‘It’s a pride thing.’ How No. 14 Tar Heels have handled ‘sudden change’ situations
They’re two words football coaches hate to say and defenses dread hearing: “Sudden change.”
There are times when the defense comes off the field, having made a stop, seeking some rest, only to see the offense turn the ball over. It’s grab-a-hat time, get back out there and try to minimize the damage.
“Something bad has happened,” UNC coach Mack Brown said. “You say, ‘Defense! Defense!’ You’ve got to run on the field immediately.”
In a 4-0 season where the No. 14 Tar Heels have improved in several defensive categories, Brown noted that in six sudden-change situations, UNC has allowed just two field goals.
“And that’s something we hadn’t done well, is the defense stepping up,” he said.
The timing of a sudden change is important. It can alter momentum. It can be critical to the flow of a game or its outcome.
In UNC’s ACC opener at Pittsburgh, the Panthers blocked a punt early in the fourth quarter at the UNC 20. But linebacker Cedric Gray recovered a Pitt fumble on the first play, immediately ending that threat, and the Heels finished out a 41-24 victory.
Syracuse, which plays the Tar Heels on Saturday at Kenan Stadium, self-destructed early its last game, against Clemson.
Syracuse quarterback Garrett Shrader lost an early fumble and the Tigers scored a touchdown in eight plays. The Orange defense steadied, forcing a Clemson punt, only to have running back LeQuint Allen fumble on the first play of the Syracuse possession.
Clemson’s Xavier Thomas picked up the ball at the Syracuse 23 and ran to the 3. Will Shipley soon scored and the Orange had fallen behind 14-0.
Sudden change, suddenly a big deficit. Syracuse never caught up and lost 31-14.
Flash back to UNC’s game this year against Minnesota. Quarterback Drake Maye, who hasn’t thrown many poor passes this season, had one picked off by the Gophers’ Jack Henderson early in the second quarter and returned to the UNC 16.
The Tar Heels led 14-0, but the Gophers were in position to quickly get back into the game with a TD. The UNC defense went on the field and made plays, including defensive back Alijah Huzzie breaking up a third-and-goal pass to force Minnesota into a field goal in UNC’s 31-13 victory.
“That’s huge,” Maye said Tuesday. “It’s tough and props to the defense for that. You hate to say it but it’s their job, if we happen to turn the ball over in our territory, to try to hold them to three. And it’s our job, if they turn it over on their end, to try and get seven. That’s the back and forth of it.
“But it wins and loses you ball games. Coach Brown likes to put that on the board after a game — points off turnovers. That’s huge.”
In the game against rival N.C. State to end the 2022 regular season, Maye had a fourth-quarter pass tipped and picked off by the Pack. A few plays later, State’s Ben Finley threw a touchdown pass as the UNC defense failed to step up and make the stop. The Pack eventually won in double overtime.
Defensive end Kaimon Rucker said the Heels’ better play in sudden-change situations this season is a product of a better grasp of the defensive system, better execution and having experienced players such as Huzzie, the transfer from East Tennessee State, who don’t get frazzled and make mistakes.
But there’s another, more basic factor, Rucker said: pride.
“I definitely feel like it’s a sense of pride,” he said Tuesday. “When it comes down to sudden change nobody wants to deal with the defense finally getting off the field, finally getting some Gatorade or something and next thing you know something happens and we have to get back on the field.
“For us, I feel like it’s just a slap in the face to feel like just because we’re giving you good field position you’re going to automatically score. For us, it’s a sense of pride, understanding we’re very territorial, understanding we’re not going to let you go in our end zone.
“It’s a pride thing. And, taking up that challenge.”
This story was originally published October 4, 2023 at 6:00 AM.
