Tar Heel Takeover - NCAA 14

[moose141]

Looks like Harris is going to be an absolute workhorse for you this year, and with his ratings he should be! That said, Payne did a good job of managing the game, though hopefully you can get the passing game going, because it looks like he has a ton of weapons at his disposal, but he doesn't necessarily have the talent to utilize them! At least it gives you options offensively for sure.

[R1zzo23]

Quote: Originally Posted by moose141

Looks like Harris is going to be an absolute workhorse for you this year, and with his ratings he should be! That said, Payne did a good job of managing the game, though hopefully you can get the passing game going, because it looks like he has a ton of weapons at his disposal, but he doesn't necessarily have the talent to utilize them! At least it gives you options offensively for sure.

We go as Harris goes, that’s for sure. He’s a do-it-all back that I wouldn’t mind getting involved in the passing game as well. Speaking of that passing game, Payne can definitely manage the game and I would have liked to see us let him air it out a little more last week, but it wasn’t in the game plan* this week. I guess our offensive coordinator was looking to really establish that ground game and get out of this one with no mistakes or injuries.

———

* When I talk about the game plan, I got this idea from DeeGeezy and his unreal Tulane dynasty. What he does is he uses Ask Coach for all offensive plays and selects one of the three plays that come up. I’m doing the same and this is to give the offensive coordinator hire some semblance of importance and treat it like the OC has put a game plan together for the week and our job is to go out and execute it.

One “problem” I think I may have is when I created my offensive coordinator John Settle as a run heavy philosophy with Wisconsin’s playbook, I may have made him a bit too conservative. There were times on offense I would go 5, 6, even 7 plays in a row and not one of the beer suggested plays was a pass play. I am going to play one more game with Settle at his current settings. If things don’t change then I may bump him up to be a bit more aggressive.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[el_rousso]

Quote: Originally Posted by R1zzo23

We go as Harris goes, that’s for sure. He’s a do-it-all back that I wouldn’t mind getting involved in the passing game as well. Speaking of that passing game, Payne can definitely manage the game and I would have liked to see us let him air it out a little more last week, but it wasn’t in the game plan* this week. I guess our offensive coordinator was looking to really establish that ground game and get out of this one with no mistakes or injuries. ——— * When I talk about the game plan, I got this idea from DeeGeezy and his unreal Tulane dynasty. What he does is he uses Ask Coach for all offensive plays and selects one of the three plays that come up. I’m doing the same and this is to give the offensive coordinator hire some semblance of importance and treat it like the OC has put a game plan together for the week and our job is to go out and execute it. One “problem” I think I may have is when I created my offensive coordinator John Settle as a run heavy philosophy with Wisconsin’s playbook, I may have made him a bit too conservative. There were times on offense I would go 5, 6, even 7 plays in a row and not one of the beer suggested plays was a pass play. I am going to play one more game with Settle at his current settings. If things don’t change then I may bump him up to be a bit more aggressive. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Interesting seeing you talk about the *game plan*, I'm using a similar system in my own dynasty, as playing with a locked quarterback should not make me completely decide on every offensive play. I also use the Ask Coach function to make it so I can "know" what play the coordinator wants to use, and I also have another layer on this system, as whenever one of the three plays shown is a "Setup!", I have to choose it, whatever the play is. I believe it adds some degree of realism, by not having complete control over the offense, since I'm controlling one player only, and what I'm planning to do over the seasons is to allow more and more QB control through audibles and hot routes. Right now as a freshman, Tommy is more or less calling whatever plays the coordinator asks for, but as he gains experience and respect in the team, he'll likely start taking more things in his grasp.

On a side note, I really like the graphics as well, everything is clear and easy to find and read, and looking pretty too !

[R1zzo23]

Quote: Originally Posted by el_rousso

Interesting seeing you talk about the *game plan*, I'm using a similar system in my own dynasty, as playing with a locked quarterback should not make me completely decide on every offensive play. I also use the Ask Coach function to make it so I can "know" what play the coordinator wants to use, and I also have another layer on this system, as whenever one of the three plays shown is a "Setup!", I have to choose it, whatever the play is. I believe it adds some degree of realism, by not having complete control over the offense, since I'm controlling one player only, and what I'm planning to do over the seasons is to allow more and more QB control through audibles and hot routes. Right now as a freshman, Tommy is more or less calling whatever plays the coordinator asks for, but as he gains experience and respect in the team, he'll likely start taking more things in his grasp. On a side note, I really like the graphics as well, everything is clear and easy to find and read, and looking pretty too !

