UNC football player T.J. Thorpe says team controls its own future

Here is the refrain T.J. Thorpe has been telling his fellow receivers: Control the things you can control.

One point of emphasis? How hard they practice against their cornerbacks and safeties.

“In practice, we as a receiving corps, we sometimes, when we’re not feeling it, just go through the motions,” said Thorpe, a receiver on the North Carolina football team. “And I feel like sometimes our DBs pay for it on Saturday.”

Yes, they have: UNC’s secondary has given up 120 points and more than 800 passing yards in its past two games, both double-digit losses.

So this week it was different.

“What we tried to do,” Thorpe said, “was just come out with the mentality that we were just going to beat them down and talk junk to them and try to make every play and touchdown.”

It’s all part of something bigger echoing through North Carolina football: Confine your concentration, complete your charge and your charge only.

“I can’t control how (quarterback) Marquise (Williams) throws the ball or what he sees. I can’t block (Clemson defensive end) Vic Beasley and run a route,” Thorpe said. “So focus on your assignment.”

Starting Saturday, UNC (2-2, 0-1 ACC) plays Virginia Tech at 12:30 p.m. at Kenan Stadium, after an uninspired four-game start and before the season is lost for good.

Yes, a win against the Hokies could inspire the Tar Heels before they travel to play the No. 9 team in the land. A loss, no. Let’s not go there. They’re not thinking ahead.

“You still have to take each week at a time,” Thorpe said. “One day, one practice.”

They’re thinking about other things.

They’re thinking about how to plug a defense that’s given up more yards per game (543) than all but five of the other 125 Football Bowl Subdivision teams this season.

“Mental mistakes,” coach Larry Fedora said.

They’re thinking about how to exploit the Hokies’ aggressive man-to-man coverage.

“Anytime we have a man-to-man style game, as a receiver, you’re definitely happy about that, because it’s me versus you,” Thorpe said. “There’s no help, no anything.”

They’re thinking about how to continue improving their defensive front seven, which allowed a season-low 92 rushing yards against Clemson last week.

“We had multiple guys getting to the football, we tackled much better, so there were some bright spots defensively up front,” Fedora said.

They’re thinking about the return of right guard Landon Turner, and what it could mean for an offense that has averaged an ACC-best 40.8 points per game through four.

“(Tuesday) we were doing one-on-ones, and (Turner’s) winning his battles, and even the defensive guys are saying, ‘He’s back. He’s back,’” offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic said.

More importantly, they’re thinking about their singular tasks, tunnel-visioning their way to a better performance.

“Your fate,” Thorpe said, “is in your own hands.”

They control it.

sports@dailytarheel.com