Williams, Tar Heels fall to Hokies

BLACKSBURG, Va. — Coach Larry Fedora said it was a game-time decision, but North Carolina quarterback Marquise Williams said he knew he’d get the start at Virginia Tech (5-1, 2-0 ACC) during Friday walk-throughs.

But in true Fedora fashion — it’s his policy not to discuss non-season-ending injuries — neither the extent of Bryn Renner’s left-foot injury sustained against East Carolina nor his ability to play were revealed during the week, leaving everyone guessing until UNC’s (1-4, 0-2 ACC) first drive in Saturday’s 27-17 penalty-riddled loss.

“We come out of pregame and the trainers said Bryn couldn’t go,” Fedora said. “There wasn’t any more to it than that. He was throwing the ball fine, but he wasn’t really mobile enough to play. He wasn’t mobile enough to protect himself.”

And with Renner on the sidelines wearing his uniform and a baseball cap, Williams took the field on his 21st birthday after the Tar Heel defense forced a Virginia Tech punt.

“I really didn’t know until coming into Friday’s walkthrough that Bryn wasn’t going to be able to go,” the sophomore said. “I had to get prepared. I practiced as if I was going with the (first string), which I did today.”

As expected, Williams held onto the ball for his first play of the game, gaining three yards on a rush up the middle. In three of the seven plays in UNC’s first series, Williams held on to the ball for a net gain of 11 yards.

But Williams proved he was more than a one-dimensional quarterback, capable only of supplementing UNC’s ground game when he fired off a 40-yard pass to Quinshad Davis.

“There was a lot of questions about could Marquise Williams throw the football,” said Williams, who missed the spring season because he wasn’t enrolled at UNC. “I proved that to myself today.”

Williams, who was highly recruited by Virginia Tech, finished the day completing 23 of 35 passes for 277 yards, but the sophomore threw two interceptions — including a particularly costly pick on a play action call in the fourth quarter.

“I was down on myself because I feel like I shouldn’t have made that throw,” Williams said. “Should have just rolled on out, kept it and tried to get the first down.”

But despite an otherwise sound start for Williams, the rest of the Tar Heel offense simply couldn’t get in sync facing a Hokie defense ranked No. 4 in the country. UNC had more offensive yards, 376 to Virginia Tech’s 341, but made costly mistakes on both sides of the ball.

Those mistakes, including 11 penalties for 79 yards and big plays like an 83-yard pass allowed by UNC’s defense, ultimately resulted in North Carolina’s third consecutive loss.

Though the Tar Heels dropped to 1-4, Williams is still happy with his first experience as starting quarterback.

“It’s something that’s a wish of every collegiate football player, starting on your 21st,” Williams said. “You can’t ask for more than that. And I feel like I could have done more, could have it better if I got the W, but other than that, we’ll be alright.”