I'm finding that using the Ask Coach function is going to force me to run plays I would never run otherwise. Like I was saying in the post above, I would go stretches without a pass play being an option so when one came up I would jump at the chance to run it. Of course it is a play I had never ran before but I was dying to throw a pass haha. I think adding in your additional layer of always running any play with "Setup!" would be a great way to incorporate the OC even more! Thanks for that idea!

Appreciate the kind words my man. Although I don't want to spend a ton of time fooling around with graphics because the time would be better spent writing the game recaps or any articles between games, but I'm going to continue to tinker around with the graphics to get them to where I'm very happy with them. So far, so good though! Simple yet aesthetically pleasing is what I'm going for.

[R1zzo23]

Hoping to get this game played today after work and then the writeup completed at some point tomorrow. I'm very excited to get Game #2 fired up to see how we stack up against a Power 5 team!

[R1zzo23]

Tar Heels trample the Buffaloes in Boulder.

Sep. 9, 2017

Boulder, CO - In their first road test of the year, it didn't seem like much of a test early on. Coach Rizzo knew that Colorado's up-tempo offense was going to challenge young defensive coordinator George Jackson to get the proper personnel on the field on a consistent basis because once the drive starts there weren't going to be very many opportunities to make substitutions. The first quarter showed that UNC was up to the challenge.

The Buffaloes took the field and it didn't take long for senior MLB Jason Drew to introduce himself to the Colorado backfield as he dropped the ball carrier for a loss on just the second play of the game. Finishing the game with eight tackles, Drew was disruptive to the run game by making three tackles for a loss. He set the tone early for this defense and the rest of the guys fed off his energy.

While only recording one sack on the game, the Tar Heel defense was seemingly in the backfield all game long and wreaking havoc on the Colorado offense. Whether it was dropping ball carriers for losses and no gains or forcing errant throws due to quarterback pressure, Jackson’s 3-3-5 has been very effective. Being able to bring pressure from different spots on the field, mixing up coverages and keeping the base defense on the field regardless of what personnel the offense runs out their has been huge for this unit.

With UNC’s first drive, the game plan was simple: pound the rock! While yards were being had they weren’t the huge chunks this team saw last week against Old Dominion. The offensive line did a great job opening holes but the Colorado linebackers did a great job closing and tackling in space as the Tar Heel ball carriers weren’t able to break many tackles.

A couple pass plays kept the chains moving on the opening drive and it was the true freshman receiver Johnny Tate that was the beneficiary. With much of the attention drawn to the outside receivers and the tight ends, Tate was able to find the soft spots in the Colorado zone and make two huge third down catches on the opening drive to keep the drive alive.

With both Josh Harris and Barrett James seeing multiple carries on the opening drive, the offense found their way down to the goal line. After James couldn’t pound it in on 1st and 2nd down, Harris got the ball and got stoned at the goal line as well. Without hesitation, offensive coordinator John Settle waved the offense back onto the field and called Harris’ number again. Following his 6’1, 270-pound fullback Brandon Wesley, Harris was able to walk in untouched to get the scoring started.

Quote: Originally Posted by ”Coach Settle”

We know we go as Josh [Harris] goes and we all know he’s a great player. He’s able to make defenders miss and able to push the pile when he drops a shoulder. He’s a fantastic talent. But one person who doesn’t get the recognition he deserves is Brandon [Wesley]. He’s one of the better fullbacks I’ve been able to coach and watching him clear paths for all of our backs is a thing of beauty...if run blocking can be beautiful.

The Buffalo offense came back on the field trailing 7-0 and were looking for a drive to establish an identity and prove they were in this to win it. How would they respond? After two quick first downs by way of the pass, a pass down the left sideline saw senior corner Bo Sowell jump in front of it and return it for 28 yards. The former four-star recruit has been making his transition to safety in this 3-3-5 defense and has thrived as he’s able to cover as well as come downhill and make a tackle in the box. The turnover resulted in three points as the offense stalled out in the red zone after Payne took a third down sack.

