North Carolina just dropped a tough one, 38-27, to the #3 ranked Notre Dame on Saturday afternoon, and what started as a promising second season for head coach Bill Belichick has hit a major speed bump. His Tar Heels, who kicked off the year 2-0, are now sitting at a concerning 2-2, and the glaring issue staring everyone in the face is a run defense that’s getting absolutely gashed.
UNC’s Fight Wasn’t Enough Against a Running Machine
Man, you gotta give it up for the fight UNC showed at Kenan Stadium. They came out swinging, with Billy Edwards hitting Shamar Easter on a 6-yard play-action pass for an opening-drive touchdown right after a defensive stop. They even returned the second-half opening kickoff for a score, proving they weren’t backing down from the Irish. But that’s where the good news kinda stops. Notre Dame, now 5-0, just kept hammering away with their power run game, racking up a season-high 241 rushing yards. Their quarterback, CJ Carr, looked every bit like a Heisman Trophy contender, slinging five touchdowns, with his final one going to Nolan James Jr. in the fourth quarter. Eventually, the Tar Heels just got tired late, and you could feel that 38-27 loss slip away.
Belichick’s Defense Is Bleeding Yards, and He Knows It
The numbers for this UNC defense, especially against the run, are just brutal. They’ve given up a staggering 427 rushing yards in the past two weeks alone. And get this: a “typically-stout pass defense” let Carr throw for four touchdowns. They never forced Notre Dame into any offensive mistakes, which Belichick had highlighted as a key to victory heading into the game. In his postgame presser, Belichick didn’t mince words. He said the team “weren’t able to make enough plays really in any area” and “missed some opportunities on offense and gave up too many easy touchdowns on defense.” When asked about “the process,” he admitted they were competitive but “missed some opportunities” and needed to “do a better job of coaching, playing, taking advantage of those opportunities.” He specifically called out the run defense, saying they need to “coach it better, play it better.” Notre Dame, an “inside running team,” ran it better than they “should have,” leading to “too many leaky yards.” He did mention Isaiah Johnson’s absence “didn’t help it any” but stressed “we had other players that we just need to do a better job.” He’s not wrong.
It’s a tough spot to be in, sitting at 2-2 when you started so strong. Belichick mentioned they’re not thinking about the next game yet, but they’re gonna have to shift focus real quick. They’re heading to Pitt next weekend, and guess what? Pitt is also 5-0 and sitting atop the ACC. This is a critical moment for the Tar Heels. Can Belichick fix this run defense, or are we gonna see more “leaky yards” against the ACC’s best? We’ll be watching to see if they can turn this thing around.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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