Gene Chizik's defense makes a statement
Posted September 5, 2023 9:17 a.m. EDT
I’ll never forget the halftime scene along the concourse of Kenan Stadium last September. New defensive coordinator Gene Chizik was jogging toward the press box elevator at halftime, somehow detached from his security detail. Angry fans stepped toward Chizik, shouting “Gene, Gene! You gotta do better than that Gene!” Chizik’s beleaguered defense that day allowed a 1-2 Notre Dame team to pile up 576 yards.
Who would have believed how well Chizik’s unit would play one year later, in arguably UNC’s most important opening game in memory?
Certainly not Darius Rucker, lead singer of Hootie and the Blowfish. Rucker predicted on ESPN’s College Game Day that his South Carolina Gamecocks would “win by 90!” But Darius Rucker didn’t know how badly Kaimon Rucker and his UNC line mates would overwhelm USC’s offensive line.
Here are a few bullet points that underscore the improvement shown by the former worst defense in the ACC:
- 9 sacks
- 16 tackles for loss
- -2 yards rushing on 31 attempts
- 4-4 on fourth down stops
- 5 minute edge in time of possession
The Tar Heels limited the Gamecocks to 17 points. By contrast, South Carolina in its final outing last season put up 38 points against Notre Dame in the Gator Bowl.
Chizik’s defense had to play especially well in the second half because UNC’s high powered offense ran out of power after taking a 31-14 lead with 6:29 to go in the third quarter. Holding South Carolina to three points in the second half ultimately won the game for Mack Brown – his 100th win at UNC.
The Tar Heel defensive challenge began when Heisman candidate Drake Maye threw an interception. Maye played like the Heisman front runner much of the night, but this ill advised throw against South Carolina pressure really energized the Gamecocks’ floundering offense. Spencer Rattler completed five passes, moving the garnet and black all the way to the UNC 13. But on third and six, Tomari Fox sacked Rattler, forcing a field goal.
UNC defenders got little rest, because on the second play of the Tar Heels’ next offensive series, Maye threw a second interception—this one ricocheted off a receiver’s hands. Kajuan Brooks returned it 17 yards to the Tar Heel 38. Seven plays later, the Gamecocks again reached the 13. Again, the guys in light blue made a play. Rucker went after Rattler, drawing an intentional grounding penalty as the quarterback flung the ball along the turf while going down. Rattler had one more chance to find the end zone but his pass on fourth and 19 fell incomplete.
After taking that 31-14 lead, UNC’s offense mustered just three first downs, all on runs by British Brooks. The fifth year grad student missed all of 2022 with an injury, yet Saturday night Brooks rushed for 103 yards in one of the best outings of his career. Maye meanwhile completed just two passes for seven yards following his touchdown pass to John Copenhaver. I would note that Maye took a shot from Tyrike Johnson while throwing that six pointer; maybe that limited him somewhat in the final quarter. In any event, UNC’s offense did not run out the clock as the Tar Heel head coach very much wants it to do.
The defense had to stand tall. And did.
It wasn’t a perfect defensive performance by any means. Star defensive back DeAndre Boykins was lost for the season this past week in practice, and two of the Tar Heels’ best defenders in 2022, Tony Grimes and Storm Duck, both entered the transfer portal. UNC’s now green secondary struggled in coverage whenever Rattler had time to throw. Big Xavier Legette was a particular problem, amassing 178 yards on nine catches-more than half of the Gamecocks’ total offense.
But the Tar Heels compensated for their porous pass defense, which did indeed look like last year at times, by shutting down the run, making the Gamecocks one dimensional, forcing them into predictable passing situations, and then relentlessly pursuing the quarterback.
Defense hasn't been a strength for UNC
Historically, UNC has fielded very few good defensive teams. Bill Dooley won lots of games in the 70’s with his hard-nosed approach to stopping the run. But he lost games with his infamous pass defense. Doggedly sticking to an eight man front with just three deep, Dooley’s air defense became known as “the friendly skies of Carolina,” a media spoof on “Fly the friendly skies of United.”
Ultimately Dooley switched to what was then a more conventional 5-2-4 defense. Dooley’s 1977 unit, led by Rod Broadway and Dee Hardison was truly great, holding opponents to just 238 yards and 7 points per game.
Dooley’s desire to be a head coach/athletic director like his brother Vince drove him to Virginia Tech. Defensive minded Dick Crum became the head coach at UNC.
Crum’s 1980 team, UNC’s last ACC Champion, limited opponents to 250 yards and 11 points per game. That defense of course, was led by Lawrence Taylor.
Crum’s teams continued to defend well the next three seasons, allowing 11, 12, and 17 points per game. But Crum’s inability to recruit (apart from signing Mark Maye) caught up with the Tar Heels and the coach’s last four teams all allowed 20-25 points per game.
The defenses of Mack Brown during his first run at UNC were nothing to write home about—until 1996 when Brown and coordinator Carl Torbush switched to an attacking style defense. Then for two seasons that unit shut down opponent after opponent, once holding powerful Florida State without a first down over an entire half. Led by lockdown corners Dre Bly and Robert Williams, UNC limited opposing offenses to 225 yards and 10 points in 1996. That group, which included future pros like Greg Ellis, Vonnie Holliday, Ebenezer Ekuban, and Brian Simmons, held opponents to just 209 yards per game in 1997, an all time low in the modern era at UNC.
Brown left for Texas, where he would later team with Chizik in winning a national championship. Since Brown’s departure, UNC’s defenses have pretty much been torched for the last 25 seasons. Only the Butch Davis team of 2009 held opponents under 300 yards per game.
This Gene Chizik unit of 2023 is not a complete defense yet because of its green secondary. But any team that gets 9 sacks and 16 tackles for loss against a good SEC opponent warrants attention.
UNC’s offense, under new coordinator Chip Lindsey played quite well for the first 39 minutes. The Tar Heels ran effectively—Drake Maye for once was just the third leading rusher. Maye threw effectively, 24-32 for 269 yards; this despite not having his two top receivers, Tez Walker and Nate McCollum on the field.
Yet this offense did not play well with once it built the 17 point lead, and certainly wasn’t good enough to kill the clock in the final minutes.
The offense figures to get better but the Tar Heels play a more difficult schedule this campaign than in 2022. So Chizik’s defense will play a big part in whether the Heels contend for a championship.
