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Hidden mistakes again killed Carolina’s chances.
The Tar Heels had their share of missed tackles and missed blocks in Georgia Tech’s 46-42 victory Saturday night in Atlanta in which the Yellow Jackets rolled up 635 yards in total offense to 577 for UNC.
The coaches grade blocks and tackles, which are not tallied in the official statistics, but eight penalties for 65 yards, compared to the Jackets’ three flags for only 19 yards, was certainly a contributing factor.
The Heels fell to 10th place in the official ACC stats with 53 penalties for 510 yards and an average of 64 yards over eight games.
This has been a malady for the last two years, with penalties calling back long gains and nullifying several touchdowns. In the second quarter, a holding penalty erased a 31-yard pass from Drake Maye to Bryson Nesbitt at the Georgia Tech 39. Three snaps later, Tom Maginness punted the ball away.
Mack Brown began his review of the Virginia game with the personal foul committed by freshman Kaleb Cost on the opening kickoff that wiped out Doc Chapman’s 23-yard return and backed the offense up to its own 8-yard line, from where it only moved 11 yards to a Maginness punt of 39 yards.
An illegal substitution penalty and an offside helped the Cavaliers drive down the field before Armani Chatman saved Carolina with an interception in the end zone. In the fourth quarter, a 47-yard pass and catch to J.J. Jones came back due to a holding penalty by Kamari Morales.
In 2022, Carolina committed 86 penalties for 774 yards, and almost the same average of 64.5 yards per game as this season so far.
In the ACC, the Heels finished sixth on penalties last year, which the current team can still do with fewer flags over the last four games.
Brown relies heavily on his coordinators and veteran staff to break down tape and determine what happened on every mistake or penalty and tell him what they are going to do to fix it. Supposedly, Brown can be very tough to work for in holding his assistant coaches accountable for player miscues.
“Fix it” is a phrase you hear from the head coach whenever he is talking about the last game. And it is one we will hear again this week after a second straight loss by a razor thin margin. Missed blocks and missed tackles are against moving opponents, but penalties can sometimes be caused as much by mental mistakes and lack of focus.
It is one of the things the Tar Heels must fix to get back on the right side of the final score.
Featured image via Associated Press/John Bzemore
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