Two costly fumbles bookended Carolina’s third straight loss but in between, ironically, they showed glimpses of what kind of football team the Tar Heels want to be — and maybe still can.
Yes, sophomore receiver Shanard Clower fumbled away quarterback Gio Lopez’s first pass of the game and likely sent some watching on television to fetch their slippers and robes. If they came back, they saw what looked like a better-coached and more determined UNC team than its previous few games.
What seemed like four hours later, after perhaps making some of us true believers again, receiver Nathan Leacock caught another Lopez dart inside the 10-yard line, and was literally inches from the goal line and the lead when he lost the ball for UNC’s second turnover.
By the way, the 21-18 conference loss was in Berkeley against an average Cal team that moved to 5-2 on the season compared to UNC at 2-4 and 0-2 the ACC. The Bears are 2-1 in conference play, currently in a log jam for second and third place after Louisville upset Miami in the first Friday night game. FSU and BC remain the only other winless teams in league play after Saturday’s games. SMU and Virginia are now the only unbeaten league teams.
Sure, Carolina may return to its downward spiral against Tony Elliott’s 6-1 Cavaliers this Saturday in Kenan Stadium. But the Heels at least handled a Power 4 opponent and, for most of the second half, was a better team.
Their stats did not materially improve, still near the bottom of the nation in total offense and dead last in the ACC. But they just looked more organized in snappy all-white uniforms, from running on and off the field, to engaged on the sideline, to committing half the penalties as Cal and showing off crisp and collaborative blocking across the front line.
Like the team, Lopez played his best game of the season opposed to tall and talented Bears freshman Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, who is tapped as a future star in the ACC and college football. His and Gio’s in-game stats were similar, which says something about UNC’s defense.
Lopez had returned after sitting out just one game since being injured in the loss at Central Florida almost a month ago. Whatever rehab time he put in, Lopez made a lot of it. His release is still a little slow, which can turn wide-open receivers into incompletions (or worse). But he looked sharper, hitting 19 of 35 passes for 174 yards. He’s not to blame for the two fumbles caught off his passes.
Steve Belichick’s defense, which is about middling in the national stats, held their hosts to 80 yards rushing and 294 yards overall, below their average of 343 and contributed to a clean game with just four penalties to Cal’s nine. Safety Will Hardy had a terrific night for Carolina, with seven tackles and while fielding three punts.
It was a strange ESPN broadcast with so many long commercial breaks, compounded by having to look and listen to what goes on in the replay booth — which wasn’t so instant. A few guys sitting at computer screen, maybe ex-officials not exactly urgently talking about what they see in the screen before deciding on the verdict. There were three consecutive replays at the end of the first half occurring between two snaps from scrimmage. Frankly, far more boring than the game.
There was so much that Carolina can build on with six games left, which is something we have not been able to say after the prior two games in this losing streak.
Sophomore running back and Michigan transfer Benjamin Hill bowling balled his way to 68 yards rushing and a couple of big gainers he almost broke. Davion Gause looked good and if freshman Demon June continues to stand out, Bill Belchick will have potentially great running backs room after starting the season with it as an unknown.
Pass-catcher Kobe Paysour is starting to show his freshman form after an injury-plagued career since. He caught six balls for 101 yards — none bigger than the pass-and-run 37 yards from a weird offensive spread formation to help UNC not cede full momentum to Cal after the opening fumble. That drive ended with Hall’s 18-yard rushing touchdown that tied things up before the Bears took a 14-10 halftime lead.
Both teams struggled to get anything going in the second half with only two touchdowns scored. Well after midnight, Cal took a 21-10 lead that looked insurmountable in recent weeks — driving 79 yards on 11 plays, aided by a pass interference call on Carolina that put the ball at the UNC 2-yard line.
Lopez went 3-for-7 on the next drive (which included two penalties and a sack) but kept moving on a 20-yard completion to Paysour and a 15-yard run by Gause to the house, his second touchdown of this season and sixth for his career. Gio hit Hall with the two-point pass and drew UNC within a field goal of the Bears.
Belichick was also using a digital tablet on the sideline to keep track of…whatever he keeps track of. The Hoodie is known for a small pad and pencil to keep notes and first used a tablet with the Patriots, where he once tossed it back over the bench in frustration. He was full Hoodie in the post-game press conference after the loss, with shorter than short answers until he opened up slightly at the end.
A Cal media person asked him why he chose to coach college football. “I’ve answered that 75 times,” Belichick grumbled.
Can you comment on the report that Mike Lombardi took a trip to Saudi Arabia last summer? “I’m only gonna talk about the game, I think the university put out a statement on that.”
Were you happy that your team fought back after the first fumble? “We kept competing, you always want to keep competing.”
What about Kobe Paysour’s good game tonight? “He’s a tough competitor and on special teams.”
On the running backs? “We have confidence in all those guys.”
What was the key to the game? “They didn’t turn the ball over.”
Your team was more competitive tonight. “It is what it is.”
Some of your guys really stepped up. “We had a chance to take the lead in the fourth quarter, and we didn’t. We couldn’t get the ball back until there were 13 seconds left. It is what it is.”
What about your good second half? “We’ve been improving every week, so am not gonna back off on that. But you can’t turn the ball over and win, it’s too hard. And we didn’t get any turnovers on defense. Until that changes, it’s gonna keep on being harder to win.”
There’s not much to work with there for media or fans — but for the first time this season against a Power 4 opponent, UNC football’s on-field play did give people something to work with.
Featured image via AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack.
Art Chansky is a veteran journalist who has written ten books, including best-sellers “Game Changers,” “Blue Bloods,” and “The Dean’s List.” He has contributed to WCHL for decades, having made his first appearance as a student in 1971. His “Sports Notebook” commentary airs daily on the 97.9 The Hill WCHL and his “Art’s Angle” opinion column runs weekly on Chapelboro.Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
