Three things we learned about UNC football in 35-28 win at Georgia State

North Carolina heads into its open date with a 3-0 record after its 35-28 win at Georgia State on Saturday. The Tar Heels turned in what coach Mack Brown called their “best defensive performance” of the season in keeping the Panthers scoreless in the fourth quarter.

It was a huge bounce back for the defense after allowing Appalachian State 649 yards in total offense and 61 points.

Here’s three things we learned about the Heels:

Tight ends take over

Carolina already proved it was serious about involving its tight ends more in the passing game. Against the Panthers they proved to be more than just a safety valve.

Kamari Morales and John Copenhaver caught the two longest receptions by a tight end this season in the game.

Morales hauled in his second touchdown of the season with a 55-yard score in the first quarter.

“I kind of saw pre-snap that it was gonna come to me looking at the structure of the defense,” Morales said. “And I knew if I was able to hit this seam, it was going to be a matter of breaking one tackle and just get missing. We have guys that are playmakers with the ball in their hand.”

UNC quarterback Drake Maye said it was the same play in the fourth quarter that Copenhaver took for 47 yards after breaking two tackles. His reception positioned UNC in GSU territory and led to the game-winning touchdown.

“I told John first week (against) FAMU, I think we threw him a wheel route down the sideline, I said you gotta make a move and break a tackle,” Maye said. “Watching him today, he made that move and broke a few tackles and still got hunted down but I understand that.”

Carolina’s tight ends — including Bryson Nesbit’s two catches — accounted for seven of Maye’s 19 completions and 151 of his 284 passing yards.

A relaxed Hampton, a problem for defenses

The Heels offensive line had to make adjustments when starting tackle Spencer Rolland was scratched from the lineup with a lower body injury.

William Barnes moved from right guard, where he started the first two games, to right tackle. Jonathan Adorno made his first start of the season at right guard.

The lack of cohesion showed early, as the Heels were unable to establish much on the ground. They ran for just 41 yards in the first half, which included 10 carries for 10 yards in the second quarter.

Then Omarion Hampton happened. On their final drive of the third quarter, the freshman from Clayton popped a 58 yard touchdown run up the middle. That run alone more than doubled their rushing total of 55 yards before the drive began.

From that moment on, the Heels thrived off their running. Hampton finished with 110 yards — his second 100-plus yard outing this season.

“He really ran well the second half,” Brown said. “Even when we didn’t have a lot of people blocked, he was making four to six yards. And that’s something we weren’t doing in the first half.”

Brown said Carolina’s emphasis on passing may have loosened up the Panthers’ defense. But it was more likely Hampton just got better when he loosened up.

In the first quarter, Hampton misjudged a kickoff and fielded it at the 2 instead of letting it bounce either into the end zone or out of bounds.

“I feel like I just had to go into the halftime, I just had to relax,” Hampton said. “I feel like I was thinking too much. I just had a lot going on in my head.”

Analytic matters

Carolina was 1-for-2 on fourth down plays. The converted fourth down ended in a drive that produced a touchdown. The failed attempt came on the final drive of the first half and ended with Georgia State getting a field goal blocked.

Brown said there was no difference between his two decisions to go for it.

“Analytics say go for it,” Brown said. “But I think we’ve got good enough players that we should make fourth-and-2.”

The first situation came on the Heels’ opening drive of the game and Brown didn’t hesitate in telling offensive coordinator Phil Longo to go for it.

The second time came with 1:31 left in the half, meaning if they failed, they were virtually handing the Panthers a scoring opportunity. The scenario gave Brown pause, so he asked Longo if he had a play he felt good about running.

The play ended up being a nine-yard loss when Maye was sacked. The defense was playing well enough to that point where Brown felt comfortable asking them to get a stop.

“I’ve told the kids I’m going to put you in some tough situation sometimes to take a risk on scoring more points,” Brown said.

The Heels responded when Kaimon Rucker dropped GSU quarterback Darren Grainger for a one-yard loss on third-and-5 from the UNC 26. The Panthers settled for a field goal attempt that was blocked by Myles Murphy.