CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) -From the start of the season, North Carolina’s players and coaches knew their success largely would be determined by how well their talented defense carried the burden for a young offense.
Judging by where the No. 23 Tar Heels stand as they close the regular season, that unit has lived up to its responsibility.
North Carolina ranks in the top 12 nationally in four major defensive categories, including fifth in total defense (261.6 yards) and 12th in scoring (15.9 points). They’ve become more opportunistic with takeaways in the Tar Heels’ four-game winning streak and have even scored four touchdowns in the past two weeks heading into this weekend’s finale at rival North Carolina State.
“Defense is the one thing that can be consistent,” coach Butch Davis said Monday. “You may not catch the ball or throw the ball as well. There’s a lot of variables that may happen, and you can’t control the weather.
fense has been the one rock we’ve been able to count on.”
North Carolina (8-3, 4-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) had nine starters back on a unit that ranked among the nation’s best in forcing turnovers last season. Compare that to an offense that had lost three receivers to the NFL draft and key offensive linemen to injury early in the season, hindering the team both with running and throwing the ball.
But North Carolina has held eight opponents to fewer than 20 points this year and forced 22 turnovers in the last six games after a slow start.
The only blips on the radar came in a 24-7 loss at Georgia Tech in which the offense managed 154 yards and left the defense on the field for 42 minutes against the Yellow Jackets’ option attack, and a 30-27 loss to Florida State in which the Seminoles rallied from a 24-6 third-quarter deficit on Oct. 22.
North Carolina hasn’t lost since.
The unit’s play has been particularly impressive in the past four games, starting with holding Virginia Tech to 17 points on the road before recovering the fumble that led to the last-play field goal for the win.
It followed by holding Duke’s prolific passing attack to 125 total yards, then harassing Miami’s Jacory Harris into four interceptions – with two returned for touchdowns – in an upset of the then-No. 12 Hurricanes two weeks ago.
Last week, the defense returned a fumble and an interception for touchdowns within 46 seconds of the first quarter in the 31-13 win at BC. Overall, the Tar Heels forced six turnovers, helping offset a so-so day from an offensive unit that has played better in recent weeks.
Now the Tar Heels are playing with a chance to improve their bowl positioning, not to mention earn nine wins in a season for the first time since Mack Brown’s last team here went 11-1 and finished sixth in the country a dozen years ago.
Everyone on the roster knows where much of the credit for that goes.
“They know that they’re obviously carrying us an extreme amount, because they’re getting turnovers and scoring touchdowns for us,” quarterback T.J. Yates said. “I really respect the defense and everything they do. When we’re struggling, they’re out there getting us points and when we’re sputtering on offense, they’re not ones to point fingers.”
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