Looking ahead to UNC

Prediction for the game?

I'm going 35 - 21.

 

I have a feeling that it will be a little bit higher scoring than that. I'll say 42-38 GT

 

The short to mid passing routes will be tough. Our LBs play the run and the DBs play deep. I also hope we work on the WR screen plays and slants!

It all comes down to execution. Can our offense make a significant jump in execution from Duke to UNC?

WRs are blocking well. The OL is blocking well. The ABs are blocking well. Now we need to execute... the UNC Defense!

The second TD by Duke was a result of a short field provided by our special teams. I want Milton and Perkins on kick offs and punts!

The win will come down to Vad's ability to make good read versus our defense ability to mitigate the mid passing game as they take away the run and deep balls.

 

2nd of a string of huge games. Special teams must improve this week. Offense cannot fumble the ball away. I think tech will find out ALOT about themselves this week. If vad plays very good we'll win. If he just plays ok... Then it will come down to end. Also I expect the defense to give up some points! They're not as improved as everyone is saying and still have a long way to go! I say tech wins a very tough game... 31-28

 

I've been thinking about this game since Saturday evening. I wonder if this UNC has the talent last years team had. They lost their do everything back in Bernard, starting a True Fr and 2 RS freshman on their O line, and defensively they haven't shown a whole lot so far this season. Tech has to play well but I just don't see UNC coming into BDS and beating Tech unless Tech helps them in the form of turnovers and sloppy play. Revenge, like any emotion, can only sustain so long before the play on the field takes over. If Tech gets up early emotion could well work against UNC given the recent history between the two teams, after all Tech has won the last 4 in the series. I like Tech 31-21.

 

49-28 GT win

 

I'm going to go with 24-21 GT. It'll be close, but UNC's up-tempo will be negated by our long drives

 

I think the fact that UNC had USCe to open the season meant that they couldn't just circle this date and focus on revenge. I do think they want us more than they wanted USCe, but they couldn't just prepare for us all preseason like they would have if they had opened with two cupcakes. I really don't know how we'll do in this game. If we continue to progress, as we should, I could see a 48-17 or 45-21 game. If we make mistakes or they force us to make mistakes, then it could be a very close game. I don't see them Kansas'ing us.

 

35-17 tech... Carolina won't win in Bobby Dodd

 

Eric,

I too am looking forward to this game and think it will show us a lot about our team. I think UNC is going to try and run those short quick pass routes, or the zone read running plays.

They may try to line up and run more a traditional power running game straight at our D-line which is a bit undersized.

In the end however I think our run game will wear them out, and if we aren't sloppy with the ball, we should put up atleast 35 on them.

 

Looking.for 45 to break out

 

GT slap the tarholes around 52-7. Mark it down, I have foreseen it. This is the week we really start putting everything together as a team-offense,defense, ST.

 

After watching UNC first two games, I was not impressed and stressed all offseason Renner is avg at best QB. To use a sabremetrics, Gio WAR would be a 3-4. Romar Morris and Blue are good but not yet the game changer like Gio.

One matchup I am looking forward to seeing is Ebron vs Watts. Something I've been wanted to do a thread on is the value of Watts. He may not be our best LB but having him allow us to matchup vs. any hurry-up offense with safety like skills, while not losing anything trying to stop the run. Watts is essentially a Big Nickle back for us and doesn't have to come off of the field when offensive personnel changes.

For the 3rd week in row, pass rush will be negated by UNC being such quick passing, dink and donk uptempo team. I really want to our DEs getting their hands this week batting some of UNC screens down.

Im expecting a score similar to Duke.... 35-17 Good guys

 

Good post and points!

You are spot on with the point about Watts.


I really think we are going to be able to run it down their throats with those small DL that UNC has unless they plug a bunch of LB's consistently....I am guessing they will at times.

 

someone mentioned 3 FR starters in OL... it's actually two RS FR (LG and RT). but the point remains that it's a young line. and Jon Cooper (LG) was often the lead blocker for Gio, so we miss that combo tremendously.

i wouldn't say Renner is an avg QB. but it is clear to all UNC fans that he has regressed somewhat from last year with some inaccurate throws early this season (he was 24th in the nation in passing efficiency last year). Renner got rave reviews at Manning Camp over the summer, and was widely touted as the best QB prospect there. A former UNC QB noted this week that Renner seems to be taking longer strides in the pocket and has been surprisingly fundamentally unsound.

UNC did do a good job of negating the socar pass rush but almost to a fault by overdoing the screen passes. We have four legit big time receivers in Quinshad Davis, Eric Ebron, Bug Howard and Ryan Switzer who could cause a lot of trouble. Ebron is 6-4, 245, so he won't have the usual physical advantage he has when matched up against Watts (6-2, 235 according to official roster) but i'll take it.

speaking of the socar game, we lost 10-27. but it was really two big plays that put the game out of reach in the first quarter... 65 and 29 yard passing plays. then a big 75 yard run in the 3rd quarter to seal it. so, after giving up 17 in the first, we settled down and played to a 10-10 score the rest of the game. we're prone to giving up big plays, which works to GT's advantage but i can see signs of improvement for the most part (e.g., DBs looking completely lost only half the time).

we had a bye week last year, which didn't help us. the coaches have said that they spent the week off last year (late in the year) to rehab and rest players, and we had lots of true and RS FRs playing due to injuries. they said that they dedicated some time in the preseason solely on GT, and did more this bye week with practices than they did last year. so, we'll see if there are any improvements. the diamond formation shown at the dook game has caused some headaches since they have to spend more time on the new wrinkle. however, UNC has shown the diamond as well, so it's not a new concept to the coaching staff.

the one time we beat a PJ-coached GT team was in PJ's first year. last year was Fedora's first, so I'm hoping to see significant improvement in both our O and D this year in his second shot against GT.

 

oh. prediction...
34-31 unc

 

I think one of the biggest factors in this game will be Time of Possession. UNC running the hurry up will give us the ball more. I'm hoping that due to this the UNC defense will be worn out by start of the 4th quarter.