With the lead now 10-0 in favor of the road team, the home crowd was starting to get a bit silent. The student section tried to get some energy going. With an interception on the last drive, Colorado was a bit more conservative and tried to lean on the run game. After a 12-yard quarterback scramble and a 3-yard pickup by the halfback on the read option, they called a sprint option right. Coach Jackson’s team was more than prepared for the call as they knew this was one of their go-to plays when they needed a big gainer.

Junior defensive end Donald Williams ate up the right tackle and forced Tyler Lytle to drop further into the backfield than he would have liked to setup a possible pitch. Outside linebacker Malik Robinson - who finished with a team-high nine tackles - came crashing down on the quarterback like he had been schooled to do all week long.

With the quarterback accounted for, junior strong safety Matt Garner was responsible for the pitch man. Instead of playing the back straight up and lining up a big tackle, he saw Robinson about to drop Lytle for a big loss and anticipated a desperation pitch. A quick twitch and a change of his pursuit angle saw Garner step in front of the pitch and rumble untouched to the end zone! A 17-3 lead, two turnovers for the Colorado offense and a Tar Heel sideline going straight bananas was the beginning of the end for the Buffaloes in Boulder.

While Colorado never really threatened in the second half, having only scored three points in the final half of the game, the Tar Heels weren’t all that impressive on offense either. On the game, the offense logged 44 carries amongst four different runners and only managed to churn out 160 yards on the ground. That 3.6 yards per carry number is not what this team is looking for going forward and against most of their ACC foes, this won’t get the job done at all.

Another huge concern for Rizzo is the pass protection. While Payne was 13/20, showing some good efficiency, the time in the pocket was miniscule. It actually made Payne’s passing numbers even more impressive considering he had almost no time to stand and scan the field. It got to the point that the running backs weren’t able to go out for routes any more and it was imperative they stayed in on pass protection. Unless this is cleaned up, teams are going to put eight in the box, bring the heat and watch the offensive line crumble under the pressure.

While still an underwhelming offensive performance in the second half, the Tar Heels were burning the clock as much as possible in the 4th quarter to just get out of there without any injuries or mistakes. A late third quarter score as well as another late in the fourth quarter for Harris brought his rushing touchdowns to five after just two games. Clearly making a play for First Team All-ACC this year and even a Heisman contender, Rizzo is going to have to manage his workload throughout the season to ensure he plays on a weekly basis.

North Carolina Tar Heels at Colorado Buffaloes
Sep 9, 2017	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	OT	SCORE
#12 North Carolina Tar Heels (2-0)	17	7	7	7	-	38
Colorado Buffaloes (0-3)	0	7	3	0	-	10

Team Stats Comparison
	UNC	COLO
Total Offense	294	277
Rushing Yards	160	122
Passing Yards	134	155
First Downs	18	16
Punt Return Yards	21	12
Kick Return Yards	22	75
Total Yards	337	364
Turnovers	0	3
3rd Down Conversion	9-14	6-11
4th Down Conversion	1-2	0-1
2-Point Conversion	0-0	0-0
Red Zone Touchdowns/Field Goals	6-4-1	2-1-1
Penalties	0-0	3-24
Possession Time	22:57	13:03

Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTER SCORING		UNC	COLO
3:59	(UNC) TD UNC: J. Harris, 1 Yd run (J. Allen kick)	7	0
1:08	(UNC) FG UNC: J. Allen, 35 Yd FG	10	0
0:26	(UNC) TD UNC: M. Garner, returned fumble 35 Yds (J. Allen kick)	17	0
SECOND QUARTER SCORING		UNC	COLO
6:13	(COLO) TD CU: A. Fontenot, 3 Yd run (M. Spencer kick)	17	7
0:30	(UNC) TD UNC: B. Corrales, 7 Yd pass from B. Payne (J. Allen kick)	24	7
THIRD QUARTER SCORING		UNC	COLO
4:42	(UNC) TD UNC: J. Harris, 1 Yd run (J. Allen kick)	31	7
1:18	(COLO) FG CU: M. Spencer, 32 Yd FG	31	10
FOURTH QUARTER SCORING		UNC	COLO
1:14	(UNC) TD UNC: J. Harris, 2 Yd run (J. Allen kick)	38	10

