UNC football focuses on red zone success, says Withers

So far this season, the North Carolina football team has been on the ball when it comes to red zone efficiency.

In a total of 18 trips beyond the 20-yard line, the Tar Heels have managed to convert 15 into touchdowns and have attempted only two field goals.

“To me, if you can be good in the red zone, you’ve got a chance to play good defense,” interim coach Everett Withers said in a press conference on Monday.

“Those are stats that bring home playing good team-football.”

In Saturday’s game against East Carolina, UNC converted four red zone opportunities into three touchdowns and held ECU to only one touchdown and three field goals in as many attempts.

Withers attributes the team’s 83 percent success rate in the red zone to the extensive emphasis on driving the ball over the goal line during practice every week.

Redshirt sophomore quarterback Bryn Renner agreed. Renner said that this year, the team focuses a lot more on red zone efficiency compared to other seasons.

“Every Wednesday, we take about 20 minutes of practice and go down (to the red zone),” Renner said. “We’ll run a scripted 12 plays that we like — pass and run — that we think would get the job done.”

Offensive lineman Jonathan Cooper said the secret to the team’s success in the red zone is the diversity of play calling.

“I feel like we’ve done a great job of mixing up the run game and the passing game,” he said. “It makes you more efficient (in the red zone) to not just be one-sided.”

UNC, ranked 36th in the country in scoring defense, has also managed to stifle its opponents in the red zone.

In the five games so far this season, the UNC defensive line has held its opponents to only seven touchdowns in 18 trips across the 20-yard line.

But, ranking 50th in the nation in scoring offense leaves room for improvement.

That improvement, according to Withers, involves capitalizing on turnover opportunities.

Against ECU, the Tar Heels forced four turnovers, but Withers said the team suffered from a lot of missed opportunities.

“We left a lot of meat on the bone,” Withers said. “For special teams, there were maybe two kickoffs where, if we (could have gotten) one block, we’re to the house … If somebody makes a block, Gio’s got 240-something yards of offense.

“The rest of the schedule, we’ve got to start taking advantage of those opportunities.”

Renner said he looks forward to the challenge of improving every week, even after a decisive victory.

“That’s the (most fun) thing about football,” he said. “There’s going to be stuff you can always correct.”

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