Williams overcomes turnover deja vu against Virginia Tech

BLACKSBURG, VA. — As the ball kept popping loose and the rabid crowd at Lane Stadium roared louder and louder, no one on the North Carolina sideline could shake the feeling of, "Here we go again." 

Just like in the season-opening loss to South Carolina, redshirt senior quarterback Marquise Williams had turned the ball over three times. And just like before, it was Williams who was going to be the difference in a Tar Heel win or loss.

Yet this was a different Williams than the one who threw a game-ending interception in the end zone against the Gamecocks.

“Back in August, I didn’t have short-term memory,” said Williams after UNC’s 30-27 overtime win. “There was too much going on, but I knew we had to get this win as a team and we had to keep fighting and keep that grit going.”

No one in Carolina Blue had a short-term memory. The specter of the loss to South Carolina loomed large on Saturday, as Williams fumbled twice in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter with UNC leading 24-10.

“This can’t happen twice, I can’t have another game like South Carolina,” Williams said he remembered thinking.

But Coach Larry Fedora says after the quarterback’s second fumble, Williams came to the sideline and told him, “I’m good.”

“Marquise was never shaken,” Fedora said. “I can’t say the same for me.”

The Hokies scored two straight touchdowns to tie the game, then kicked a field goal to take a three-point lead in overtime. A sold-out crowd for legendary coach Frank Beamer’s final home game roared as they sensed victory within reach.

Then Williams exorcised the ghost of his performance that cost his team its only loss of the season.

“I just put it behind me,” Williams said. “I knew I had playmakers beside me, just put the ball in their area and they’re going to catch it.”

He found junior receiver Ryan Switzer on an 18-yard strike to take the ball inside the Virginia Tech 10. After two runs sandwiching a false start, UNC faced third-and-goal from the 5-yard line.

“He did not get fazed by the turnovers or anything,” senior receiver Quinshad Davis said. “I would say in the first game he was kind of shook up from the turnovers and felt like it was all on him. But we were able to comfort him in this game, and he felt like, ‘OK, we made a mistake, now let’s go get it.’”

Williams took the snap, then immediately turned and fired the ball to Davis’ back shoulder — the only place where either Davis would catch it or no one would.

Williams can’t change the past. He can’t unthrow the interceptions or hang on to the lost fumbles. But if he could, he might not.

“That’s what made me who I am today,” Williams said. “I seize every adversity as opportunity.”

Davis caught the pass and held on with both feet down in the end zone, giving UNC its winning touchdown — and Williams his redemption.

@loganulrich

sports@dailytarheel.com