Found Column: Why Carolina Will Win

Carolina's wide receivers and a clutch Connor Barth will make for a long day for the Wolfpack and a win for the Heels.

Posted 2:31 a.m. Nov 7, 2007 — Updated 3:08 a.m. Nov 7, 2007

Gregg Found

Gregg Found, a senior at North Carolina, has covered the Tar Heels for WRAL.com this season.

A 16-13 North Carolina win again Maryland ushered in both hope and sadness for Tar Heel fans.

Hope because winning their last three games will make the Tar Heels bowl eligible, and sadness because the team now heads on the road for two games, and since the season-ending Duke game is over Thanksgiving, most student Tar Heels have attended their last football game this year.

In a season largely characterized by growing pains and pleasant surprises during the first year of the Butch Davis era, no other game figures to last as long in the minds of Triangle fans than this weekends UNC-N.C. State showdown.

It’s hard to say where UNC’s momentum lies. They are fresh off a home win against a Maryland team higher than the Tar Heels in the standings, but they are only two weeks removed from a forgettable road blowout at the hands of Wake Forest.

Buildup and momentum aside, let’s see why the Tar Heels will take down the Wolfpack.

The Tar Heel defense, which figures a mixture of the old (Hilee Taylor, Kentwan Balmer, Durell Mapp) with the young (Marvin Austin, Quan Sturdivant, Deunta Williams) has come into its own as a shut-down unit.

It held down Virginia Tech and South Carolina, stood strong against Maryland last week, and even against Wake Forest, only 17 of the Deacons’ 37 points came after sustained drives.

The pass rush has developed behind Taylor – averaging a sack per game – Balmer and the burly, excitable Austin. Opposing quarterbacks are averaging less than 200 yards per game.

Austin and fellow freshman Aleric Mullins have allowed the Tar Heel defense to shuffle players in and out of the defensive line, keeping the attack fresh.

On the other side of the ball, the wide receiving trio of Hakeem Nicks, Brandon Tate and Brooks Foster has proven to be a reliable force supporting up-and-down freshman quarterback T.J. Yates.

Nicks, the wideout star, has gained yards with his grit as well as his athleticism. In fight for first downs, tacking on tacklers and refusing to go out of bounds, Nicks has shown a toughness unique to wide receivers

Tate brings the speed and deep threat, though for as many times as he and Yates have hooked up, there are just as many overthrown balls or through-the-hands incompletions.

Foster is the possession receiver, running routes underneath and picking up his yards in small chunks whenever needed. Freshman Greg Little, who has been found at quarterback, running back and returning kicks, also provides athleticism when he lines up as a wideout.

Finally, kicker Connor Barth has ice in his veins.

A Lou Groza award – given to the best kicker – semifinalist, Barth has converted 13 of his 14 field goals this year and hit from as deep as 51 yards.

After booting the game winner in 2004 to upset Miami in Kenan Stadium, Barth could bookend his UNC kicking career with a big kick to win a game in his senior year.

N.C. State kicker Steven Hauschka has been just as good this season, nailing 14 of his 15 kicks, including a game-winner last week against Miami.

So if it comes down to a field goal, both teams have to figure to like their chances. But if the Tar Heels have the ball in Wolfpack territory with the clock winding down, they feel plenty confident turning to the blond bomber Barth for their fourth consecutive win against N.C. State.

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