During tailback Giovani Bernard’s two-game absence, redshirt freshman Romar Morris and junior A.J. Blue proved more than capable as replacements.
Now, in the two games since Bernard’s return, they’ve become offensive fixtures.
UNC offensive coordinator Blake Anderson said after practice Tuesday that the coaching staff was working on ways to incorporate both Morris and Blue into the offense, and he stayed true to his word.
In Saturday’s 66-0 blowout of Idaho, the Tar Heels featured several two-back packages, mixing and matching Bernard, Morris and Blue in the backfield.
Morris said that’s something the Tar Heels have been working on since the Louisville game on Sept. 15, and it’s added another dimension to UNC’s offensive game.
“It’s great having more than one back on the field because we have a good number of backs that can actually make plays,” Morris said. “If you put two on the field at the same time, it’s pretty deadly.”
On Saturday, Morris and Blue actually had more carries than the incumbent starter Bernard. Morris and Blue had 12 and 13 carries respectively, while Bernard had just two.
But, then again, Bernard needed just two. He scored touchdowns on both plays.
For the rest of the time, it was Morris and Blue who carried the load, and Bernard said they’ve earned that opportunity.
“With me being gone a couple of games, I think they were able to establish themselves. They were able to show everybody what they can do,” Bernard said.
“And now, with all three of us, we’re really a three-headed monster … That’s something that we really pride ourselves on.”
Morris keeps blocking punts
In addition to establishing himself in the running and receiving games, Morris has also developed into somewhat of a punt blocker extraordinaire.
The tailback blocked a punt in the fourth quarter against Louisville two weeks ago, and in the first quarter Saturday, he struck again, setting up a scoring drive for UNC.
After the game, Morris attributed his blocking success to UNC’s gameplan.
“Coach (Larry) Fedora draws up a good punt scheme every week,” Morris said. “And I just execute it every week.”
Morris wasn’t alone Saturday. In fact, his block was just one of two. Senior Pete Mangum added one later in the first quarter, and the Tar Heels just narrowly missed another one in the second quarter due to an Idaho penalty.
“I’m a little disappointed. We should’ve blocked three of them tonight,” Fedora said. “If they don’t jump offsides on that one, Romar’s gonna block another one. So that was a little disappointing. I’ve never done that, so I wanted to get that done.”
But while the Tar Heels couldn’t get that third blocked punt on Saturday, there’s a good chance they’ll add to the total as the season progresses — at least, if Morris gets his way.
“Every time I go out there the mentality is that I’m going to block the punt,” Morris said. “I believe I’m going to block it every time.”
Defense gets a youthful spark
The UNC defense pitched its second shutout of the season Saturday — the first time it has accomplished that feat since 1996.
In the process, the defense received contributions from a few of its youngest members.
Junior safety Tre Boston said he welled up with pride as he witnessed players like freshman Malik Simmons recover a fumble and T.J. Jiles pick up an interception.
“Those are two of the boys that are from my crib,” Boston said. “It made me feel happy. It’s like a dad watching his kids or an older brother watching his younger brother. It makes me feel good that those guys are getting their feet wet because my freshman year I was trying to do the same thing.”
In total, UNC intercepted the ball four times on Saturday. Jiles and redshirt freshman Darien Rankin each picked up the first interception of their careers, and bandit Dion Guy, a senior, recorded his first career interception as well.
Boston, who had an interception of his own, praised UNC’s front seven for putting pressure on quarterback Dominique Blackman and forcing him to throw into coverage.
And as a whole, Boston said he believes the defense has progressed nicely since the beginning of the season.
“I think honestly from week to week we get better and better,” Boston said.
“The first couple of weeks it was a little shaky. We thought we knew it as well as we did, and now getting into game speed, we actually are learning the stuff. We actually are executing it, and it’s looking real good for us.”
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