Staff photo by Robert Willett
First Look: See 241 raw images from the game
CHAPEL HILL -- North Carolina was waiting for its young receivers to emerge. Turns out all the Tar Heels needed was a visit from East Carolina.
No. 24 UNC beat ECU 31-17 on a breakout game from freshman receiver Erik Highsmith, above, who caught six passes for 113 yards and a touchdown.
Highsmith had help. Fellow freshman receiver Jheranie Boyd caught a 59-yard score and Ryan Houston rushed for a pair of touchdowns for UNC's first 3-0 start since 1997.
Highsmith scored the first touchdown, a 16-yarder, and then had two big catches on the game-clinching drive, a 43-yarder and a 10-yarder, to set up Houston's second touchdown.
ECU's second-half woes continued. The Pirates (1-2) trailed 21-14 at the half and pieced together a field-goal drive in the fourth quarter to make it 24-17, but couldn't stop UNC's passing game.
ECU has been outscored 41-5 in the second half of the first three games.
The Pirates, who gave up 334 passing yards in last week's loss at West Virginia, allowed UNC quarterback T.J. Yates to complete 19 of 24 passes for 227 yards.
ECU took the early lead after a fumble by UNC freshman A.J. Blue set up the Pirates in UNC territory. Patrick Pinkney hit Jamar Bryant on a 7-yard touchdown pass to give ECU a 7-0 advantage.
The Heels responded on the next drive with Yates' strike to Highsmith in the left corner of the end zone.
After a Jonathan Williams fumble gave UNC the ball back deep in its own territory, Yates dialed up a deep pass to Boyd for a 14-7 lead.
The Pirates dug into the playbook for a reverse option pass by receiver Dwayne Harris to Joe Womack for 35 yards. Harris capped the drive with a 6-yard rush off a direct snap.
UNC wasn't done with ECU's secondary, though. Blue hit Highsmith for a 24-yard pass and Yates connected with Joshua Adams for 23 yards to set up Ryan Houston's 1-yard TD run with 2:57 left in the half.
Pinkney, who has struggled in the first two games, was better, completing 19 of 30 passes for 157 yards and the touchdown.
UNC running back Shaun Draughn bounced back from a 21-yard outing against UConn with 84 yards on 19 carries.
Comments
One bad call...
Sat, 09/19/2009 - 19:47 — HeelsforeverShould never cost a team a game. Don't allow yourself to be in a position where the bad call could be that significant. Besides as some have already pointed out, to stretch to the idea that the call cost ECU the game is counting on a lot of "if's" to happen.
Enough whining Pirate fans
Sat, 09/19/2009 - 16:27 — heelzfanAs soon as that roughing the passer play happened, I said to myself, "Here we go, this is what all of Pirate Nation will be whining about."
Look, was it a bad call?...yes. Did it decide the game?...No. Carolina was up by 7 at the time, and in range for a very short FG attempt. Either we pick up the first down, and go in for the eventual TD, or we kick the FG and take a 10 point lead with a little over 2 minutes left. That call, despite what you Pirate fans want to believe, did not cost your team the game. Grow up, and get over it. The better team won today.
Ron Cherry
Sat, 09/19/2009 - 16:14 — bluemold0Ron Cherry simply missed the roughing call. It's that simple. I don't buy into referee's with axes to grind against any team or player. Like any other professional, I'm sure he'll look at the tape and try to learn from it.
jasperly1
Sat, 09/19/2009 - 16:09 — TinCupIt's Tar Heels, not tarheels... 2 words, not 1
Oops -
Sat, 09/19/2009 - 18:17 — melvinfurdSorry, I was going from bottom to top, so noted Tar Heels vs "tarheels" before I got to your post. Go Heels!
jasperly1 and prn13norm
Sat, 09/19/2009 - 15:48 — jblues1969Cherry called a roughing the passer penalty on UNC earlier in the game that was just as wrong. Bad calls even out, and aren't an excuse unless your team is a bunch of losers.
To call the ECU penalty 'game-changing' is quite a stretch, since UNC was in the red zone, up 10 and it would have been 3rd down and goal. Do the math. Either UNC gets the first down or TD on the next play or they kick a FG to go up 13.
UNC/ECU
Sat, 09/19/2009 - 15:36 — jasperly1I'm a proud UNC grad, but for anyone, particularly UNC fans, to say the roughing the passer penalty late in the game was anything but wrong, is nuts! The ECU player was slowing down and was pushed into TJ Yates. Shame on you UNC fanatics. You're not fans, you're fan-atics. Glad the tarheels won but the games should be called fair and square.
?
Sat, 09/19/2009 - 18:15 — melvinfurdOne would think a "proud UNC grad" would know it's Tar Heels, not "tarheels".
Hey Giglio, does this win
Sat, 09/19/2009 - 15:29 — heelzfanHey Giglio, does this win get us up to # 35 on your ballot.
Ron Cherry
Sat, 09/19/2009 - 14:17 — TinCupI am a UNC fan, but the call for roughing the passer against ECU was unbelievable. Ron Cherry is and has been the worst ACC official for some time. He will never "wave off" one of his own flags. Every game that I have seen him officiate has a few crucial blown calls that are usually made by him. The ACC should send him packing!
ECU/UNC
Sat, 09/19/2009 - 14:09 — Prn13NormThe officals in this game should be suspended for the roughing the paaser call againist ECU that was clearly a clip by UNC. Game changing call that is inexcusable!
good call
Sat, 09/19/2009 - 14:15 — hellfishUhh! the defender had to show he was letting up ...which he did'nt reguardless if he was pushed or clipped. he simply was going for cheap shot and got called.quit crying they had 2 min left and could'nt do sh**...UNC BABY WHOOO!!!!!