Carolina just missed what would have been a miraculous win.
With the Tar Heels’ injured list of walking wounded now approaching epidemic proportions, Duke rightfully should have blown them out of Kenan Stadium Saturday. But it turned out Carolina had the Blue Devils right where it wanted them to start the 4th quarter – the fourth time in four games the Heels led after three periods only to now stand 1-3 on the season.
The defense had to play great against an explosive opponent and did for the most part, giving up two long touchdown drives and the lead in the first and fourth periods. Two mistakes the Tar Heels could not afford to make handed the game to Duke, which continued its undefeated season against four unranked opponents.
The big mistake on defense came on Duke’s second possession of the final quarter and still trailing 17-13. Quarterback Daniel Jones threw a rope down the right side for receiver T.J. Rahming. The Heels had the play well covered, but their defenders missed the ball by two Myles – Dorn and Wolfork – who did not turn around in time and the pass split them into Rahming’s waiting arms 45 yards down the field. Seven snaps later, after Duke converted a fourth-and-5, the Blue Devils took the lead for good.
Carolina lost its last chance to snatch the game away when quarterback Chazz Surratt made the first big mistake of his college career; under pressure, the former high school two-sport star tried a two handed over-the-head toss to the Heels’ lone surviving experienced receiver Anthony Ratliff-Williams. The pass was picked off easily by Duke and return to the house for the final 10-point margin.
With Austin Proehl among the three more who were carted off the field in the worst attrition by injury Larry Fedora and his entire staff have ever seen in one season, only four games old, Carolina may coach up enough young players to benefit from it next year. But this season is already teetering on disaster. A trip to Georgia Tech’s cut-blocking Yellow Jackets comes up next, and Carolina just does not have the manpower left to beat them in Atlanta. That leaves the last seven games to get some injured back and forge an improbable turnaround.
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Please have the guts to write about Fedora’s HUGE mistake in going for the touchdown on the 4th down play with less than a minute to go in the game. To go for the “chip shot” field goal was the obvious choice and then the on sides kick. Of course the chances of everything going right were very slim, but the choice to go for the touchdown and then not even throw the ball into the end zone was completely ludicrous! Someone has to start writing about the game after game bad decisions made by Fedora and his staff!
I’m already calling this a lost season. It was going to be a struggle to begin with after losing so much offense from last year and with a defense that is still trying to come into it’s own. Now with the historically crazy amount of injuries, I don’t see how they are going to be very competitive moving forward. I will continue to watch and root for them, though, wincing and cheering every gut-wrenching second.
Ha, ha, ha. Oh, there you are, Art. Seriously, you are the queen of Pollyannas. Before the game, Carolina would win, for sure. After the game, Duke “should have” blown the Heels off the field. Ha, ha, ha. So it was a Carolina victory in your mind. Right. Enjoy your fantasy world. (Oh, and since you brought up the subject of cut blocks, it would appear that you ought not be “cutting” on Georgia Tech with out mentioning the Heels “cheap shot” in Q4.)