When the North Carolina starting lineup was announced just prior to Saturday’s football game against East Carolina, a familiar face popped up on the Kenan Stadium video board — but not necessarily one that people expected to see.
Running back Giovani Bernard, who was held out of UNC’s previous two games with a nagging knee injury, was back on the field for the Tar Heels.
East Carolina sure looked like it was expecting him, though. The Pirates bottled up Bernard on the ground, holding him to just 50 yards on 18 carries for 2.8 yards per carry.
“Going into the game, we didn’t think they were going to be down so much with four down (linemen),” Bernard said. “We watched a lot of film where they were down with three down, and they came out with four and added an extra guy in the box.”
But Bernard still found a way to make his presence felt.
One of those 18 carries went for a 4-yard touchdown early in the third quarter that broke the game open, pushing the UNC lead to 24-6.
And as a receiver out of the backfield, Bernard added six catches for 52 yards and another touchdown.
Renner finds holes in the secondary
East Carolina stacking the box to defend Bernard also opened up space for quarterback Bryn Renner in the passing game.
Renner finished the game 27-43 with 321 yards and two touchdown passes.
“Obviously they’re going to want to stop (Bernard), and it helps the whole offense,” Renner said. “The O-line can make their blocks quicker, and we can see the open throwing lanes.”
Renner made big plays all game long, but his second touchdown was the biggest. With UNC only up 10-6 in the third quarter, Renner hit Sean Tapley down the left sideline for a 62-yard score.
It was the first and only play of the drive, which lasted all of 10 seconds — an ideal drive for coach Larry Fedora’s up-tempo offense.
And Renner’s stats could have been even better. Receiver Erik Highsmith dropped a perfect deep ball that Renner had thrown straight over the top of the defense. It would have gone for a sure touchdown.
Pass rush gets it going
The key to the game, though, might have been the UNC pass rush.
After allowing Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to throw for 279 yards and three touchdowns, the Tar Heel defense stepped up big time against East Carolina.
UNC didn’t give up a touchdown all game, and a dominant pass rush led the way.
The North Carolina defensive line got after quarterback Shane Carden almost every time he dropped back. UNC finished with seven sacks and forced Carden to throw the ball away several more times.
Fedora said it was a combination of good coverage in the secondary and a strong effort by the defensive line.
“There were some coverage sacks, no doubt about it,” Fedora said. “Especially when you rush three guys and you still get sacks. That’s a heck of a job — first of all by the coverage, then second, for all those three guys out front fighting their rear ends off to get to the quarterback.”
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