Carolina’s first two games have told a pretty clear story: this team is comfortable winning ugly, and the defense is driving the bus.
After a 35-3 win over East Tennessee State University, UNC is 2-0 in rain-soaked games and has allowed just 13 points over eight quarters. That includes the opener against TCU in Dublin, a messy game where the side that made fewer mistakes came away with the crystal trophy. It also included a defense that showed some bite on the money downs, led by a breakout from Xavier Lewis, while Jelani Thurman emerged as a key part of the passing game.
The ETSU game itself didn’t reveal a ton, which is often the case against FCS opponents, but it did reinforce a few things. For one, the pace of this offense looks a lot like last year’s.
UNC put up 427 yards and averaged eight yards per play, but the final score still settled at 35 points because the Tar Heels simply didn’t get many chances. They ran only 53 offensive plans, with the number dragged down in the fourth quarter by the second unit and conservative play-calling.
ETSU, in a weird twist for one of these buy games, actually ran more plays than UNC, finishing with 67. In the first half, the Buccaneers held the ball for 20 minutes to Carolina’s 10.
Part of that came from quick scoring drives by UNC, but part of it came from the defense allowing long possessions and letting ETSU work the short passing game around the edges. The Bucs also had some success on third down by running up the middle against a defense spread out horizontally.
They went 5-for-10 on third down in the first half and even had a touchdown wiped away by a holding penalty on one drive before a facemask pushed them back further and a field goal try ended in a doink.
That’s the tradeoff with this defense right now. The “bend but don’t break, then unleash the pass rush when the defense forces a third and long” formula didn’t work last season because the stops never really came on third and fourth down.
So far this year, though, it’s been effective where it matters most: points allowed. UNC has given up just 13 through two games, and that comes with a price.
The offense has to be sharp because it won’t be living on extra possessions.
Through two games, UNC’s opponents have held the ball almost 14 minutes longer than the Tar Heels. In practical terms, the defense has spent nearly a full quarter more on the field than the offense.
This isn’t on the offense. It’s just the way these games have played out.
One offensive development worth watching: CJ Sadler looks like he’s going to matter right away as a true freshman. His high school career was loaded with production on both sides of the ball and ended with Michigan player of the year honors, and the question was whether Bobby Petrino and Bill Belichick would actually trust him with a real role. The answer, at least after Saturday, looks like yes.
Sadler split snaps evenly with Kekahuna against TCU, though he only saw two targets in that game. Against ETSU, Petrino made a clear effort to get him involved.
On the first play of the game, Edwards went to Sadler on a deep shot and underthrew it, though Sadler still should have come down with the ball. Jordan Shipp was wide open on the play and likely walks into the end zone with a better throw.
Sadler finished with 66 receiving yards, all of them coming while the game was still competitive, and his four targets matched Thurman for the team lead. The offense wants him as a weapon alongside Thurman and Shipp, and he showed that kind of upside.
If that trio is going to be as dangerous as it looks on paper, the Tar Heels will need more snaps than the 55 per game they’ve averaged so far.
On defense, Jaylen Harvey made his case to be the next edge threat. With Melkart Abou Jaoude out because of a hand injury, UNC needed somebody to step into that role, and Harvey answered.
UNC’s first turnover of the season, Greg Smith’s interception, came after Harvey beat his blocker and got in Mason Mims’ face quickly enough to force the throw. Harvey then added two more sacks in the first half before leaving with what appeared to be a mild ankle injury.
That matters because if Harvey can do that against P4 opponents, UNC suddenly has three proven backfield disruptors.
There was also a small glimpse at the offense’s depth, though not nearly as much as the staff probably wanted. In a perfect setup, the Tar Heels would have built a huge lead and used the second half to get younger players real work.
That didn’t really happen. Miles O’Neill added six pass attempts to get his college total to 26, and his throws were safe ones at 3.7 yards per attempt.
True freshman Cristian Alvarez saw a lot of action at right guard and appeared to handle it well. Demon June, who barely played against TCU until the final drive, scored three touchdowns once UNC got into the deep red zone.
Maybe “The Finisher” is fitting. Still, he came into the year with plenty of people expecting him to be the featured back.
Now the focus shifts to Clemson, and it’s fair to think some of this week’s work was already laying groundwork for that matchup. Will Clemson try to borrow some of ETSU’s offensive approach and hope better athletes get a better result?
Will UNC try to channel LSU’s kind of front-line dominance with Melkart, Xavier, and Jaylen? Next Saturday gives Bill Belichick a real shot to move to 3-0, something few would have believed possible three weeks ago.
In Other News...
UNCs ACC Opener Just Took A Sudden Turn At Quarterback
Clemsons quarterback picture changed quickly this week after Christopher Vizzina suffered an elbow injury against Georgia Southern and was labeled week-to-week. For North Carolina, that means the ACC opener has picked up an extra layer of uncertainty before the Tar Heels even take the field, with freshman Tait Reynolds now expected to make his first career start.
Dabo Swinney said Reynolds showed promise in relief, but he also made it clear Clemson plans to lean on both quarterbacks moving forward. For UNC, the adjustment is less about the name on the depth chart than the timing of the change, because preparing for a first-time starter in a conference game can alter everything from pressure plans to coverage looks. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Just Got An Opening It Cannot Waste Against Clemson
Clemsons offense is headed into its next meeting with North Carolina with a different face under center, after starting quarterback Christopher Vizzina suffered an elbow injury and is expected to miss the game. Freshman Tait Reynolds is projected to make the start in his place, giving the Tar Heels a chance to line up against a much less familiar look than the one Clemson had planned to feature.
For UNC, the timing matters because Clemson has already spent much of the early season looking out of sync, and a quarterback switch only adds to the uncertainty. The Tar Heels do not need to solve every issue for the Tigers to gain an edge here, but they do need to treat this as an opportunity to pressure a young passer and make Clemson play from behind the curve. [Read more 🡒]
Jaylen Harvey Just Gave UNC A Defensive Answer It Needed
When North Carolina went into its game against an FCS opponent without Melkart Abou-Jaoude because of a hand injury, the focus naturally shifted to who could help steady the pass rush. Jaylen Harvey answered with a disruptive showing, putting consistent pressure on the quarterback and finishing with multiple sacks, while Xavier Lewis added two sacks of his own to give the defense a much-needed edge up front.
The Tar Heels also got efficient work on the other side of the ball, with Demon June scoring three times in the red zone and Jelani Thurman hauling in four catches for 71 yards. But the more immediate takeaway for UNC was defensive depth, and Harvey's performance offered a timely reminder that the rotation has at least one more player capable of making life uncomfortable for opposing quarterbacks when the injuries start piling up. [Read more 🡒]