Marquise Williams set multiple school records on Saturday

There was a different Marquise Williams on Kenan Stadium’s field Saturday afternoon against Duke.

This Williams wasn’t there two weeks ago in a 26-13 win over Virginia, when he threw an interception and failed to throw a touchdown. This Williams certainly wasn’t there in the three-pick season opening loss to South Carolina. This Williams was someone the North Carolina football program had never witnessed in school history.

“He snapped,” said sophomore running back Elijah Hood, who had three touchdowns in the 66-31 demolition of the Blue Devils. “That’s the only way I can say it. He snapped.”

The snap happened on UNC’s first offensive play of the game, when Williams found a wide-open Ryan Switzer streaking downfield on a perfectly executed flea-flicker. Touchdown.

“He was dropping bombs,” Hood said. “It was just raining touchdowns from (Williams).”

Touchdown, touchdown, touchdown ... Touchdown.

Williams was responsible for five of them throughout the game, which proved to be a record-setting affair — for Williams and the Tar Heels.

Five hundred twenty-four yards of total offense: the most in school history, accomplished in fewer than three quarters of play.

Four hundred ninety-four passing yards: the most single-game passing yards in school history.

Eighty-three career touchdowns: the most in school history.

“I think this is one of his best games he’s ever played,” said redshirt senior guard Landon Turner, who was part of an offensive line that prevented the then-No. 9 Duke defense from sacking Williams even once.

“I was really impressed with him, particularly having a front seat to the Brandon Fritts throw. I was amazed at how perfect it was, right over the defender. I even chuckled to myself a little bit as I was jogging down the field. I was like, ‘Huh, that’ll work. I’m happy with that.’”

Everyone else was happy with that too — except for maybe Duke coach David Cutcliffe.

“I don’t know that I’ve ever seen as many explosive plays executed as their offense did,” Cutcliffe said. “I thought their quarterback played exceptionally well ... We just got whipped, badly, in every aspect.”

Cutcliffe was certainly on to something when he said he’s never seen as many explosive plays. With 97 combined points, Saturday’s game proved to be the highest scoring affair of any Duke-UNC football game. The 66 points the Tar Heels put up were the most any previous North Carolina team had managed against an ACC opponent.

And Williams was in the driver’s seat for it. And after hearing his opinions on the Blue Devils (as well as remembering his 2014 performance against them, when he threw and ran for four combined touchdowns), all of the numbers start to become a little bit less surprising.

A little bit

“It’s just Duke ... Ugh, I just don’t like them,” Williams said. “It’s just something about them. That color doesn’t feed very well with me.

“Actually, my first cousin (Carlos Wray) is a (defensive tackle), and I just didn’t even want to look at him because he disgusts me. You know?”

Williams credits the work he put in this week at practice and studying film for his success. He credits his coaches. Mostly though, he credits his teammates who are blocking for him and the ones running downfield catching his passes.

But something surely changes when he looks across the field and sees 11 players lining up in those blue jerseys that just don’t sit well with him. Something that makes him put his foot on the gas pedal — and then never let up.

“I heard one of the guys tell (Ryan) Switzer (after his touchdown), ‘This is going to be a long day,’” Williams said. “I started laughing when I heard that.

“I told Coach, ‘We gotta keep going. We gotta keep going.’ The guys already feel like this is going to be a long game for them, so let’s keep going.”

And that’s exactly what they did.

@CarlosACollazo

sports@dailytarheel.com