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The toughest first four will only get tougher.
Mack Brown raised some eyebrows over the summer when he criticized the schedule the ACC gave his Tar Heels for 2023.
He first reacted to having the last two games at Clemson and NC State, teams that have already lost this season. Then he called their first four games the most difficult he’s ever had at UNC or Texas, his two 100-win schools.
Despite winning the first two games against South Carolina and Appalachian State, the Tar Heels face Minnesota and go to Pitt before an open date on September 30.
They have yet to play a complete game, needing stout defense in both to put away the Gamecocks in the second half and take the Mountaineers into overtime.
Minnesota is also 2-0 and went 9-4 last season, finishing tied for second in the Big Ten plus beating Syracuse in the Pinstripe Bowl. The Gophers would have to be considered at least the equal of Carolina, which dropped from No. 17 to 20 in the rankings after barely beating App.
And we all know how much trouble the Heels have had at Pitt, where they last won there before Brown returned to UNC. The current Panthers of tough-guy coach Pat Narduzzi are 1-1 after a six-point loss at home to Cincinnati. That will make winning at Pitt on September 23rd even harder.
The most popular scuttlebutt after the double OT win Saturday is about new offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey and second-year DC Gene Chizik.
Social media squawkers and blog pundits (including me) don’t like Lindsey’s play-calling, which produced some explosive runs by Omarion Hampton but in Carolina’s zeal to run limited Drake Maye’s effectiveness against an extra defender in the secondary.
And Lindsey may need to rethink the “wildcat” direct snaps to Caleb Hood and Hampton last week. They aren’t doing much, failing to pick up two first downs vs. the Mounties.
And somehow Chizik’s defense lost its aggression from its 9-sack effort against South Carolina. Like four times last season, they let a green quarterback find the running lanes and open receivers.
Fortunately, behind leader Cedric Gray, the Heels held App to a late field goal that tied the game rather than a touchdown that might have won it.
If these next two games will be tougher than the last two, Carolina needs to pick up its own game.
Featured image via Associated Press/Reinhold Matay
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Mack should have been a streetcar conductor or joined the Marines and fished in Marineland. Granny won a million bucks at halftime of the App State game. She bet Uncle Jed that Mack would tell Baby Doll that Carolina needs to cut down on mistakes, play smarter, cut down on penalties, etc. But Uncle Jed said he wouldn’t keep saying the same things over and over. But he did and Granny took a million smackers out of Mr. Drysdale’s bank and put it under her mattress, and Mr. Drysdale cried a cement pond full of tears! Wonder if it’s a good bet that we won’t try to run any kickoffs back this week? I’ll have to put on my iron hat and think about it.