North Carolina Tar Heels PASSING C/A YDS TD INT B. Payne 13/20 134 1 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD J. Harris 25 95 3.8 3 B. James 11 39 3.5 0 J. Bryant 4 16 4.0 0 B. Payne 4 10 2.5 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD J. Tate 5 52 10.4 0 J. Williams 5 44 8.8 0 B. Corrales 2 13 6.5 1 J. Bryant 1 25 25.0 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD M. Robinson 9 0 0 0 J. Drew 8 0 0 0 D. Williams 3 1 0 0 V. Williamson 3 0 1 0 M. Garner 3 0 0 1 B. Sowell 2 0 1 0

Colorado Buffaloes PASSING C/A YDS TD INT T. Lytle 18/29 155 0 2 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD T. Lytle 13 56 4.3 0 A. Fontenot 13 58 4.4 1 K. Nixon 1 15 15.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD J. Thomas 5 73 14.6 0 A. Fontenot 4 5 1.2 0 S. Thompson 3 18 6.0 0 K. Nixon 2 22 11.0 0 D. Rush 1 12 12.0 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD R. Howard 9 0 0 0 J. Blankenship 7 0 0 0 N. Landman 6 0 0 0 J. Callier 6 1 0 0 I. Lewis 6 0 0 0

Senior wide out and offensive captain Beau Corrales celebrates his 1st half TD.


Number one corner Victor Williamson grabs the first INT of his career.


CB/SS/LB Bo Sowell forces a 1st quarter interception to give the heels major momentum.

[R1zzo23]

[R1zzo23]

Nation Notices Heels; Harris Ascends Heisman Watch List.

Sep. 12, 2017

Chapel Hill, NC - After traveling back home to North Carolina following a Week 3 win in Colorado, the North Carolina Tar Heels have gotten some great news in terms of both team and individual accolades. With three teams ahead of them in the polls suffering losses - Washington (#5 down to #11), Florida (#6 down to #14) and ACC foe Pittsburgh (#11 down to #17) - UNC has risen three spots from #12 to #9. This is their first time being ranked in the top-10 since Week 13 of the 2015 season after starting the season 11-1.

While the early season “success” of being undefeated after just two games and finding themselves in the top-10 is something to be excited about, it remains to be seen how much of this is deserved. They are currently the second highest ranked team in the ACC, trailing only Virginia Tech who currently sits at #4 in the polls. Not only that, but the Hokies received a first place vote this week. It would be a huge mistake to sleep on the rest of the ACC as there are five other teams - Miami (#13), Pittsburgh (#17), Notre Dame (#19), Clemson (#20) and Florida State (#23) - all ranked in the top-25. This conference is going to be a marathon and one that has barely begun.

On the individual side of things, the North Carolina Tar Heels have a Heisman hopeful on the field and it shouldn’t take two guesses to figure out who it is. Redshirt junior halfback Josh Harris is gaining steam as a candidate for the most prestigious award in all of college football. This comes after his performance at Colorado where he pounded in three touchdowns. The yardage was way down compared to his first outing but having a nose for the end zone always catches the attention of the voters.

Quote: Originally Posted by ”Josh Harris”

Man, to just be mentioned in the same breath as some of the best players this game has to offer is a blessing. I know I’m the one that’s gettin’ the recognition but when it come down to it I got to thank the guys around me. My offensive line, my fullback, my coaches, everybody has given me the chance to be in the position I am today and I’m blessed. I want to assure my teammates, my coaches and the fans that I know it’s an honor to be talked about like this but it’s not my focus at all. I’ve never once brought it up. All I care about is winning football games for this program and winning an ACC title. Everything else that come wit’ it is all gravy after that.

An early straw poll shows that there are four halfbacks that top the Heisman Watch List with Harris rounding out the top-4 followed by one quarterback. With the award being split between running backs and quarterbacks over the last four seasons, it’s looking like another true ball carrier will be taking home the hardware again this season.

Heisman Watch - Updated: Jan 12, 2017
NAME	POS	SCHOOL		SEASON STATS
Pat Graves	HB	LSU		17 car, 114 yds, 3 rec, 54 yds
T.J. Green	HB	Utah		40 car, 258 yds, 2 TD, 7 rec, 62 yds
Terius Wheatley	HB	Virginia Tech		18 car, 167 yds, 4 TD, 3 rec, 37 yds, 1 TD
Josh Harris	HB	North Carolina		51 car, 284 yds, 5 TD
Mac Jones	QB	Alabama		688 yds, 9 TD, 1 INT, 71 rush yds, 1 TD