Cash Expected to Make Huge Impact on UNC-Duke Matchup

When UNC quarterback Marquise Williams gets the ball on Saturday in the Tar Heels’ battle with Duke, he’ll be facing a defense ranked ninth in the country, and giving up just 295 yards per game.

As good as they are as a group, there’s one Blue Devil in particular that Williams will have to keep his eye on all day to have a shot at pulling out the win.

All week long the Tar Heel players and coaches have had to take questions about Duke senior safety Jeremy Cash.

The 6-foot-2 Miami native transferred to Durham in 2012 from perennial powerhouse Ohio State and has been working his way up NFL Draft rankings ever since—racking up 181 tackles and eight sacks over the past year and a half.

That body of work has some analysts projecting him as a first round pick—which should be more than enough to merit Williams’ full attention.

“Jeremy Cash is one heck of a football player,” Williams said at Monday’s weekly press conference. “I’ve been watching him a couple years now. He’s been doing a tremendous job what he’s doing at blitz packages or covering guys.

“He’s one of the top guys in the ACC,” he continued. “Or in the country.”

UNC comes into the matchup averaging 470 yards of total offense per game, so something will have to give this weekend.

Sophomore running back Elijah Hood is on pace to be the Tar Heels’ first 1000-yard rusher since current Cincinnati Bengal Gio Bernard accomplished the feat in 2012–and just the third to do it since 1997–but he says the offense may have to make a few adjustments this week to deal with Cash’s unique skill set.

“I feel like this week we might have something a little special because Jeremy Cash is particularly a special player when it comes to blitzing and getting tackles for losses,” Hood said. “There might be something we put in just in case, you know, make sure we’re alerted whenever he’s in the nickel or trying to come off the edge.

“He can be…kind of a disruption whenever he has the opportunity.”

Although Cash’s primary role is that of a deep safety, he also plays some linebacker and cornerback—in order to stuff the run and match up with opposing inside receivers–which means UNC’s slithery slot man Ryan Switzer may have a tough time breaking off the big plays he’s produced in recent weeks.

Tar Heel head coach Larry Fedora wouldn’t disclose any of his game plan specifics, but did acknowledge the challenge in front of him.

“He is a really good football player,” Fedora said about Cash. “They put him in a lot of different places, they do a lot of things with him, and he’s really good. He’s the heart and soul of their defense.”

Aside from last Saturday’s devastating loss to Miami, the result of a walk-off eight-lateral kick return touchdown, Cash and the Blue Devils have become contenders to win the ACC Coastal Division by limiting the type of explosive gains that have propelled the Tar Heels to the top of the division standings.

“They’re a sound fundamental football team,” Hood said. “They’re always in position. You don’t really see that many busts in what they’re doing or the way they’re attacking the [running] lanes. Their discipline and the way they execute in situations is something they do well.”

There’s an old saying in sports that talent recognizes talent.

So if there’s anyone that can speak to the ability of Duke’s super safety, it’s UNC’s own first round NFL prospect—senior offensive guard Landon Turner.

“I think his biggest thing is he just makes plays,” Turner said after practice on Tuesday. “It seems like he’s all over the field and he’s in every play.

“I can tell he’s definitely a leader on that side of the ball, and that’s tough to contend with,” he added. “We’re gonna have our hands full with that this weekend.”