Tigers Look to Keep Heels Winless at Home |
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - A year ago North Carolina embarrassed Clemson on
homecoming at Death Valley, 38-3, with one of the more dominant defensive performances in recent memory. Such memories are all the Tar Heels have left in 2002. Decimated by losses to graduation and early entry to the NFL, North Carolina is giving up over 450 yards per game through nine outings this season. Not surprisingly the Tar Heels are 2-7 in those nine games and losers of five straight. What's more, UNC (0-5 Atlantic Coast Conference) has yet to win a game on its home field. Today's matchup with Clemson (5-4, 3-3) represents the last opportunity for John Bunting's team to win one at Kenan Stadium. "A lot of our seniors are playing their last game here. I've got mixed emotions coming up here. It's been a tough season, particularly tough at home, particularly the last game," Bunting said. "Here's our last game, at home, coming up now... I know they would love to close with a win, and so would I. I'd love to give our fans at win at home." Clemson, of course, would much rather see UNC's next home victory come sometime in 2003. In order to make that happen, Tommy Bowden's team must attack the Tar Heels not only through the air, but on the ground with some effectiveness. North Carolina allows 235 rushing yards per game, yet Clemson could manage just 59 net yards on 33 carries a week ago at Duke. But changes in the lineup - Tommy Sharpe replaces Jermyn Chester at center, and speedy Tye Hill subbing for the injured Yusef Kelly at tailback - may help shake up the Tigers running game. It should. Because if Clemson can't run against North Carolina, moving the ball on the ground the next two weeks vs. Maryland and South Carolina will be next to impossible. "Their free safety has 120 tackles and the next closest guy has 66," Bowden said. "Their safety is a very active player and you can tell a couple of things by those statistics. They are getting him involved in the running game... They are up there with a linebacker mentality so that means blitz and they bring a lot of people up to stop the run. "It's very unusual to have a team that has a safety leading the team in tackles by double the margin." Of course, such an aggressive mentality means plenty of one-on-one coverage on the wide receivers, meaning Whitehurst should get opportunities to make big plays. His presence in the pocket proved to be a huge factor in the Duke victory, Whitehurst waiting and waiting - sometimes too long - for a receiver to come free. If North Carolina chooses to use the aggressive approach, rather than adopt the rush three, drop eight Clemson has seen in recent weeks, Whitehurst and Co. could be primed for another big day. "Charlie hung in there this past week and hit Hamilton and Youngblood on touchdown passes against the blitz," Bowden said. "Now it wasn't press man, but it was man coverage where Charlie had to make a quick decision. (Whether to press) is a decision that (UNC) will have to make."
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