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Tar Heel defense difference in victory
North Carolina gets three interceptions, one fumble recovery
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Published: September 6, 2009
CHAPEL HILL
North Carolina used a swarming, opportunistic defense led by end Robert Quinn to overwhelm The Citadel at Kenan Stadium last night and win 40-6 win in its season opener.
North Carolina forced three interceptions, two by safety Deunta Williams, behind a strong, disruptive pass rush and recovered a fumble. Constant defensive pressure allowed The Citadel to cross midfield only twice in the first three quarters.
The Citadel did not advance beyond the UNC 40-yard line under its own power. Its points came on field goals in the fourth quarter after two fumbled punts, one by Kendric Burney and the other by Charles Brown, led to possession first at the UNC 25 and then at the 29.
UNC took a 23-0 halftime lead, sparked by tailback Shaun Draughn, and added two more touchdowns in the first 16 minutes of the second half to lead 37-0. Williams said UNC accomplished much of what it set out to do in starting its third season under Coach Butch Davis.
"I think it was a pretty strong game," Williams said. "Coach Davis said he wanted to hang up half a century (score 50 points). We came close.
"I was preaching to the defense to get a shutout. We didn't get that, but that's the only thing that kind of disappoints me a little bit. Some of the big plays we gave up could have been eliminated as well, but overall it was a pretty good first game."
Davis improved to 3-0 in season openers at North Carolina. All three wins have come against NCAA Football Championship Subdivision programs.
UNC's 2009 NCAA Tournament national-championship basketball team was honored at halftime, with the players and coaches receiving their championship rings.
North Carolina's defense managed to control The Citadel's prolific passing combination of quarterback Bart Blanchard and receiver Andre Roberts.
It was the biggest winning margin of the Davis coaching era.
Blanchard suffered all of the interceptions. He was intercepted only 11 times in all of last season. Roberts caught 10 passes for 30 yards, after averaging 111 yards receiving last season.
Roberts' longest reception covered 6 yards. Williams said that the Tar Heels did nothing special to hold down Roberts, although Davis was worried about Roberts' breakaway ability.
"We did a lot of things to keep him bottled up," Williams said. "The way that we pursued cut out a lot of his yards after making catches. I think that was a major thing tonight. See a cat, guard a cat. I always knew where he was on the field."
The Citadel rushed for 30 yards on 20 carries. The Bulldogs' two top running backs were out because of injuries, but the rushing yards were the fewest UNC has allowed under Davis and were the fewest by an opponent in almost four years.
E.J. Wilson, a defensive end, said the defense tried to play all out for the entire game and utilize its speed. Williams thought the game was the strong start that the defense needed in the opening game.
"This is where we start," he said. "We have to keep building on this and keep trying to dominate. Since the end of last year we've had a plan to do whatever we have to do to dominate every game and give our offense a chance to score."
Draughn rushed for 118 yards and averaged almost six yards a carry as the Tar Heels rushed for 261 yards, the most rushing yardage that UNC has generated in a game under Davis.
UNC's rushing yards were its most since the last game of the 2004 season when 285 yards were generated in a win over Duke.
The rushing yardage and the four forced turnovers helped UNC offset six dropped passes. The receivers' inexperience showed at times. Two passes were dropped in three plays in one possession in the first half.
No UNC receiver caught more than two passes. Greg Little staked UNC to a 23-0 lead after scoring a touchdown on a 21-yard pass from quarterback T.J. Yates. He said the receivers, all new starters, did not suffer first-game jitters.
"We have some young guys, but we're still going to hold ourselves to a higher standard," Little said. "Believe me, I'm going to push myself and my fellow receivers to not drop passes and be the best that we can be."
■ Bill Cole can be reached at bcole@wsjournal.com
The Citadel 0 0 0 6 -- 6
North Carolina 0 23 7 10 -- 40
Second Quarter
UNC--FG Barth 22, 14:15.
UNC--J.White 18 pass from Yates (Barth kick), 8:10.
UNC--Houston 5 run (kick failed), 3:21.
UNC--Little 21 pass from Yates (Barth kick), 1:55.
Third Quarter
UNC--Houston 3 run (Barth kick), 3:13.
Fourth Quarter
UNC--Searcy 77 punt return (Barth kick), 14:45.
Citadel--FG Keeler 42, 7:43.
UNC--FG Barth 40, 4:31.
Citadel--FG Keeler 28, :28.
A--58,500.
TEAM STATISTICS
Citadel UNC
First downs 8 22
Rushes-yards 20-30 44-261
Passing 123 114
Comp-Att-Int 22-39-3 9-22-2
Return Yards 20 141
Punts-Avg. 9-39.7 3-41.0
Fumbles-Lost 1-1 2-2
Penalties-Yards 5-40 4-31
Time of Possession 29:36 30:24
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING--The Citadel, Biakabutuka 7-30, Starks 6-13, Kennedy 1-3, Team 1-(minus 5), Blanchard 5-(minus 11). North Carolina, Draughn 20-118, Houston 6-45, Womble 6-41, Boyd 2-25, Blue 4-14, Yates 3-12, Little 1-9, Team 2-(minus 3).
PASSING--The Citadel, Blanchard 21-37-3-117, Starks 1-2-0-6. North Carolina, Yates 9-20-1-114, Hanson 0-2-1-0.
RECEIVING--The Citadel, Roberts 10-30, Harward 5-37, Kennedy 3-16, Hardy 2-32, Biakabutuka 1-4, Caldwell 1-4. North Carolina, Little 2-31, Adams 2-26, Draughn 2-11, Pianalto 1-25, J.White 1-18, Rome 1-3.
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