Monday, April 16, 2012

North Carolina's spring football game: What we learned about Larry Fedora's Tar Heels

North Carolina coach Larry Fedora watches quarterback Bryn Renner (2) direct his fast-paced offense in Saturday's spring game. Gerry Broome/Associated Press
CHAPEL HILL - North Carolina held its annual Blue vs. White spring football scrimmage at Kenan Stadium on Saturday. The Blue team defeated the White, 44-7. Well, actually, the final scoreboard read 44-21 – but that includes 14 points that the White team received at halftime to make the game a bit more competitive.

Of course, the final score of a spring scrimmage doesn’t mean much. And it’s difficult to read too much into the Tar Heels’ spring game, anyway, because it was, you have to remember, UNC’s 14th practice in the completely new, completely different offensive and defensive system that first-year coach Larry Fedora and his assistants are installing. A lot will change between now and September.

Even so, the spring game provided us some insight and some lessons. Here are some of them:

Bryn Renner seems to be adapting well to the new up-tempo, no-huddle spread offense.

Renner completed 23 of his 28 attempts for 295 yards and two touchdowns for the Blue team on Saturday. Not bad. Renner played in a more up-tempo, spread offense during his high school years, but because Renner more fits the mold of a traditional drop-back passer, some wondered how he’d fit into Fedora’s scheme. For those UNC fans who had doubts, Renner’s performance on Saturday had to be comforting.

Marquise Williams has some work to do to make this a true quarterback competition.

Fedora and his staff have often said that every position is open – even quarterback. Williams, a former standout at Charlotte’s Mallard Creek High, made some strides this spring and, by all accounts, he’s a lot more comfortable now than he was in UNC’s old pro-style offense. Even so, Williams has some work to do to push Renner for the starting job. Williams had some nice moments on Saturday and his final statistical line – 17-for-32, 123 yards, one touchdown, one interception – wasn’t bad. But, like Renner, Williams is still learning the new offense. The difference is that Renner entered with more experience, anyway, and he started at a more advanced point. Williams has the physical tools to succeed in Fedora’s offense, in time.

The defense faces a steep learning curve, too.

Much of the focus throughout UNC’s spring practice has been on the offense. That’s understandable given that Fedora’s coaching background is on the offensive side of the ball. But the Tar Heels’ defense faces just as much of an adjustment to the new 4-2-5 scheme that features those two hybrid positions – the bandit and the ram – that help make the defense more versatile. Take out the second quarter, when the Blue scored three offensive touchdowns, and both defenses played well. In fact, the biggest defensive play of the game came in the second quarter, too, when Tim Scott intercepted a pass and returned it 35 yards for a touchdown.

The Tar Heels seem to have some quality depth at running back.

Giovani Bernard gained 36 on five carries on Saturday before leaving the game after suffering a cut on his head. He could have returned, had it been an actual game, but sat out the rest of the way. In his absence, A.J. Blue, a rising junior, played well. He gained 98 yards on 15 carries. Romar Morris, a freshman who spent last season redshirting, also looked good. He scored three touchdowns – two receiving, one running – and gained 75 yards combined, running and receiving. On his first touchdown, which came on a 17-yard pass from Renner, Morris flashed some breakaway speed.

Welcome back, Casey Barth.

Barth missed most of last season with an injured groin but was granted a fifth year of eligibility. His return means good things for UNC’s kicking game. Barth was responsible for the first two scores of the spring game – a 40-yard field goal, and then a 33-yard field goal. They both came in the first quarter.

UNC’s final practice of the spring will be today. Stay tuned in the weeks ahead for a position-by-position wrap-up of the spring, with a look ahead to the start of fall practice.

-- Andrew Carter

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

We learned that UNC-CH even lies about their attendance figures. Have they no shame? What a completely CORRUPT institution.

Anonymous said...

Anon 1:54om...you have no college education...moron. CPCC or UNCC don't count either....Lol.

Anonymous said...

SMDH...."Completely Corrupt"??? Really?? LOL Not a UNC fan...but I will admit...like all Major colleges that put winning up there as a priotiry....they recruited some questionalble players and coaches...but hey, that's what you get when you want to win.."NOW"!! But to say they are "Completely COrrupt"?? SMDH.....only a retarded "hater" would go that far overboard...lol

TeagueB87 said...

Hey 1:54, Were you at the game? I didn't think so. Why don't you pay more attention to your own team instead of criticizing something so unimportant as Spring Game attendance. Having been there, it's actually pretty accurate.

