Mack Brown reacts to UNC’s loss: ‘We’re not good enough not to make all the plays.’
North Carolina, for a second straight season, played nearly even with No. 11 Notre Dame for most of the game. UNC coach Mack Brown said the Tar Heels (4-4) just couldn’t make the plays that could have helped them seize control of the game in their 44-34 loss to the Irish.
If there is such a thing as the best loss of the year, the Tar Heels just experienced it. Carolina’s overall performance in losses to Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech and Florida State were characterized as disappointments. That couldn’t be said about Saturday’s loss, although the Heels’ execution on specific plays could be called into question.
“We’re not good enough not to make all the plays yet,” Brown said. “And there were seven, eight plays — even with the amount of yards and points that we gave up on defense. If we just stopped them on that 91 yard run, if we just do a few other things, we could win.”
Some of the mistakes were subtle and simple added up. Others were big the moment they happened, like Kyren Williams’ 91-yard score Brown referenced.
Williams, who had a season-high 199 yards rushing, bounced off a tackle, reversed field, a broke to the outside thanks to a stiffarm on Tomon Fox that sprung him free.
“That’s really a 14-point swing,” Brown said. “You hold them there, you get the short punt. The way we’re moving the ball, we’re right in the middle of this thing, and put tremendous amount of pressure on them at home. And we lost leverage.”
Notre Dame surpassed 500 yards total offense for the first time this season including a season-high 293 yards rushing. Their previous high was 180 rushing yards against Virginia Tech.
UNC linebacker Jeremiah Gemmel said some of Williams’ runs in the second half came because the Heels started trying to do more than their individual responsibilities.
“We did a great job of stopping the run in the first half,” Gemmel said. “And then in the second half, I think guys were getting nosy jumping out of their gaps, not staying disciplined.”
Williams’ run happened on the drive after UNC receiver Josh Downs dropped a third down pass that had the potential to be a big gainer; or at the least extend the drive with a first down. Instead, Carolina punted using quarterback Sam Howell’s quick kick to pin the ball at the Irish 9.
Two of the bigger mistakes came from penalties.
Howell had a 5-yard touchdown run by Howell in the second quarter that would have given Carolina a 14-10 lead. But offensive guard Marcus McKethan was called for holding, which led to a Howell sack, which led to UNC settling for a field goal to tie the game at 10.
Also in the second quarter, Carolina thought it stopped Notre Dame on a fourth-and-2 from the UNC 36. Quarterback Jack Coan was pressured and threw an incomplete pass to Lorenzo Styles, Jr.
UNC safety Trey Morrison, lined up on the slot receiver, was called for a facemask penalty while playing press coverage at the line of scrimmage. Coan tossed a 21-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Austin on the ensuing play to give the Irish a 17-10 lead.
“We score a touchdown and we have a holding penalty on our right guard that brings it back we end up kicking a field goal and cost us four points,” Brown said. “Then we stopped them on fourth-and-3, which is huge, just a huge stop like a turnover. And we have a facemask penalty.”
Carolina also had the only turnover in the game when Howell was picked off by D.J. Brown early in the fourth quarter.
Brown also noted it was the first game the Heels were hurt by the kicking game. Williams returned a punt 41 yards in the first quarter that set up the first score for the Irish.
“We haven’t usually played as a team and we’ve got to pull it together,” Brown said. “Because it doesn’t get any easier next weekend with Wake Forest coming in.”
This story was originally published October 31, 2021 at 1:03 AM.