Preview: UNC football looks to rebound from two-straight losses with Pitt game

Following two tumultuous losses, the North Carolina football team is looking to get back on track when the Tar Heels play undefeated Pittsburgh on Saturday in Kenan Stadium. 

After winning the first three contests of the season, UNC suffered what graduate defensive back Alijah Huzzie called an embarrassing loss, 70-50, to James Madison at home two weeks ago. This was followed by a collapse to rival Duke last week after giving up 21 unanswered points to the Blue Devils in the second half. 

Yet, head coach Mack Brown doesn’t place any blame on the players. 

“We, as coaches, haven't done a good enough job with them yet,” Brown said. 

Now, the Tar Heels will look to put themselves back in the win column to save their season from spiraling further out of control. 

Here are three themes to watch out for on Saturday as North Carolina tries to evade a three-game losing streak:

Establish Criswell as quarterback 

Graduate quarterback Jacolby Criswell is preparing to make his third start on Saturday after going 21 for 39 with 251 passing yards against Duke. His two touchdowns were not enough for UNC’s offense to prevail over the Blue Devils run-heavy second half. 

Plagued by injuries and inconsistency from other quarterback options, Criswell was thrown into the limelight. The transition from third-string to starting quarterback isn’t easy and takes some adjusting from all parties, but Criswell and other players see him as a leader.

“Every QB likes different things," senior wide receiver Nate McCollum said. "Every QB’s skillset is different. When you switch quarterbacks, you’re basically adjusting the offense of what the QB does best most of the time. It is difficult, but it can be done.”

Despite suffering losses in his first two starts, Criswell said the only way to gain comfortability within the offense is to keep gaining reps. In his third week as UNC’s starter, the offense is looking to build around Criswell and learn his style.

For a Pitt defense that has 11 sacks for 67 yards and 21 quarterback hurries on the season, finding this connection early with the offensive line and staying consistent on his throws will benefit the Tar Heels on the offensive side of the ball.  

Defensive communication

Heading into the Pittsburgh game, the defense is looking to return to the communication it had established in the first games of the season. 

In the season opener against Minnesota, UNC’s defense recorded five sacks, three from graduate defensive lineman Jahvaree Ritzie. Saturday against Duke, the defense recorded just three, and none from Ritzie. Against James Madison, the Tar Heels only notched three sacks.

According to graduate defensive lineman Kevin Hester, “little faults here and there” cost North Carolina some plays during those games. When the defense is on the same page, Huzzie said no one should be able to beat them.

Pittsburgh quarterback Eli Holstein, a transfer from Alabama, has led the Panthers to a 4-0 start. Pittsburgh’s offense ranks second in the ACC and averages 8.87 yards per pass. UNC’s defense is ranked No. 15 — third from last — in the conference. 

Knowing the Pitt offense has a strong run game, ranking fifth in the ACC, Hester wants to limit drop-offs on the field. Offensive coordinator Geoff Collins said these missed tackles — a total of 20 against Duke — were a result of someone trying to do too much and affecting another player’s ability to do their job.  

North Carolina will have to maintain its communication to prevent these defensive mistakes from repeating and compounding. 

Let the past stay in the past 

According to Hester, the defense is focusing on having short-term memory. During the game, UNC wants to put its attention on the next play instead of dwelling on what happened in the last one. 

Huzzie said that one missed play cannot mess up the next play. There are always more chances to correct what went wrong, and it shouldn’t snowball into more mistakes. Against Duke, three defensive penalties cost UNC 19 yards. The offense recorded six penalties in total for 60 yards. 

"When things started happening negatively, and we're going to stop doing this, but we have a tendency to try to do too much, and try to do things outside of the framework of what our individual responsibility is," Collins said. 

Against Pittsburgh, UNC will look to limit what has hendered them in the past and move forward. 

“It’s one of those things that you learn,” Brown said. “Take negatives and turn them into positives.” 

@aplancaster_

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