If you're a State fan, which I'm betting you are, why don't you go check out State's 2013 commits list and ask yourself why not a single player has committed yet. Boy, UNC sanctions are really killing the Wolpfack.

Now get back to work stocking shelves at Walmart.

Anonymous said...

I think it'll be real funny to see UNC light up the scoreboard this year...and win games they are expected to lose, and win the games they are expected to win. UNC is THE PROGRAM of choice in the state of North Carolina. The Tar Heel state...Holla!

Anonymous said...

I wasn't at the game, but I saw plenty of my UNC friend fans who were at the game's facebook photos. There is no way there were 17,000 people there. But thats nothing new, UNC has been over-estimating their football attendance numbers for years.

17,000 fans? Haha, there is absolutely no way the stadium was over a quarter full. Let alone what a coincidence that their attendance was exactly 17,000! Not 16,893, not 17,211, but 17,000 even. How convenient!

Anonymous said...

Do you want to know what's funny? UNCC has a football team...Lol...Duke does too...

Audie Cole said...

Bryn Renner will be pressed to last 2-3 conference games taking the hits he will see play after play. See visions of the NC State game, that was not the same offense and how that turned out.

Joe Heisman said...

Lest we forgot that the offensive fire power on the scoreboard was admittedly padded with 14 points to provide the appearance of a closer game for some bizarre reason unknown to Heel fans and others alike. Is this just a continuation of The Carolina Way?

Anonymous said...

"If you're a State fan, which I'm betting you are, why don't you go check out State's 2013 commits list and ask yourself why not a single player has committed yet."

If you're a UNC fan, which I'm betting you are, why don't you go check out the scoreboard from the last 5 times the Heels played the Pack on the gridiron. The team with a bunch of 2* and 3* recruits beat the team with 4* recruits the last 5 years.

Anonymous said...

Pathetic that people have to make ugly comments even about a spring football game. UNC had some issues with its program. The coach was fired and sanctions were issued. There's now a new coach. The University itself has the utmost integrity and is consistently recognized as one of the top values in American public education. As a citizen of North Carolina, you are doing yourself no favors when you tear down our fine public institutions like UNC, State and UNCC.

Anonymous said...

Lol at UNC being corrupt especially based on attendance estimates. Those who are making a big deal about it must not have been there. All of the pics floating around online are from the visitors side, the home side was almost full in the lower level, 17k easily in the whole place.

Bill Friday said...

Plus, as usual, the inside of the Blue Zone was full with kids running around and gray hairs spilling mustard on their pants...

Anonymous said...

You pathetic NCSUX fans keep proving our point, you'd rather run down someone elses program than talk up your own. Of course, if I was a Wusspack fan, I guess I'd have an inferiority complex too. BTW, make sure and keep Coach Opie, he's really gonna take you folks places!

Anonymous said...

Every school inflates Spring Game attendance numbers, UNC and State included.

Anonymous said...

So now the Wolpfackers even have
conspiracy theories about us adding 14 points to the White team's score? It was done to make it a more competitive game. The first team was dominating the second team so coaches wanted to give the latter a fighting chance. The obsession continues...

DJ Green's PEDs said...

Inflating attendance numbers? We'd never do something so egregious here in Raleigh.

Anonymous said...

UNC cheating? I guess taking steroids doesn't fall in the line of cheating? State fans, tell your players to stop buying needles and workout the old fashion way.

Anonymous said...

States fans worried about a UNC spring game is high comedy. They hate UNC more than they love themselves. At least we have one thing in common: I also wouldn't mind urinating in your seats.

Anonymous said...

If the author of this would have some knowledge of the subject of his material or done some research, he would have learned that Renner excelled in a spread offense much like Fedora's for 4 years in high school and had to learn to "adjust" to being a drop-back passer for Shoop's horrific offense.

bill said...

Why do woofies care so much about attendance at Carolina events, even an event as inconsequential as a spring scrimmage?

Lol at the woofie mentality.

smithsonian said...

Smithsonian said:

I was at the Carolina Spring Game and was sitting on the south side of Kenan Stadium that likely only had around 1,500 fans. However, I was facing the north side that was full between the 20s in the lower level. There were 15,000+ on that side. There were maybe 600 seated in the two end zones. I would agree that the estimated attendance was 17,000.
FYI: The next day when I watched the replay on ESPN3, the cameras did not show the north side stands.

Anonymous said...

Enjoy the sanctions, Cheaters!

online bookmaker said...

when I went to North Carolina, I wanted to go to the stadium and watch a spring football game, but I couldn't, my job did not let me go :(