By R.L. Bynum
CHAPEL HILL — As UNC prepares for Friday night’s ACC matchup at Syracuse, Coach Bill Belichick continues to emphasize a philosophy rooted in steady, incremental improvement.
“Progress comes in small increments,” Belichick said Tuesday at the Kenan Football Center ahead of the 7:30 Halloween night game (ESPN). “You don’t go from base camp to the top of the mountain in 15 minutes. It just doesn’t happen that way. You day by day improve, correct, improve [and] do it again.”
That mindset has been tested during a four-game losing streak, including back-to-back heartbreakers against California and No. 15 Virginia. The Tar Heels (2–5, 0–3 ACC) have lost those two games by a combined four points, with both featuring red-zone turnovers and missed opportunities near the goal line.
“We’re missing out on too many opportunities, and they’re team opportunities, not just one guy,” Belichick said. “We’ve got to do a better job collectively of finishing our drives, finishing our plays.”
Against Virginia, UNC outgained the Cavaliers 353–259 and recorded a season-high six sacks, led by Melkart Abou-Jaoude’s three. Quarterback Gio Lopez threw for 208 yards and accounted for two touchdowns, but also tossed two interceptions. The Tar Heels had three turnovers, including two in the red zone.
“It’s the No. 1 problem,” Belichick said. “Gotta eliminate those.”
UNC’s offense has struggled to score against Power 4 opponents, averaging just 14.7 points per game in ACC play. The team ranks 124th nationally in scoring offense (18.3 points per game) and 129th in total offense (279.9 yards per game). Ball security has been a recurring issue, with 12 turnovers through seven games.
“It’s all security 24/7, it’s all the time, and it doesn’t matter who has the ball,” Belichick said. “We just have to do a better job of it.”
Friday’s game at Syracuse (3–5, 1–4) presents a chance for UNC to break through. Belichick has deep respect for the Orange and their coach, Fran Brown.
“Fran has done a great job with that program,” Belichick said. “Spent a lot of time watching them last year, and, honestly, what they did offensively was phenomenal. They set a couple of dozen school records and led the nation in passing.”
While Syracuse lost starting quarterback Steve Angeli to injury, Belichick sees danger in his replacement.
“Rickie Collins has stepped in there and has got a little different skill set, but, nevertheless, very dangerous with the ball in his hand,” Belichick said. “Great athlete, very good runner, and you can just see him getting better every week.”
Belichick also praised Syracuse’s defense and coaching staff.
“They’re very well-coached. They’re very aggressive. They do an excellent job defensively with their coverage schemes and coordination of the defense,” he said. “Coach Brown has had a lot of success defensively. [He’s] always been a very aggressive defensive coordinator.”
UNC’s defense has shown signs of growth, ranking 25th nationally in rushing defense (110.6 yards per game allowed) and 50th in total defense (345.6 yards per game). The Tar Heels held Virginia scoreless in the second half and limited the Cavaliers to a season-low 17 points.
“Syracuse doesn’t get sacked much. Again, the quarterback’s very athletic. When he sees space, he can run and they get the ball out quickly,” Belichick said. “It’s a different style of offense than what Virginia ran.”
Both teams are desperate to end losing streaks, with Syracuse also on a four-game skid. The Tar Heels’ climb continues — as Belichick might say — one step at a time.
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| Team | ACC | All |
|---|---|---|
| No. 1 Miami | 4–0 | 6–0 |
| No. 17 Wake Forest | 4–1 | 6–1 |
| No. 23 SMU | 3–1 | 5–1 |
| Clemson | 2–1 | 4–2 |
| North Carolina | 2–1 | 4–2 |
| Louisville | 3–2 | 4–3 |
| Pittsburgh | 2–2 | 5–2 |
| Virginia Tech | 2–2 | 5–2 |
| Virginia | 2–2 | 4–3 |
| California | 2–2 | 3–4 |
| Duke | 1–2 | 4–2 |
| Georgia Tech | 1–1 | 2–3 |
| Virginia Tech | 1–2 | 4–2 |
| Boston College | 1–2 | 3–3 |
| N.C. State | 1–2 | 3–3 |
| Florida State | 1–3 | 3–4 |
| Stanford | 1–3 | 3–4 |
| Syracuse | 0–4 | 2–4 |
Saturday’s results
North Carolina 24, Duke 20
No. 23 SMU 23, Virginia 13
Clemson 37, Charleston Southern 0
Boston College 27, Pittsburgh 21
Virginia Tech 34, Georgia Tech 24
No. 1 Miami 43, Florida State 45, 2 OTs
Stanford 34, Elon 7
Louisville 34, Syracuse 26
No. 17 Wake Forest 41, California 7
Friday’s games
Duke at Virginia, 7 p.m., ESPN
N.C. State at Stanford, 10:30, ESPN
Saturday’s games
Pittsburgh at No. 1 Miami, noon, ESPN
California at No. 23 SMU, noon, The CW
Virginia Tech at Clemson, 7 p.m., ESPN
Syracuse at North Carolina, 7:30, ACCN
Saturday, Oct. 31, games
No. 23 SMU at Syracuse, noon, ESPN2
California at N.C. State, noon, ACCN
Boston College at Duke, noon, The CW
Stanford at Louisville, 3:15, ACCN
Virginia at No. 17 Wake Forest, 3:45, ESPN or ESPN2
Clemson at Florida State, 7 p.m., ACCN
No. 1 Miami at North Carolina, 7:30, ABC or ESPN
Georgia Tech at Pittsburgh, 7:30, ESPN2
| Month/ date | Score/ time | Opponent (current ranking) | Record/TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| August | |||
| 29 | W, 15–10 | vs.TCU in Dublin | 1–0 |
| September | |||
| 12 | W, 35–3 | vs. ETSU | 2–0 |
| 19 | L, 28–20 | at Clemson | 2–1, 0–1 ACC |
| October | |||
| 3 | L, 37–26 | vs. No. 4 Notre Dame | 2–2 |
| 10 | W, 21–18 | at Pittsburgh | 3–2, 1–1 |
| 17 | W, 24–20 | at Duke | 4–2, 2–1 |
| 24 | 7:30 | vs. Syracuse | ACCN |
| 31 | 7:30 | vs. No. 1 Miami | ESPN or ABC |
| November | |||
| 7 | Noon | at UConn | CBSSN |
| 14 | TBA | vs. Louisville | TBA |
| 21 | TBA | at Virginia | TBA |
| 28 | TBA | vs. N.C. State | TBA |
| December | |||
| 5 | noon, ABC | ACC championship game in Charlotte | ESPN |
Photo by Joshua Lawton
