It’s hard to label an early-season non-conference matchup as a “must-win” game, but UNC’s showdown this Saturday in Greenville against East Carolina is about as close it gets—with two struggling in-state programs looking not only for bragging rights, but also trying to claw their way back to relevance.
The Tar Heels and Pirates enter this week’s showdown each having lost 13 of their last 17 games dating back to the end of the 2016 season. Season-opening losses to Cal and North Carolina A&T, respectively, did little to provide optimism for either fanbase.
Problems on offense provided the main storyline for UNC from its trip out west, as the once high-powered Tar Heel offense sputtered for the first three quarters before waking up to put together a respectable rally in the fourth.
Still, though, there was little resemblance to the kind of attack that has defined head coach Larry Fedora’s tenure in Chapel Hill.
Similar problems plagued Fedora’s team during last year’s 3-9 campaign, but he would rather not dwell on the past—at least not publicly anyway—as he tries to right the ship.
“When you don’t win a game, it doesn’t really matter how you play,” Fedora told reporters after Wednesday’s practice. “I mean, from that point on, it’s about ‘What do we need to do to win?’ And they do a good job of understanding.
“They’re critical of themselves,” the coach added. “They watch the film. They know what’s gonna be pointed out. They learn from it, and then they move on.”
UNC head coach Larry Fedora told the David Glenn Show on Wednesday that he has no memory of UNC’s 70-41 loss to ECU back in 2014–the last time the teams met on the gridiron. (Photo via UNC Athletics)
This week provides UNC with a perfect opportunity to move on, due to ECU’s own struggles to win games in recent years.
Since bringing in head coach Scottie Montgomery prior to the 2016 season, the Pirates have seen their program enter a downward spiral.
While the Tar Heels have had issues moving the ball, ECU has floundered on defense—giving up at least 50 points to six of their 12 opponents last season.
Although quarterback Nathan Elliott threw four interceptions last week at Cal, Fedora praised his ability to bounce back this week in practice—also noting in his weekly press conference that in addition to Elliott making better decisions, the offensive line has to improve its performance against the Pirates.
In general, however, Fedora’s message to his team has been simple entering a game it has every chance in the world to win.
“Just be consistent and do your job,” Fedora said. “Don’t try to do too much. You don’t have to do somebody else’s job. Just do your job. And if you do that, things will work out just fine.”
On top of the fact that both programs are in desperate need of a win, there’s also the in-state rivalry aspect to this game that should also play a major factor.
Although the rosters have turned over since the last time these two teams met back in 2014, neither fanbase has forgotten the result—a 70-41 blowout win for ECU in which it racked up nearly 800 yards of total offense.
Making an appearance on the David Glenn radio show earlier this week, Fedora claimed he had no memory whatsoever of that game.
That response prompted more questioning following UNC’s practice on Wednesday, leading the frustrated coach to reveal how he’s handled the team’s struggles—both then and now.
“Selective memory,” Fedora said. “That’s probably a good way of putting it.
“I remember what I want to remember,” he added. “And block out the things I want to block out.”
Cover photo via UNC Athletics
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