – Weiler booted a 42-yard field goal in the first quarter and a 52-yarder in the second quarter that gave the Heels a 13-3 lead with 4:02 left in the half. He had one blocked in the 3rd quarter, but on an afternoon like this, those makes were very big in helping the Heels establish control of the game. Had he missed on those opportunities could have created psychological obstacles coming off last week’s loss.
Mitch Trubisky – This wasn’t his prettiest performance, as he was high on some throws and behind on a few more, but he did complete 33 of 46 pass attempts for 299 yards and 2 TDs. And in clearly his grittiest effort of the season, the junior was credited with 13 runs for 47 yards – he lost 15 on a sack and a poorly executed play. But Trubisky took care of the ball, moved the chains and kept the offense on the field for 32:59, which helped keep the defense fresher than in most games this season.
“In the game plan this week, we knew the quarterback run could give them some trouble, so that’s what I was asked to do, to run the ball. I was getting more comfortable as the game went on running the ball, trying to pick up yards, following my blocks.
“A credit to my teammates for throwing blocks for me, putting their bodies on the line. It’s just a mindset, you’ve got to get the yards for the team.”
M.J. Stewart – The junior cornerback was credited with 2 pass breakups but he could and maybe should have been credited with a third. He was excellent on his coverage most of the night and helped the Heels get a hand on 5 of Brad Kaaya’s 31 pass attempts. He also had a huge hit on a 2nd-and-10 play, drilling a receiver for a 9-yard loss forcing a 3rd-and-19. Stewart didn’t rack up a bunch of other numbers, but his leadership and the trickle-down from his toughness in the secondary was obvious.
Myles Dorn And His Game Saving Tackle – True freshman safety Myles Dorn may have made the second biggest play of the night at the end of Joe Yearby’s 42-yard run late in the 4th quarter. That he came from behind to bring down Yearby at the 6-yard-line, keeping him from the end zone, was huge. But it was even bigger when the Heels forced a field goal. Allowing a touchdown there could have become mental for Carolina, but instead, limiting Miami to just 3 points was a lift. Dorn also had a big pass break up on a 4th down, giving the Heels possession of the ball.
Trubisky To Howard – The junior quarterback hooked up with senior WR Bug Howard 10 times for 156 yards on the day with a long of 40 yards. The most important stretch came on three consecutive plays in which Howard had receptions for 22, 11 and 27 yards, respectively. The most impressive came late in the 3rd quarter starting with the 22 yarder on 3rd-and-7. Howard had to fight off a defender using his body and toughness to get open, and that play triggered a drive that ended 71 yards later with the Heels at the Miami 1-yard-line.
“I saw his (Howard) get-off on the ball, then I tried to look off the safety to buy him time, then he had a great release and I was able to go back to him,” Trubisky said about the play Howard grinded to get open. “That’s something I see him work at in practice, releases and perfecting his craft.”
Time Of Possession – Sometimes it really does matter, and one has to think the defense being on the field for just 68 plays and 27:01 kept it fresh enough it was able to make some really big plays in the final quarter and especially on Miami’s final possession.
Ryan Switzer - Although the senior's stat line was an odd 9 receptions for just 17 yards, he passed Quinshad Davis to become UNC's all-time leading receiver.
Syracuse – The Orange surprised most everyone with a 31-17 thumping of Virginia Tech bringing the Tar Heels right back into the thick of the Coastal Division race. And considering the rest of UNC’s games are at Virginia, Georgia Tech at home, at Duke and N.C. State at home, the Heels likely will be favored to win them all, and if they do and the Hokies lose another conference game, the Tar Heels will return to the ACC championship game.
