SHREVEPORT, La. -- After North Carolina's 41-24 defeat against Missouri in the Independence Bowl on Monday, Everett Withers walked into the locker room for the final time as North Carolina's coach. He said he told his players he loved them.
He referenced the drama the Tar Heels have experienced in the past two seasons - an NCAA investigation, the firing of coach Butch Davis - and Withers said he told his team to carry on the lessons they learned from those trying times. The Tar Heels had desperately wanted to give Withers a victory in his finale.
But their trip to Independence Stadium didn't come with an ending fit for storybooks. Instead, North Carolina (7-6) gave an abysmal performance - especially on defense.
As much as the Tar Heels talked about winning for Withers, they lacked the effort - and the execution - necessary for the desired outcome.
"You know, you always want to go out with a win," Withers said. "Regardless, you always want to win your last one. Doesn't always work out that way for you. So you just move on."
Withers will move on to Ohio State, where he will serve as co-defensive coordinator. And the Tar Heels, when they return from winter break, will move on to the Larry Fedora era. The former Southern Mississippi coach will begin his official duties in Chapel Hill on Jan. 9.
But most North Carolina players weren't in the mood to talk about the future Monday night.
"I'm still lingering on this game," said freshman running back Gio Bernard. "I think (the future) really won't kick in until we get back ... and start talking to the new coaching staff and things like that. ...
"But for the most part, this entire break that we have coming up, I think I'll be lingering on this game."
Bernard had been dominant at times this season, but Missouri held him to 31 yards on 13 carries. North Carolina, meanwhile, had no answer for the Tigers' running game.
Missouri (8-5) gained 337 yards rushing and averaged 7.3 yards per carry.
The Tar Heels arrived in Shreveport with a rushing defense that ranked 14th nationally, but they were confused and often out of position against the Tigers' spread-option ground game.
James Franklin, the Missouri quarterback, gained 142 yards on 18 carries. Kendial Lawrence added 108 yards rushing. Franklin and Lawrence combined to run for half of Missouri's six touchdowns.
The Tar Heels started fast and led 7-0 lead after Bryn Renner's 22-yard touchdown pass to Dwight Jones. But Missouri answered with 31 consecutive points and led 31-10 at halftime.
"We had momentum and then really just couldn't get things going," Renner said.
Renner spoke with emotion about the Tar Heels' failure to win - their failure to do much of anything - in Withers' final game.
When it was over, Withers walked quickly to midfield to shake hands with Missouri coach Gary Pinkel, and then Withers hurried off the field.
His tenure as North Carolina's interim coach was over.
"I just take away what we went through to get to this point," said Renner, who passed for 317 yards and three touchdowns. "We went through a lot this season and showed the character of our coaching staff and these players and this team. I can't say enough about this team."
He and his teammates, though, had more difficulty explaining this defeat.
The Tar Heels promised they wouldn't lack motivation in Withers' final game - that they also wanted to put on a good show for their future coach, Fedora.
Instead North Carolina walked off the field with a disappointing end to a disappointing era.
North Carolina | 7 | 3 | 7 | 7 | -- | 24 |
Missouri | 14 | 17 | 7 | 3 | -- | 41 |
FIRST QUARTER
NC--D.Jones 22 pass from Renner (Moore kick), 12:12. Mo--Kemp 40 pass from Moe (Barrow kick), 10:06. Mo--Franklin 2 run (Barrow kick), 2:15.
SECOND QUARTER
Mo--FG Barrow 31, 11:11. Mo--J.Jackson 8 pass from Franklin (Barrow kick), 5:13. Mo--Lawrence 9 run (Barrow kick), 1:58. NC--FG Moore 21, :00.
THIRD QUARTER
NC--Boyd 44 pass from Renner (Moore kick), 4:22. Mo--Franklin 2 run (Barrow kick), 1:56.
FOURTH QUARTER
Mo--FG Barrow 26, 6:22. NC--Highsmith 17 pass from Renner (Moore kick), 4:08.
Att.--41,728 (at Shreveport, La.).
| NC | Mo |
First downs | 20 | 27 |
Rushes-yards | 19-36 | 46-337 |
Passing | 317 | 176 |
Comp-Att-Int | 27-42-1 | 17-26-1 |
Return Yards | 0 | 0 |
Punts | 4-48.8 | 2-39.0 |
Fumbles-Lost | 1-1 | 0-0 |
Penalties-Yards | 2-20 | 6-49 |
Time of Possession | 25:40 | 34:20 |
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING--North Carolina, Bernard 13-31, Renner 4-11, Blue 1-(minus 1), Highsmith 1-(minus 5). Missouri, Franklin 18-142, Lawrence 16-108, Moore 10-59, Culver 1-18, Moe 1-10.
PASSING--North Carolina, Renner 27-42-1-317. Missouri, Franklin 15-23-1-132, Moe 1-2-0-40, Costello 1-1-0-4.
RECEIVING--North Carolina, Highsmith 8-77, D.Jones 6-77, Bernard 6-36, Boyd 3-95, Wilson 2-11, N.Hurst 1-14, Byrd 1-7. Missouri, Washington 3-47, Egnew 3-39, Lawrence 3-13, Kemp 2-48, J.Jackson 2-15, Moore 2-2, McGaffie 1-8, Jones 1-4.
