Tar Heels roll over James Madison 42-10

Sophomore Bryn Renner began his career as North Carolina’s starting
quarterback with a bang, dominating James Madison 42-10.

After JMU deferred on the coin toss, Renner put an eight play, 63-yard drive into place in 3 minutes and 58 seconds.

The drive culminated in a 34-yard sling to wide receiver Dwight Jones on the post route, resulting in a UNC touchdown and putting the Tar Heels up to an early 7-0 lead.

North Carolina’s offense struck again as a quick two-play, 22-yard
drive fell into place. True freshman Giovani Bernard took both carries – 10 and 12 yards – and found himself in the end zone for the first time in his career.

Running back Ryan Houston, too, found the end zone. Only two plays
into the second quarter, Houston drove in six more from the one-yard
line. The extra point put UNC up 21-0.

“This o-line is big and strong,” Houston said. “Every time me or Gio
(Bernard) gets the ball, we feel like there’s something there – always. This o-line is what we’re going to carry our horses on.”

During the Tar Heels’ fifth possession of the game, Renner faltered.
The sophomore threw a pass deep into the north red zone, aiming for
Dwight Jones. Instead, JMU’s Dean Marlowe picked it off and returned
the ball to the 31-yard line. But the drive stopped before the Dukes
could cross the fifty yard line.

UNC’s defense kept up with its offense, holding the Dukes deep within their own territory until late into the second quarter.

JMU capitalized on a bad snap and blocked Thomas Hibbard’s punt, and
the Dukes had prime field position for the first time since kickoff.
From the 40 yard line, JMU quarterback Justin Thorpe fueled three
plays in just more than a minute, putting the Dukes on the board after a 41-yard bomb found wide receiver Daniel Brown in the end zone.

The Tar Heels answered with a 67-yard drive culminating in Bernard’s
second rushing touchdown of the day, a 14-yard dash up the middle to put UNC up 28-7 at the half.

Bernard’s explosive agility landed him nine carries and two touchdowns during his debut in Carolina Blue. He was Renner’s No. 2 rushing target of the afternoon, behind Houston.

“He’s a fanatical back that hides behind the line,” Houston said.
“He’s only four-foot nothing so people are like ‘where the running
back at?’”

Bernard attributed his height as a blessing from his parents.

“I’m a little height challenged,” he said. “And I run a little bit
lower than other guys my height. It’s special.”

At the end of the third quarter, JMU managed to get a few more points on the board.

Back-to-back sacks of Thorpe on the six yard line pushed the Dukes
back to the 14 and forced Cameron Starke onto the field to attempt a
31-yard field goal, which he sent sailing through the uprights,
bringing the game to a three possession margin.

But the Tar Heels struck again early in the fourth quarter, with
Renner driving in his first career rushing touchdown from the one-yard line. UNC tacked on seven more during its next possession as Renner threw a 21-yard pass across the middle to Jones, who drove it in and brought the Tar Heels up 42-10.

In his first career victory, Renner finished the day with 22 catches
on 23 attempts and one interception on 277 yards before being replaced by Braden Hanson. He tied the UNC record for consecutive completed pass attempts in a single game with 14 and missed the NCAA record for completion percentage by 0.1 percent.

“I look forward to the next time I get to run out and shake someone’s hand who loses against us,” coach Everett Withers said.

At the request of Withers, the team is painting the game ball for former head coach Butch Davis, who played a key role in recruiting and building the current Tar Heels. Davis was among the attendees in
Chapel Hill on Saturday.

“It’s hard to keep an old coach away from a good ball game,” Withers
said. “For him to be here today was an honor for me.”