UNC Preview

Who: #9/7 Virginia Tech Hokies (9-1, 5-1 ACC) vs North Carolina Tar Heels (6-4, 2-2 ACC)

Time: 8:02 PM

TV Coverage: ESPN (Rece Davis, Jesse Palmer, Craig James)

Venue: Lane Stadium, Blacksburg, VA (66,233 – Grass)

Series History: Virginia Tech leads 17-10-6

• Last Meeting (2010): Virginia Tech 26, North Carolina 10
• The Hokies came from behind to knock off the Tar Heels, scoring the final 20 points of the game. Marcus Davis caught two touchdowns and the Hokie defense picked off T.J. Yates four times in the win.
• Since joining the ACC, the Hokies are 6-1 against the Heels, with the lone loss coming two years ago on a Thursday night in Lane Stadium.

Injury Report

• LB Alonzo Tweedy – Doubtful (Ankle)
• P Scott Demler – Doubtful (Back)
• OL David Wang – Out (Foot)

The Opponent: Thursday night in Lane is always a special occasion, but this year being Senior Night makes it even more special. At 7:41 tomorrow night, 17 seniors will be honored for their dedication to Virginia Tech and run out of the tunnel for the final time. It’d be great to see a full house to honor those seniors.

As for the game itself, the Tar Heels come in at 6-4 and are fresh after a bye week. Prior to the bye, UNC performed its own Jekyll and Hyde routine, dropping 49 on Wake Forest before getting shut out at NC State.

• On Offense: Inconsistency has been the name of the game for the Heels, as evidenced by their last two games. Quarterback Bryn Renner (6-3, 215, r-SO) pilots the Carolina offense and leads the ACC in passing efficiency despite tossing 11 interceptions. Seven of those 11 have come in UNC losses, and last time out against NC State he was removed because of a mild concussion. Interestingly, Renner grew up a Hokie fan, but chose UNC over Virginia Tech.

  Renner has some great weapons at wide receiver, highlighted by Dwight Jones (6-4, 225, SR) and Erik Highsmith (6-3, 190, JR). Jones is a legitimate NFL prospect and has over 900 yards and eight touchdowns this season. On the other hand, Highsmith has 36 catches for 518 yards and three touchdowns. In addition, the Heels like to throw it deep to Jheranie Boyd (6-2, 190, JR), who’s averaging nearly 18 yards per reception and has four touchdowns on just 11 receptions.

  The biggest part of the Carolina offense, though, is running back Giovanni Bernard (5-10, 205, r-FR). Bernard is one of the best freshmen in the league and already has 1,012 yards and 11 touchdowns this season. He’s been a force for the Heels, averaging over five yards per carry. Ryan Houston (6-2, 245, SR) is a capable backup as more of an inside runner.

  Bernard’s success is a direct result of his offensive line’s play. The Heels have three starting offensive lineman that stand 6-7, 310+ and draw comparisons to Miami’s offensive line. However, they haven’t been able to protect the QB, giving up nearly three sacks per game. UNC’s plan on Thursday will be to establish a power running attack early and then develop play action. If they can do that successfully, they’ll have a chance, much like they did two years ago. If they can’t, however, it could be a long day for Renner and Co.

• On Defense: Much like previous years, the Tar Heels bring an athletic, NFL-like front seven to face the Hokies. This year, Carolina is giving up just 108 yards per game on the ground, the 18th-best mark in the nation, but has struggled against the pass.

  Up front, Quinton Couples (6-6, 290, SR) and Kareem Martin (6-6, 260, SO) are two of the most prolific defensive ends in the ACC. They’ve combined for 13.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks this year. They’re fast, and they’re athletic, which is a theme of this group. Tydreke Powell (6-3, 305, SR) and Sylvester Williams (6-3, 315, JR) and run-stopping tackles that have been a force as well, combining 9.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.

  Carolina’s linebackers also pack a punch and are led by Zach Brown (6-2, 230, SO). Brown is one of the premier linebackers in the ACC and leads UNC in tackles and sacks from his outside linebacker position. Darius Lipford (6-3, 230, SO) starts on the opposite side of Brown at sam linebacker. In the middle, Kevin Reddick (6-3, 240, JR) is in the midst of his third year as a starter for Carolina and ranks second on the team with 57 tackles despite missing a game.

  The same good things can’t be said about the secondary. After losing free safety Matt Merletti early in the season, things have deteriorated. Charles Brown (5-10, 205, SR), one of the players involved in the scandal last year, starts at one cornerback position and has two interceptions this season. At the other corner, though, is true freshman Tim Scott (5-11, 180, FR), who you can absolutely bet will be picked on by Logan Thomas, especially with Jarrett Boykin and Danny Coale on the edge. Jonathan Smith (6-2, 210, SR) and Tre Boston (6-1, 190, SO) round out the lineup at strong and free safety, respectively.

Players to Watch:

• Virginia Tech
• WR #19 Danny Coale
• Last Game @ Georgia Tech: 2 catches, 97 yards, TD
• Last Year @ North Carolina: 2 catches, 52 yards
• This Season: 44 catches, 724 yards, 3 TD
• ROV #15 Eddie Whitley
• Last Game @ Georgia Tech: 4 tackles, 2 solo
• Last Year @ North Carolina: 5 tackles, 4 solo, 1 interception
• This Season: 51 tackles, 26 solo, 1 for loss, 2 interceptions
• North Carolina
• WR #83 Dwight Jones
• Last Game @ NC State: 9 catches, 72 yards
• Last Year vs Virginia Tech: 1 catch, 4 yards
• This Season: 63 catches, 913 yards, 8 TD
• LB #47 Zach Brown
• Last Game @ NC State: 9 tackles, 4 solo, 1 forced fumble
• Last Year vs Virginia Tech: 2 tackles
• This Season: 71 tackles, 43 solo, 9.5 for loss, 5.5 sacks, 2 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery

Matchups to Watch:

• Virginia Tech Defensive Line vs North Carolina Power Running Game
• Virginia Tech Passing Game vs North Carolina Secondary
• Virginia Tech Offensive Line vs North Carolina Defensive Line
• David Wilson vs Giovanni Bernard

Keys to Victory:

• Virginia Tech
• Keep It Up
• The Hokies fired on nearly all cylinders after last week’s win against Georgia Tech. Tech can put the pressure on our dear ol’ neighbors to the north with a win against the Heels. With a win, Tech forces UVA to win in Tallahassee and then beat the Hokies next week to make it to Charlotte. Keeping the pedal to the metal is really the only option for the Hokies right now.
• Pressure Renner
• young sophomore quarterback has shown a tendency to make bad decisions when he’s been pressured. Forcing the Heels into 3rd and long situations could create turnovers for Tech and force the Heels secondary to make plays. In other words, do what Bud Foster defenses usually do.
• North Carolina
• Don't Turn the Ball Over
• In their four losses, the Heels have given up nearly 35 points per game, as opposed to 16 per game in their wins. Part of that is because of turnovers setting up opposing offense with short fields. The Heels are averaging more than two turnovers per game, something they can’t do if they want to knock off the Hokies in Blacksburg for the second consecutive time.
• Establish The Running Game
• As mentioned earlier, the Heels love to run it early to set up the play action game. Doing so effectively can be a big determinant in how this game comes out. UNC knows that Tech has been one of the toughest teams to run against this season, but a team with a similar offensive line like Miami wore down the Hokies with a power running attack.

Projected Score: Virginia Tech 28, North Carolina 17

Projected Uniform: Orange helmet, Orange jersey, Orange pants