UNC Football: Defense stars in opening night victory

The UNC football program’s defense stepped up in a big way to lead the Tar Heels to a season-opening victory over South Carolina.

During the 2022 season, the talk typically focused on the struggles of the UNC football program’s defensive unit.

On the opening night of the 2023 regular season, the Tar Heels defense came to play.

Behind a 9-sack performance, North Carolina’s defense held Spencer Rattler and the South Carolina Gamecocks to just 17 points en route to an opening night victory in Charlotte.

The defense got started right away when they forced the Gamecocks to punt on their opening drive of the game. Drake Maye and company proceeded to score on their opening drive, going 70 yards on 9 plays.

After scoring the first touchdown of the game, the Tar Heels defense did fold a bit, allowing a quick South Carolina touchdown. This would happen once again after a score, as the two drives made everyone worried that the Tar Heels defense was going to be a repeat of a season prior.

However, after the first half, South Carolina did essentially nothing on offense.

Held to just three points in the second half of play, the Tar Heels defense made life difficult for the Gamecocks. South Carolina’s offensive line was overmatched, as consistent and constant pressure made it difficult for any positive movement, especially in the red zone.

After a stellar first half, Drake Maye struggled in the second half, throwing two interceptions (one that you can blame on Kobe Paysour tipping the pass into a defender’s hands). He finished the night completing 24 of 32 passes for 269 yards and two scores.

In his return to the field, running back British Brooks made his presence known, rushing for 103 yards on 15 carries. Paysour was one of 9 Tar Heel receivers to record a catch, as his seven receptions for 66 yards were both team highs.

Prior to kickoff, the Tar Heels announced that not only they would be without Tez Walker but fellow transfer wide receiver Nate McCollum. Of course, the UNC football program would be better with both players on the field, but guys like Paysour and John Copenhaver (who made an outstanding touchdown grab) helped fill the void nicely.

Even when the offense halted, the defense continued to make plays. It was refreshing to see the defense stepping up to put together some big stops, as their presence in the backfield made all the difference in this contest.

Last season, North Carolina’s defense recorded just 17 sacks in 14 games. In this game alone, they have recorded half of that number, with the hope that they will surpass it rather quickly over the next few weeks.

This victory marks the 100th career win for Mack Brown as the head coach of the UNC football program. He now has won 100 or more games with two programs, as he also accomplished the feat while leading the Texas Longhorns.

With the victory, the Tar Heels will return to Chapel Hill for their home opener next weekend against Appalachian State. It will be interesting to see if the defense can build upon their success in this primetime game.