Heels will have to close out games

Dane Huffman

Dane Huffman, a Raleigh native, has covered North Carolina sports since 1983. He is the Sports Managing Editor at WRAL.

Heels will have to close out games

By Dane Huffman
Aug 28, 2009

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North Carolina is out front again in football, ranked No. 21 and one of the preseason darlings in the ACC. You can feel the expectations oozing out of Chapel Hill as the season-opener approaches.

But how the Tar Heels fare in their drive from good to great could hinge on whether they can hang onto what they have.

Last year, UNC could be better playing from behind than with the lead. The Heels trailed in seven of their eight victories. The only time Carolina never trailed was the 28-7 win over Georgia Tech.

Playing with the lead, especially in the fourth quarter, was a different experience.

Carolina was outscored 37-3 in the fourth quarter in its five losses, which is bad enough, but the way those losses came down was even tougher.

The Heels coughed up a two-touchdown lead to Virginia Tech after T.J. Yates was hurt.

Virginia drove 82 yards in 1:35 for a touchdown with the game on the line to tie the game in regulation, and then won in overtime.

Maryland drove 73 yards for a game-winning field goal with 1:42 to play.

West Virginia’s clinching score wasn’t that dramatic, coming on a 20-yard pass with 7:14 left, but it was another fourth-quarter lead that nearly got a way.

And Carolina’s monster win over Notre Dame nearly slipped away as Jimmy Clausen almost passed the Irish to victory.

Tar Heels won’t have Hakeem Nicks and a brilliant receiving corps, but the hunch here is the receivers will be better than expected. Coach Butch Davis insists he wants a balanced attack, and the running game, with Shaun Draughn and Ryan Houston, looks solid. The depth on the offensive line has been depleted, but a strong group of starters return. And Davis is raving about the progress of tight end Zack Pianalto.

The defense should be strong. There’s talent up front and depth at linebacker. The secondary has some untested players, but Davis loves what he has seen from strong safety Da’Norris Searcy, who got his only start against West Virginia.

The talent is there across the board, and more is on the way.

But great coaches, and great programs, shut down opponents and close out games. Perhaps the most damaging stats for Carolina from last year were the fact that opponents scored touchdowns 60 percent of the time they reached the red zone (24 of 40) and then that 37-3 fourth-quarter deficit in losses.

Carolina has talent, no question about it. The Heels will have the lead often this season.

But to make a leap as a program, the Heels have to develop a killer instinct with games on the line.

Most Recent Comments

RE: Heels will have to close out games

Butcher is a great recruiter. The jury is still out on whether or not he's a great in-game coach.

exactly. he nor his defensive coordinator coach to win. they dont know when to blitz and when the game is close they call plays close to vest and play not to lose instead of trying to win. they rather blame the loss of the kids not executing rather than possibly be criticized for a coaching error...west virgina won that bowl game last year on the poor decision not to blitz on 3rd and 20 plays forcing the quarterback to throw short instead they give up 20+ yards on a couple of plays losing the game.

RE: Heels will have to close out games

Butcher is a great recruiter. The jury is still out on whether or not he's a great in-game coach.

RE: Heels will have to close out games

UNC will be much improved. They are suspect at the receiver positions. They have an offense that will go toe-to-toe with the best. If Yates goes down, then I will give them as many wins as last year. They are weak in the 2nd half. I don't like the way Butch treated Cam Sexton last year. I don't pull for him. I'll be glad when he leaves town. Or, leaves the state.

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