UNC coach Larry Fedora had much to be pleased about after his team's 62-0 victory against Elon. PHOTO: Robert Willett
CHAPEL HILL — North Carolina cruised to a 62-0 victory in coach Larry Fedora’s first game. Here’s a breakdown of the Tar Heels’ victory.
Three things to take away from UNC 62, Elon 0:
CHAPEL HILL — During the days leading into his first game as North Carolina’s head coach, Larry Fedora expressed doubt. He said he didn’t know what to expect out of the Tar Heels in their season opener against Elon.
UNC on Saturday at Kenan Stadium might have exceeded even Fedora’s most optimistic hopes. The Tar Heels scored on seven of their nine possessions in the first half and cruised to a 62-0 victory against the Phoenix, a lower-division FCS team from the Southern Conference.
CHAPEL HILL — It’s here at long last: The first game of Larry Fedora’s coaching tenure at North Carolina. The Tar Heels’ first game of the 2012 season begins here at Kenan Stadium in a little less than an hour.
While I made the short half-mile walk from my place over to Kenan, I did feel a bit of a buzz in the air. Feels like something new is starting.
To get you ready for kickoff, here’s a story I wrote about UNC quarterback Bryn Renner and running back Giovani Bernard, who are the first 3,000-yard passer and 1,000-yard rushing combination to return in the ACC since 2003 (N.C. State’s Philip Rivers and T.A. McLendon).
UNC coach Larry Fedora knew Elon was in North Carolina, but said earlier this week he didn't know exactly where. PHOTO: Robert Willett
CHAPEL HILL — College football season is here. Games start tonight. The team that North Carolina fans love to hate (N.C. State) plays tomorrow night. And then the Tar Heels and most of the rest of the country begin play on Saturday.
Elon is visiting Kenan Stadium in a game that will begin at 12:30 (and be televised on the ACC Network or, as I like to call it, The Artist Formerly Known as Raycom). Elon, of course, is a 1-AA school (or FCS, if you prefer) from the Southern Conference.
But you already knew that. Here are some other things to know about the Phoenix:
Vic Koenning and Dan Disch (not pictured) have shared equal responsibilities in installing UNC's 4-2-5 defense. PHOTO: Robert Willett
CHAPEL HILL — North Carolina has utilized a kind of co-defensive coordinator approach with Dan Disch and Vic Koenning, both of whom have similar titles and similar roles in leading the Tar Heels defense.
Disch is technically the team’s defensive coordinator. And Koenning is the associate head coach for defense.
So who’s going to be calling the defensive plays for the Heels?
North Carolina's first depth chart of the season has been released, with few surprises. PHOTO: Robert Willett
CHAPEL HILL — And oh, yes. North Carolina’s depth chart for the season-opener against Elon is out.
Here it is:
North Carolina quarterback Bryn Renner will lead coach Larry Fedora's up-tempo spread offense. PHOTO: Robert Willett
CHAPEL HILL — Continuing on with my interview with North Carolina coach Larry Fedora, who spoke of the history, inspiration and philosophy behind his version of the spread offense.
The first part of the interview is right here. The story that ran in the paper and online today is right here.
And here’s the second part of the interview:
UNC coach Larry Fedora first installed a spread offense at Middle Tennessee State in 1999. PHOTO: Robert Willett
CHAPEL HILL — North Carolina coach Larry Fedora and I spoke for a while recently about his version of the spread offense, which will debut on Sept. 1 when the Tar Heels begin the season against Elon.
I wrote a story detailing Fedora’s spread that you can read right here.
But, of course, there was a lot of stuff that didn’t make the story. So I figured you might learn a thing or two from the extended interview I recently conducted with Fedora.
This is basically an oral history – if you’re into the Grantland model – of Fedora’s spread. I was curious to know about what made Fedora want to run a spread, where he found the inspiration for it and what made him a believer that it could work.
Here’s part one of the interview:
Larry Fedora has brought his up-tempo, no-huddle spread offense to UNC. PHOTO: Robert Willett
CHAPEL HILL — In case you missed it, we ran a large in-depth look at North Carolina coach Larry Fedora and his version of the spread offense, which he first developed during his days as a coordinator at Middle Tennessee State.
Check back later on for a complete interview with Fedora.
UNC coach Larry Fedora has been pleased with the play of a lot of freshmen, including receiver Quinshad Davis. PHOTO: Robert Willett
CHAPEL HILL — I didn’t expect to get all that far when I asked North Carolina coach Larry Fedora earlier today which freshmen he thought could see significant time on Sept. 1 when the Tar Heels begin the season against Elon.
But Fedora didn’t mind discussing it. He identified several freshmen as being likely candidates to play an early role for UNC. One of them – receiver Quinshad Davis – isn’t a surprise. Fedora has been impressed by Davis since he was medically cleared to play.
In addition to Davis here are the other freshmen Fedora said could see significant time against Elon:
