When the final grades come out about how Carolina ended the football season, it will read Preparation F, Adjustment F, Execution F.
A lightly regarded and undermanned South Carolina team whipped the Tar Heels from start to finish in every aspect of the game.
In preparation, the low-scoring Gamecocks took the lead with a wildcat scheme that Jay Bateman’s defense never saw coming. South Carolina played two quarterbacks: a converted wide receiver who hadn’t thrown a pass since 2019 but hit a scatback in stride after he beat Tony Grimes for a 69-yard touchdown; and an out-of-shape former graduate assistant coach connecting with another wide-open receiver who had lost Giovanni Biggers for a 66-yard scoring strike. A fake PAT turned into a 2-point conversion and a short field goal made it 18-0 in the first quarter while the Tar Heels had run only 11 plays.
The game certainly wasn’t over, if they could awaken on both sides of the ball.
But, in adjustment, UNC failed to stop the running game that South Carolina’s early advantage would surely trigger and finish with almost a 2-1 time of possession.
The faster and more physical Gamecocks rushed for 301 net yards, compared to North Carolina’s 128, and their success on first and second down allowed them to convert 6 of 11 on third down. Conversely, the Heels spent most of the overcast afternoon in Charlotte bottled up and made only 1 of 10 conversions, that lone one coming late in the third quarter.
In sum: the execution was dismal on defense, which gave up 540 total yards to a team that was averaging 320, and got the deficit down to eight points only once. Even when Bateman knew the ‘Cocks would run on every play, their bruising sophomore Kevin Harris rolled up 182 yards and a touchdown. Harris led the SEC in rushing last season and still has a year left before going to the NFL, boding well for rookie head coach Shane Beamer’s second team.
South Carolina freshman running back Juju McDowell runs down the sideline during the Duke’s Mayo Bowl game on Dec. 30. McDowell helped contribute to South Carolina’s rushing attack that gashed UNC for more than 300 yards. (Photo via USA Today Sports.)
Sure, Bateman’s unit played without several starters and regulars for various reasons, but South Carolina’s secondary came in decimated by injuries and its defensive line still found ways to harass Sam Howell and limit him to a net 208 total yards. Howell did throw a touchdown pass for his 37th consecutive game.
Thus, UNC lost its fourth bowl in Charlotte against a lone win in 2013 over Cincinnati. And Brown’s third team finished with a 6-7 record after starting the season as an overrated top-ten entry and prohibitive favorite to win the ACC Coastal Division.
The irony of the two head coaches is this: Beamer, the son of former Virginia Tech Hall of Famer Frank, first met Brown when he was in grade school. He took over the Gamecocks after their two-win season in 2020 and wound up with a bowl bid and 7-6 record. Brown did the exact same thing after returning to UNC in 2019, but now owns a modest 21-17 mark in three years.
A lightening rod at almost every coaching stop, Brown allowed that his 2022 Tar Heels likely won’t carry any great expectations and, despite three straight excellent recruiting classes, still must prove they can play winning football.
If so, Brown’s age (70) won’t be used against him by rival recruiters and a card some of his own fans will inevitably play. For now, his biggest critics won’t demand a head-coaching change but should expect an overhaul of his staff, especially on defense where the 2021 Tar Heels who returned 10 starters will be lucky to crack the top 100 in national statistics.
The offense also needs help, particularly if Howell turns pro as expected. A veteran interior line was hampered all season by injuries, forcing Phil Longo to move position players around. Antoine Green, who dropped some big balls along the way, had a good Mayo Bowl with four tough catches for 73 yards before South Carolina figured out how to stop him as well as it contained Josh Downs, the All-ACC slotback who had seven receptions and 62 yards.
Besides a 66-yard touchdown run by former walk-on running back British Brooks, Carolina’s only other touchdown was some flea-flickeration with Howell, Stephen Gosnell and Ty Chandler handling the ball before Howell got it back and hit wide-open tight end Garrett Walston who waltzed into the end zone. Chandler converted the two-point play to cut the deficit to 11 points, 32-21, in the third quarter.
The Tar Heels’ last reasonable chance came after linebacker Cedric Gray threw quarterback Dakereon Joyner for a loss and Trey Morrison broke up a third-down pass. But on their next possession, Howell was sacked for the fourth time on third down, and Ben Kiernan punted the ball away. South Carolina milked the clock and kept making first downs until it kicked two more field goals to ice the 38-21 victory and deliver the mayonnaise bath and $10,000 to Beamer and his favorite charity.
“Awesome day,” said Beamer, who had the advantage of the underdog’s role and fired up his troops to play with more heart and energy than the opponent that he generously called “great” before taking the Duke’s Mayo for the team.
“Congratulations to coach Beamer and South Carolina,” Brown said afterward. “He obviously did a lot better job than I did, and they did a lot better job with their team than we did. They jumped on us early, hit some big plays in the passing game and then ended up running the ball at will.
“Our kids were really disappointed. They understood we didn’t play well, and they were not very proud of it. So sometimes it helps you going into the off-season. You’d rather have momentum, but a lot of times you won’t fix things as much when things are great.”
Unfortunately, great is not the word that would describe how the season ended.
Photo via AP Photo/Gerry Broome.
Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees. You can support local journalism and our mission to serve the community. Contribute today – every single dollar matters.
This game was over at halftime. UNC defense showed no passion, no attitude, no tenacity. They appeared unprepared and overmatched. Rinse,repeat. Does Coach Brown really think UNC can move forward without a change in the defensive scheme or philosophy? Something has to change or all that talent coming in next year won’t make any difference. In the spirit of John Wick’s Bowery King: “Somebody, PLEASE! Get this team a defense!”
Brown IS THE PROBLEM!!! No one at UNC believes it, so Bateman will be the sacrificial lamb. And Longo is so predictable, it’s disgusting. Bateman will be successful wherever he goes, unless he stays at UNC under Mack.
By the way, it’s “lightning,” not “lightening” rod.