CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – A steady rain turned North Carolina’s Spring Game into a low-scoring affair as the Tar Heel team secured a 14-12 victory against the Carolina team on Saturday.
In a scrimmage pitting the first-team offense against the second-team defense and vice versa, true freshman quarterback Drake Maye (2-of-7 passing, 14 yards) directed the first scoring drive to give Carolina a 6-0 lead. Junior running back Josh Henderson rushed six times for 33 yards on that scoring possession, including a bounce outside for a six-yard touchdown score.
Heisman Trophy contender Sam Howell answered by leading the Tar Heels on back-to-back scoring drives, highlighted by a 48-yard pass play to Josh Downs and a 44-yard strike to Emery Simmons. Howell connected with Antoine Green on a 13-yard fade route to give his squad its first lead of the game and then D.J. Jones plunged in for a one-yard touchdown to push the lead to 14-6.
Redshirt freshman Jefferson Boaz scored on a 38-yard RPO run down the right sideline on the penultimate drive to finalize the scoring at 14-12.
Redshirt freshman defensive back Christopher Holliday, son of former Tar Heel standout Corey Holliday, ended the game with an interception in the end zone on a deep throw by Boaz.
Evaluation Process
There were no game plans installed for Saturday’s scrimmage as the coaching staff’s emphasis on personnel, not schemes, continued through the conclusion of spring ball. That led to some highlights due to mismatched plays, but that was a necessary tradeoff for a pure look at play-making ability in base sets.
The game consisted of 85 plays, which is the most of any scrimmage this spring. That’s 85 opportunities for younger Tar Heels to make standout plays one last time before the final evaluations take place in the coming days.
Most importantly, there were no injuries in the spring game, according to head coach Mack Brown.
Separation Needed at Running Back
On a wet afternoon, the ability to pound the ball on the ground is a critical factor for an offense hoping to excel in any conditions next fall. The absence of Javonte Williams and Michael Carter – both set to be selected in the NFL Draft next weekend – was glaring on Saturday.
There were eight run plays that went for 10 yards or more and five of those runs were by quarterbacks. Freshman Caleb Hood ran for a pair of 12-yard plays, while Henderson added a 10-yard run on the game’s first scoring drive. Tennessee transfer Ty Chandler (2 carries, 10 yards) and sophomore D.J. Jones (5 carries, 11 yards, TD) rotated with the ones for the first several possessions.
The six running backs in contention for playing time combined for 129 rushing yards on 37 carries, good for 3.5 yards per carry.
Depth Up Front Defensively
Defensive coordinator Jay Bateman finally has a cupboard full of big bodies to rotate along his defensive line and the available talent was readily apparent on Saturday. UNC’s starting line of nose tackle Ray Vohasek and ends Myles Murphy and Kevin Hester has solidified throughout the course of spring ball, while true freshman Jahvaree Ritzie paired with Kristian Varner to flank nose Jahlil Taylor with the second group. That left talented freshmen such as Keeshawn Silver and Kedrick Bingley-Jones to work in the rotation as the scrimmage went along.
Up Next
UNC opens the 2021 football season against Virginia Tech in Blacksburg on Friday, Sept. 3.
