UM’s defense holds UNC to season low, a bright spot in first conference loss
The Miami Hurricanes, who struggled with one-on-one matchups in their loss to Middle Tennessee State a couple weeks ago, found some reprieve from their defensive struggles against the North Carolina Tar Heels Saturday.
Despite Miami’s second half defensive heroics, the Hurricanes were unable to pull off the win. UNC’s air raid offense was tied for sixth in the nation in scoring with 45.4 points per game before Saturday. UM (2-3, 0-1) held the Tar Heels (5-1, 2-0) to just 27, a season low.
“This is a very hard-working team,” cornerback DJ Ivey said of the defense, which only allowed six points in the second half. “They’re resilient. They always fight back. The team really showed the heart that they got. Being down coming into halftime, and then coming out of halftime and fighting back for the win. It’s just amazing. Some teams would have probably gave up, but I know the guys… they’ll fight to the end.”
The Hurricanes allowed three long touchdown passes two weeks ago against the Blue Raiders: one for 69 yards, another for 71 and another for 98. Coach Mario Cristobal said blown man coverage by Miami made way for such explosive plays.
Saturday proved more fruitful for Miami’s defense. After giving up 21 points in the first half, the Hurricanes buckled down on the Tar Heels. UM ended the second quarter with an interception by Keontra Smith, and opened the third with a pick by Kamren Kinchens.
“We just start playing assignment football, and we stuck to it,” Cristobal said. “We showed discipline, which goes with it. So that’s probably the best way to describe it. We showed more discipline the second half and started executing at a higher level.”
Heading into Saturday’s game, UNC’s freshman quarterback Drake Maye was tied No. 1 in the nation for touchdown passes with 19. He was seventh in the nation in passing yards (1,594), and fourth in the country in passing efficiency (187.63).
Maye’s longest pass before facing the Hurricanes traveled 80 yards, and he’d only thrown one interception this season. Of the Tar Heels’ 227 points through five games, 96 (or 42%) came off Maye touchdown passes.
UM held Maye to 19 of 28 (67.9%) for 309 yards and two touchdowns – all season lows. Miami also sacked the freshman five times – a season high for the Hurricanes.
“We knew the type of quarterback he was, knew the protections that they ran,” said defensive end Mitchell Agude, who recorded one of those sacks. “So I think just our preparation in the D-line room. I think that’s what helped us get the sack production.”
A few breakthrough plays created North Carolina’s insurmountable lead.
The game-winning score came in the form of a 19-yard field goal with four minutes and 10 seconds left in the game. It was the culmination of a 18-play, 81-yard drive that lasted over eight minutes.
A 74-yard pass from Maye to J.J. Jones over Miami defensive back Tyrique Stevenson resulted in UNC’s first score of the game on its opening drive. Two drives later a 52-yard completion from Maye to Antoine Green (again over Stevenson) set the Tar Heels up for another touchdown. Ivey said those two plays were the result of a “miscommunication on the back end,” a “mental error.”
Saturday marked the first of eight consecutive ACC battles for Miami. Agude said he’s gotten more comfortable with each passing game, playing less timid as the weeks go on. But the UNC game served as a reminder of what they’re up against for the rest of the season.
“After just having this conference game I know that we got to take it to another level,” Agude said. “And I just always want to reach the best of me. So I think just going out, going out the season, I got to be better…and just give everything I got and just make sure that I bring my teammates with me and I follow my teammates as well.”
This story was originally published October 8, 2022 at 10:01 PM.