|
Carolina
vs. Virginia prediction
Raleigh__ Are the Tar Heels truly Road Warriors? Everyone who wears Carolina blue had better hope that answer is yes! The Tar Heels have lost their last 10 football games at Charlottesville, which is a streak that dates back to 1981. Carolina won road games at Syracuse and Arizona State but lost its four home games this season. No home field advantage? Major bummer! Because I think the Carolina fans have done a great job this year. But we can only do so much with support. "I think everybody feels comfortable on the road," said defensive back Kevin Knight. "We just use the other team’s crowd to our advantage". Added tight end Bobby Blizzard: "I don’t know what it is, but I’d rather play on the road now. I wish the rest of the games were on the road.” Ooops! Wish he hadn't said that. The Hoos are on a solid roll with a 5 game win streak. And they're doing it with a lot of freshmen. So far this season Virginia has played 13 true freshmen, the most in the ACC. We've played 7 true freshmen and one major reason we've heard about losing is that we're so young and inexperienced. Go figure! What explains the success difference between the teams? Is it experience or talent or coaching? Remember that we're young, but they're younger. I would venture to say that the talent level is about the same. That's why I think this week's game will involve a key match-up between Bunting and Groh. The coaching staff that gets the most mileage out of their respective team will be the winner. Which coach will have their team better prepared and motivated? Which coach will have their youthful team relaxed well enough to execute, but pumped enough to out-fight the other playing smash mouth football?
Last week against NC State, there was one play that was the deciding factor in my mind. And that was Slinger's fumble in the third quarter. After that the Heels were never the same. Up until that point we saw a great game of 'tit for tat'. And Carolina was coming out on top. But after THE fumble, Carolina lost confidence and became weak. State sensed the kill and went about their business of ramming the ball down our throats. On both sides of the ball, State lined up and smashed our mouths. Football is all about momentum. Upsets happen when a weaker team gets on a roll, has some lucky breaks and is able to maintain their momentum. An experienced team, when momentum is lost, will find a way to fight and regain that which was lost. Good teams find a way to get back into the game. Can we be a good team for the remainder of the season? To me against NC State, we did neither... fight nor regain any momentum. That's not about coaching. That's not about talent. That's totally about character and a player's will to win, period. At some point when the opposition is continually knocking you on your ass, you just gotta get up and say that's it! And then fight! Just tellin' it like I see it... along with thousands of other Carolina fans. Will the Heels bounce back? Can they overcome the embarrassment of losing all home games so far this season? Did they decide after getting an ass-whupping by State to lineup and play some smash mouth football... to play with pride and kick some ass? That is the biggest thing in my mind on how the Heels will fair, not only with Virginia, but the rest of the season. I'll offer one observation to back up my theory. The Heels haven't tackled worth a damn this season. Too many times they look as if they're playing touch football, reaching for the opponent. Those arm tackles are driving me crazy. Touch football is for the timid. Division 1-A football is a man's sport and it takes a gladiator to do it right. It's time to start hearing the leather pop! OK, what must the Heels do? Job #1 is to protect the ball. Last week the offensive line did some great blocking. Slinger had a pocket and lanes much of the first half. But the line will break down from time to time. Yes, Durant was running for his life prior to THE fumble, but maybe now he'll just take a sack and protect the ball in a similar situation. Don't force it, Slinger. Job #2, our defense must concentrate better on their assignments. Again, using last week as a frame of reference, on misdirection plays it looked like the whole defense was drifting off-course. Then with a savvy runner cutting back, they were tripping all over themselves. There's no way to make a play when your own man is blocking you. Job #3, hit the guy with the ball. Run through him. Don't be caught reaching and just getting a wrist or arm in his way. I hope I never have to watch a runner drag 5 or 6 Tar Heels for another 5 or 6 yards. You've got to stop the run. And we need to give our opponents more 3-and-out. Job #4... last, but not least. We need a ground game. Williams is out. Parker has his moments of good play. Lewis is getting stronger, but probably not 100% right now. The word is that freshman tailback Mahlon Carey may burn a red-shirt year and play Saturday. "I'm thinking about it," Bunting said. I hope the Beast goes for it. Last season at South Cobb High outside Atlanta, Carey rushed for 1,615 yards and 24 touchdowns and was the 4-A state track champ in the 100 meters. If we needed a runner... a burner, we need him now. I hope we see him in Charlottesville, and I hope he's the real deal. We have a lot of questions. So at the mid-point of our season, we can say we're half empty, or we're half full. I'd be singing the blues for sure if it got worse, so I will be the eternal optimist. We'll protect the ball, our defense will show remarkable improvement and the ground game will emerge. Forget the stats, cause stats don't win games. Saturday it will come down to some intangibles that will also make a difference. We have Gary Tranquill, the ace up our sleeve. He is undefeated in this series - 6-0 on the Virginia side and 1-0 with Carolina after last season’s 30-24 win on the Hill. The Heels will fight and fight hard for a victory... Carolina 27 - Virginia 24. Go Heels!
|
||||
