Sunday progress report: Grading UNC’s performance against Pitt position by position
North Carolina (1-2) beat Pittsburgh (2-2) 38-35 on Saturday, securing its first win of the season.
Here is how we graded the Tar Heels’ performance position by position.
Quarterbacks: A-
Junior quarterback Nathan Elliott was on point all game on Saturday. He was 22-31 for 313 yards and two touchdowns. He took care of the football. His quarterback rating was 81.8 out of 100. Against East Carolina, Elliott had a 46.4 quarterback rating. And against Cal he had a 7.8 quarterback rating. If Elliott can continue to play like he did against Pitt, he gives UNC a really good chance to win.
Running backs: A
With the return of sophomore running back Michael Carter from a hand injury, UNC utilized a three running back committee. Led by Ohio State transfer Antonio Williams, UNC ran for 173 yards. Williams had 114 yards on 16 carries and two touchdowns. It was a career high for him. Jordon Brown added 29 yards on the ground and a touchdown. And Carter had 28 yards rushing and 36 yards receiving. He also had a receiving touchdown.
Wide receivers: B+
UNC got a big-time performance from sophomore wide receiver Dazz Newsome, who had six catches for 110 yards on Saturday. Both were career highs. Anthony Ratliff-Williams added four catches for 84 yards, but suffered a leg injury late in the fourth quarter. UNC utilized a lot of screen plays and allowed its best players to get out in one-on-one situations and make plays. It worked.
Offensive line: A-
UNC’s success started up front. There were holes for running backs to run through and Elliott had time in the pocket to throw the ball. Elliott was hurried only twice and sacked just once. The offensive line seems to be getting better each game.
Defensive line: C+
UNC’s defensive line had its moments on Saturday. It picked up three sacks on the day and five quarterback hurries. But it did not do a good job stopping the run. Pitt gashed UNC for 228 yards on the ground and three rushing touchdowns.
Linebackers: C+
It seemed like UNC linebacker Cole Holcomb was all over the field. The 6-1, 235-pound linebacker had 12 tackles, a sack, a tackle for loss and a pass breakup. Linebacker Dominique Ross had five tackles, and Jonathan Smith had four tackles. But as a unit, the linebackers could have provided better run support.
Defensive backs: B-
UNC’s defensive backs have struggled without safety Myles Dorn, who suffered a leg injury against Cal. They gave up a lot of big plays against East Carolina. And early in Saturday’s game against Pitt, they gave up a few big passes too. But UNC’s secondary held Pitt’s Kenny Pickett to 51 yards passing in the second half. It still needs to create a turnover, something it hasn’t done all season.
Special teams: C-
UNC’s special teams unit, usually its best unit, was underwhelming on Saturday. Senior kicker Freeman Jones was 1-for-2 kicking field goals. He made 37-yard field goal but missed a 38-yard attempt. Newsome ran for -2 yards on three punt returns. Punter Hunter Lent did have some success. Of his four punts, two were placed inside the 20-yard line. UNC won the battle of field position on Saturday.
Coaching: B
The offensive game plan was creative against Pitt. UNC utilized a lot of screen plays to its best playmakers —Carter, Newsome, Ratliff-Williams — and allowed them to make plays out in space. All three of those players are hard to get down. UNC also ran the ball effectively on first down. Most importantly, UNC practiced what it preaches in finishing games. When Pitt attempted to come back late in the game, UNC held on for the win.
This story was originally published September 23, 2018 at 10:45 AM with the headline "Sunday progress report: Grading UNC’s performance against Pitt position by position."