After the Tar Heels allowed 45 points in their first loss of the season to Notre Dame, they’ve allowed just 34 combined in the past two games, both ACC wins. It’s a testament to the defensive improvement Carolina fans and those within the program have been desperate for since the beginning of the season.
While Miami quarterback Tyler Van Dyke amassed nearly 500 yards through the air, UNC epitomized the “bend, don’t break” mantra, stopping the Hurricanes on three fourth downs, including one on the goal line, in the 27-24 win. Afterward, Carolina head coach Mack Brown laid out some reasons for the defense’s improved play.
“I really believe it’s the combination of our coaches knowing the kids better, the kids buying in to the coaches and the kids playing with more confidence,” Brown said.
Another reason is the standout play of linebacker Cedric Gray. The junior from Charlotte was everywhere against the Hurricanes, making 13 total tackles. No tackle was bigger than his last, which kept a Miami runner inbounds with the clock ticking. A rushed Van Dyke threw a game-ending interception on the very next play. Gray also stripped Miami running back Jaylan Knighton on a fourth-down run that potentially could’ve been a touchdown. Here’s how Gray described the play.
“You play hard, sometimes good things happen,” Gray said. “That’s just kind of what happened on that play. I was able to knock the ball out, and my teammate was there to recover it.”
Gray and teammate Power Echols were forced to play elevated snap counts against the Hurricanes, as fellow linebackers RaRa Dillworth and Sebastian Cheeks were both out with injuries, the one to Cheeks season-ending. Brown was effusive in his praise of Gray’s gutsy performance.
“Cedric’s our most valuable player on defense right now,” Brown said. “He’s the leader. He’s in the middle. You’ve got to be strong up the middle. Our front’s playing better, our safeties are playing better, everybody’s learning now to play with more confidence and break on the ball. And we’re so thin at [linebacker]. I told Ced and Power, ‘You can’t get hurt, or targeting calls.’ Other than that, you’re good. And they played their hearts out tonight. Ced Gray is a special player.”
Echoing comments made by teammate Noah Taylor after the Virginia Tech game, Gray didn’t express surprise at the defense’s improvement in the past two weeks. Instead, he credited it to the unit’s focus.
“We put a premium on improving our defense and executing,” Gray said. “Because we’ve got guys. We’re talented. I think we all know that we’re a talented bunch. It’s really just about executing and playing to our fullest potential. We do that, and teams are gonna have a hard time scoring on us.”
More than that, though, Gray said the strong play came down to a simple thing.
“That’s one thing I can say about this defense: we may not be perfect, but we fight,” he said. “We fight every game, and I’m very, very proud of that.”
Not perfect, but a fighter. Perhaps nothing better describes the 2022 UNC football team to this point.
Image via UNC Athletic Communications/Jeffrey A. Camarati
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