High Expectations for Fedora in the ACC? Why Not?
By Matt Haley
If you listened to the keepingitheel.com spring game recap show with the MandMsportshow you will hear a discussion about the expectations people can place on the UNC football team in Larry Fedora’s first year. Most are conservative thinking it will take time for Coach Fedora to build his program, but with an 3000 yard Quarterback, a 1250 yard tailback, a talented offensive line along with a little luck the Tar Heels may surpass most expectations.
ESPN’s popular show college football live unveiled a preseason top 25 list for the 2012 college football season, and this will be one of many pre-season polls that are meaningless for about 70 percent of the rankings. However evaluating this list only three teams from the ACC are featured and North Carolina only plays one of them in Coastal division rival Virginia Tech at home on October 6th. North Carolina begins the year with an FCS school in Elon University just down I-40 and has seven home games. Their road schedule is manageable with the right breaks as they travel to Wake Forrest and Louisville early in the season. Fedora’s background implementing the option could help game planning for a difficult Wake Forest offense to scheme against, and the offense may need to win a shoot out against Teddy Bridgewater and the Louisville Cardinals.
There is no guarantee the Tar Heels will jump off to a fast start, but every game on the schedule is a winnable football game. Virginia Tech will be a favorite to win the Coastal Division, but they have had close games in Chapel Hill even when they were heavy favorites. The rest of ACC has as many issues as UNC does with personnel, and to make excuses that Fedora will lack talent in competing this year is far from the truth. Depth may be an issue in many areas, but there are play makers on the offense and the defense has players who will play at the next level. Hiding the holes in the Tar Heel defense will be the most difficult task this season.
Even though each team UNC plays this year has areas of concern quarteback play may be the area that determines how succesful the season is for any team in the ACC. The Tar Heels play against teams featuring Tevin Washington, Mike rocco, Logan Thomas, Mike Glennon, Sean Renfree and Teddy Bridgewater. Each quarterback has shown the ability to move their teas through the air or on the ground with success. Tanner price from wake Forest will be improved and experienced QBs in Jim Grobe system always gives teams fits.
The key to playing each of these teams is the efficiency Brynn Renner is capable of along with a steady dose of Gio Bernard. If Renner can lead the offense to put up points and be accurate eating up yards and time of position that will limit the opportunities for the QBs UNC faces. Looking forward I think two key stats that may determine who takes the ACC crown could be turnover margin in third down efficiency. Converting third down increases time of possession and gives your team more opportunities to score while limiting your opponents chances.
The expectations may be low in Chapel Hill for some college football fans, but the level of QB play that is expected along with Gio Bernard’s ability to make plays on the ground makes me think we are selling this current group of players short. The rest of the ACC will have something to say about it, but speculation and anticipation prior to the season is what makes college football the sport so many fans love.
As always you can follow the Haley and MandMsportshow on twitter @MandMSportshow and you can read more articles from Haley at The Water Cooler.