UNC Quarterback Drake Maye Struggles Against UVA Defense

Oct 21, 2023; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye (10) walks off the field after being unable to get a first down against the Virginia Cavaliers in the second half at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nell Redmond-USA TODAY Sports

Despite throwing for 347 yards and two touchdowns, UNC quarterback Drake Maye largely struggled against a weak UVA defense. Maye only completed half (24/48) of his passes. One of his many incompletions was a questionable, fourth-quarter fourth down call, when he threw a ball just out of star receiver Devontez Walker’s reach. If Carolina wants to get back on track, Maye has to be more accurate. There’s no target completion percentage, but it’d be nice to see Maye complete at least 75 percent of his passes.

Make big plays in the second half

Oct 21, 2023; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels tight end Bryson Nesbit (18) runs after a catch as Virginia Cavaliers safety Jonas Sanker (20) forces him out of bounds in the second half at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nell Redmond-USA TODAY Sports

UNC tight end Bryson Nesbit provided one of Saturday’s greatest highlight plays against UVA, catching a 62-yard Maye pass in the second quarter and taking it 62 yards to the end zone, for the game-tying score. Outside of that big catch, there weren’t any highlight scoring plays for the Tar Heels. Carolina’s become known for explosive offensive plays, headlined by none other than the usually effective run-pass option. UNC almost had a fourth-quarter explosive play, but Walker’s touchdown was wiped out by a penalty. The Tar Heels barely mustered anything in the final quarter, only scoring on a Noah Burnette field goal. Carolina will need to find ways to generate explosive plays against Georgia Tech.

Don’t abandon the run game

Oct 21, 2023; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels running back Omarion Hampton (28) fights for yards as he is tackled by Virginia Cavaliers safety Caleb Hardy (26) in the second half at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nell Redmond-USA TODAY Sports

Saturday was an offensive oddity for the Tar Heels, as they were outgained 228-243 on the ground. One of the reasons UVA ran so well was, besides UNC’s porous run defense, the fact UVA carried the ball 54 times. Carolina barely generated over half that number, carrying the rock 29 times. Omarion Hampton took 19 of those carries for a game-high 112 yards. With how much success the Tar Heels have enjoyed on the ground, why didn’t they run more against the Cavaliers? Carolina should get back to that recipe against Georgia Tech, as Hampton now has 100 rushing yards in consecutive contests.

Continue involving Devontez Walker in the passing game

Oct 21, 2023; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels wide receiver Devontez Walker (9) tries to make a catch against the Virginia Cavaliers ub the first half at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nell Redmond-USA TODAY Sports

By now, I’m sure you’ve heard the classic saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Such is the case with UNC star wide receiver Devontez Walker, who has two consecutive 100-yard games. Walker led all players with 146 receiving yards in the UNC-UVA clash, also hauling in a touchdown. He would’ve had another, but a costly Carolina mistake wiped it out. Walker leads the Tar Heels with four touchdowns through just three games. He also has 321 yards on the year, third most. Look for the Maye-Walker connection to continue flourishing in Atlanta.

Do NOT take your foot off the gas

Oct 21, 2023; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels defensive back Armani Chatman (9) celebrates with defensive back Antavious Lane (1) after intercepting a Virginia Cavaliers pass in the end zone in the first half at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nell Redmond-USA TODAY Sports

When Drake Maye’s 3-yard run opened the second-half scoring against UVA, the Tar Heels had a 23-14 lead. Burnette converted on his extra point try, extending Carolina’s advantage to 10. Did UNC take its foot off the gas after that? It sure seems like it. Carolina only scored once after its third-quarter touchdown, a 27-yard Burnette field goal. Yes, UNC was up by two scores late, but that’s when teams should power down and obliterate opponents. There was no excuse for the Tar Heels to give up their lead. Georgia Tech will make Carolina pay if they ease up with a second-half lead. The same exact thing happened last year in Chapel Hill.

Story originally appeared on Tarheels Wire.

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Alex Martin

Alex Martin is your guide to the global phenomenon of football. With a focus on international leagues and tournaments, he provides match commentary, player interviews, and behind-the-scenes stories from the world of football.