The North Carolina Tar Heels fell to Cal 21-18 early Saturday morning. Once again, a slow start and self-inflicted wounds were major factors in the second straight loss for the Heels.
Another Late Start
And this is not in
reference to the 10:30 PM ET kickoff.
Carolina fans put their heads into their hands after the first play of the game. A Shanard Clower fumble off a pass from Gio Lopez gave Cal the ball just seconds into the game.
Four plays later, the Golden Bears were in the end zone.
Two straight games of laughable starts.
It is not clear how much can be learned from this other than that two weeks ago against Clemson was not a fluke. This team has not been ready from the opening whistle.
One part attention to detail and another part preparation. The Tar Heels lacked both on that abysmal first offensive play.
Playcalling is a Roller Coaster
During the first half, UNC fans were subject to the same head-scratching playcalling that has plagued the offense all season.
Screen pass for a loss, followed by a two-tight end set on second and long? Perfect.
A dual-threat quarterback with calls that focus on the least threatening part of his game? Great.
However, during the second half, the offensive play calls made a lot more sense. The team played far less often behind the chains, and this was most evident on third down.
The best series was the final scoring drive of the game. The call to go for two after the touchdown is a moment that will build confidence in the offense down the stretch.
That swing pass with 10 minutes left in the game was a reversion, but be that as it may, the Heels picked up the first down on a QB sneak on fourth and one.
Conversions on third and fourth downs demonstrated how the play calling changed during the game.
During the first half, Carolina was just one of eight on third down. After the break, UNC converted four of six on third down.
A coach will find a number of factors that contributed to this increase, but the play calls, especially on first and second downs, are certainly a factor.
The O-Line Can Play
With #HeelsAfterDark, the advanced stats will come later on Saturday. But just with the eye test, the offensive line made huge strides in the second half.
Lopez had more time in the pocket, connecting on three passes for more than 15 yards in the second half. He had only one in the first half.
There were five rushing plays of 10 yards or more. Four of the five came on first down. This connects the playcalling with the performance of the offensive line.
This is not to say that the offensive line is where it needs to be. Cal picked up a sack in the second half and finished with seven tackles for loss.
There is much more to be desired with this offense, but there are certainly positives for the guys up front.
