A role reversal for Houston

CHAPEL HILL -- If the North Carolina bench hadn't called time out, Ryan Houston might have. After carrying the ball on 10 out of 11 plays to get the Tar Heels within 3 yards of the goal line, he was gassed.

That's not his job in North Carolina's offense. Houston has made a career out of collecting the points from short range after Shaun Draughn does the work getting the ball that close.

Saturday, with Draughn injured on his first carry and Houston carrying the load against Duke, when it came time to score the touchdown that put away the Victory Bell, Houston didn't get the call.

Not only did Houston assume Draughn's role carrying the ball, he assumed Draughn's other role: watching someone else score on the goal line.

Jheranie Boyd came in motion from his wide receiver position, took a handoff and followed Houston into the end zone to put away the Blue Devils, giving the Tar Heels a 10-point lead on their way to a 19-6 win.

On a career afternoon for Houston - 164 yards rushing, more than doubling his previous high, on 37 carries - the Tar Heels called someone else's number to score the game's only touchdown.

Actually, it was receiver Johnny White who suggested the play during the time out, figuring that the Blue Devils would be expecting Houston to get the ball yet again. So, for that matter, did Houston.

"I didn't get the touchdown, but that was a sweet block I had," Houston said. "I saw it on the replay board."

Since the Draughn-Houston tandem was established in the fifth game of last season, Draughn had three touchdowns on 296 carries going into Saturday and Houston 13 touchdowns on 137 carries, none longer than 7 yards.

Governments have been built on less stable precepts. The first 95 yards belong to Draughn, the final five to Houston.

Faced with an offense gone stagnant, the Tar Heels started to lean more heavily on Houston during last Thursday's win at Virginia Tech, but when Draughn hurt his left shoulder on his first carry Saturday, the Heels turned to Houston exclusively. Duke never found an answer for Houston's power running.

During the climactic drive, Houston carried the ball on 10 of the first 11 plays. The 55 yards he had on that drive would rank as the fourth-best game of his career.

Even when he was obviously winded, resting his hands on his hips between plays, he kept getting the ball, squirting through the line for 19 yards when it looked like he could barely stand, running for four more yards on the next two plays to get the ball to the 3.

The timeout made sense, a chance to rest Houston for the final push - not, he figured, so he would be ready to lay a block for someone else.

"Either way, it was a great play call," Houston said. "I'm glad we got it into the end zone."

Houston, of all people, did not have standing to lodge a complaint.

Nor were the Tar Heels, after their most meaningful win over Duke in 15 years, in a mood to complain.

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