Over the course of the UNC football team’s back-to-back losses to California and ECU in the first two weeks of the season, it was abundantly clear that the Tar Heels needed someone other than junior wide receiver Anthony Ratliff-Williams to step up as a play maker.
With defenses shifting coverages toward the dynamic Ratliff-Williams–and the team’s rushing attack slow to get going–defenses have essentially been daring quarterback Nathan Elliott to try and go anywhere else with the ball.
Enter Dazz Newsome.
The 5-foot-11 sophomore from Hampton, Virginia put together the best game of his young career on Saturday as he helped the Tar Heels earn a hard-fought 38-35 victory over Pittsburgh–catching six passes for 110 yards, both career highs.
Also the Tar Heel punt returner, Newsome is known within the team for his extreme quickness and agility to make things happen in the open field.
Following Saturday’s performance–which included a nifty 47-yard catch-and-run in the fourth quarter–there’s a strong possibility he’ll become known for the same things by anyone who watches UNC play.
“If you go all the way back to last year, whenever the ball is in Dazz’s hands, he has a knack for making people miss and picking up extra yards,” head coach Larry Fedora said after the win against Pitt. “He’s really good with the ball in his hands. So it was just a matter of time before we got the ball in his hands enough where he can make plays—and today he did that.”
Dazz Newsome speaks with reporters after helping lead UNC to a 38-35 victory over Pittsburgh on Saturday. (Photo via Avery Trendel)
While Ratliff-Williams has been the preferred deep threat for Elliott so far this season, Newsome–who wears number 19–does most of his damage on quick screen plays that allow him the opportunity to do what he does best.
“He’s unreal,” Elliott said, of Newsome. “They call him the machine. Nineteen the machine. He’s so fast. You just get him the ball in space. That’s the goal. If I get 19 the ball in space, I know he’s gonna make something happen.”
It’s no surprise that on the same day Newsome posted career-best statistics, so too, did Elliott.
The Tar Heel signal-caller completed 22 of his 31 passes for 313 yards, while tossing two touchdowns and no interceptions. It was the first time he’s thrown for more than 300 yards in a game.
Elliott also appeared much more poised in the pocket, able to get the ball out of his hands quickly with Newsome waiting by the sidelines for his opportunity to catch and run.
It was a far cry from earlier this season, when Elliott would sense pressure and get happy feet–either running it himself or just chucking the ball deep to a heavily-covered Ratliff-Williams.
Now that Newsome could be seeing a larger role in the offense moving forward, Saturday may just have been a small taste of what’s to come for the Tar Heels in 2018.
“It opens up everybody,” Newsome said, of his own performance. “Because now, they’re not just worried about Ant [Ratliff-Williams]. They worried about all of us now. It’s gonna open up for everybody, including the running backs.”
That attitude is something Fedora surely hopes becomes contagious within the Tar Heel locker room, which hasn’t gotten to taste victory too often since Newsome arrived on campus prior to last season.
When asked to describe the scene following the win over Pitt, Newsome gave a slight grin and a chuckle before answering.
“Everybody turnt,” he said.
Cover photo via Lance King (Getty Images)
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