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Tag Archives: T.J. Yates
NFL Week 14 Countdown to Kickoff
Cowboys’ Garrett continues fateful moves
Freezing own kicker latest blunder by Cowboys’ Garrett.
Music City Bowl Sweet Redemption for Scarred Tar Heels
Filed under: UNC, ACC, Bowl Games
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — This was the season that could have been for North Carolina‘s football team, the year the Tar Heels and their fans thought they might finally bask in the limelight of national recognition. Instead, there was only the glaring light of dual NCAA investigations on a program suddenly on the verge of embarrassment, not greatness.
Amid player suspensions and dismissals that came down weekly for academic misconduct or accepting improper gifts from agents, it was too much to expect the Tar Heels to challenge for the Atlantic Coast Conference and a BCS bid as some predicted they would before the scandals hit.
But if the program was scarred by the investigations, it was not defeated. And that is the other significant story of this roller-coaster North Carolina season. The Tar Heels overcame the suspensions or dismissals involving 14 players, and injuries that affected 21 more, to finish a surprisingly respectable 7-5 and earn a bowl bid in a season that could have been much, much worse.
The Music City Bowl Dec. 30 in Nashville, Tenn., might not be the BCS showcase the Tar Heels once aspired to, but it’s sweet redemption for a team many wrote off.
“I am probably more pleased and happier with the way the season went than probably most of you could imagine,” said coach Butch Davis as the team prepared to face Tennessee (6-6). “In 37 years of coaching, I don’t know that I’ve ever been around a group of kids that have been as resilient, as hard working, as willing to buy into doing whatever it was gonna take, sacrifices they were gonna have to make, the ability to block out distractions to focus on the things that they could control and play and compete as hard as they could.
N.C. State Comes From Behind to Beat North Carolina
Filed under: NC State, UNC, ACC
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – In a season that started with North Carolina hailed as the next great team in the Atlantic Coast Conference, few would have figured rival North Carolina State would emerge instead as a potential Bowl Championship Series contender.
The Wolfpack also ended any doubt about which team stands atop the Triangle, rallying for a 29-25 victory over North Carolina at Kenan Stadium on Saturday and holding on despite a late touchdown by North Carolina. It was N.C. State’s fourth consecutive victory over the Tar Heels (6-5, 3-4), a team sullied by investigations into academic misconduct and agent gifts and weakened by numerous player dismissals in a season that devolved from the start.
Few predicted glory for the Wolfpack going into the year. But if North Carolina State (8-3, 5-2) wins at Maryland next Saturday, the Wolfpack will clinch the Atlantic Division and reach the ACC Championship Game for the first time.
N.C. State pulled it off with an unlikely 105-second stretch late in the third period and early fourth when it turned a 19-10 deficit into a 24-19 lead.
The Tar Heels had used a pair of third-quarter field goals to turn a 13-10 halftime lead into that 19-0 advantage. But Wolfpack quarterback Russell Wilson threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Owen Spencer to close it to 19-17 with 52 seconds left in the third quarter.
Virginia Tech Beats UNC, Still Working Toward Consolation Prize
Filed under: UNC, Virginia Tech, ACC
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Frank Beamer has always been unequivocal in his support of the Bowl Championship Series over a playoff system to determine a national champion in college football. But suddenly, conveniently, he’s hedging.
“Well, you know, I’ve always said I like the BCS,” the Virginia Tech coach said Saturday night. “This particular year, a playoff wouldn’t be bad.
“I wish we could get it to that, but I don’t see it changing anytime soon.”
Too bad. A championship playoff would have been Virginia Tech’s only chance to redeem itself nationally after being dismissed as a serious title contender following a season-opening loss to Boise State and an embarrassing defeat to James Madison of the underling Football Championship Subdivision.
Instead, Beamer and the Hokies will have to settle for chasing their annual consolation prize: another ACC championship and Orange Bowl bid. Virginia Tech took a significant step toward those secondary goals with a convincing 26-10 dismissal of North Carolina Saturday night at Kenan Stadium. Quarterback Tyrod Taylor threw for 249 yards and two touchdowns, both coming in the second half when the Hokies (8-2, 6-0 ACC) overcame a 10-9 halftime deficit to beat the Tar Heels (6-4, 3-3).
Virginia Tech Stifles North Carolina
Filed under: UNC, Virginia Tech, ACC
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Virginia Tech arrived at Kenan Stadium on Saturday hoping not only to wrap up the Coastal Division and a third visit to the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game in four seasons, but also looking to pull off a season sweep of the state of North Carolina. The Hokies had already defeated East Carolina, N.C. State, Wake Forest and Duke this season, with the Tar Heels last on the list.
To be fair, that feat would be far more astounding if the Hokies basketball program could pull it off. It’s hardly a reach in football, with Virginia Tech once again the class of the ACC.
If there was any doubt about that, the Hokies put down yet another hopeful with a convincing 26-10 dismissal of North Carolina. The win kept the Hokies (8-2) undefeated in the ACC at 6-0 as they moved a step closer to clinching the division. Had Georgia Tech defeated Miami Saturday, the title would already be Virginia Tech’s.
The Hokies, who have won eight in a row, close out the schedule at Miami on Nov. 20 and at home against Virginia Nov. 27, needing a win in one of the two or a loss by the Hurricanes to seal it.
North Carolina (6-4, 3-3) made a game of it for a half on Saturday, taking a 10-9 lead as the Tar Heels kept Virginia Tech out of the end zone in the first half. But North Carolina buckled in the second half, committing six turnovers.
ACC Report: Does Anybody Want to Win the Atlantic Division?
Filed under: Boston College, Clemson, Duke Football, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Maryland, University of Miami, NC State, UNC, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, ACC
It’s the Atlantic Coast Conference’s version of “To Tell The Truth.” Will the real Atlantic Division leader please step up?
N.C. State, Maryland and Florida State each had wonderful chances to take command of the division race last week. Each lost. N.C. State fell at Clemson, Maryland fell at Miami and FSU fell at home to North Carolina.
The Potato Sack race continues on Saturday.
If you are looking for a favorite, N.C. State and Maryland control their own destinies.
The Wolfpack can secure a trip to the ACC championship game in Charlotte, N.C., if they beat Wake Forest at home Saturday then win at North Carolina and Maryland in the final two weeks. Maryland advances by beating Virginia this week and winning home games with FSU and N.C. State. FSU earns the division crown if it wins its final two games vs.Clemson this week and at Maryland next week and N.C. State stumbles at least once.
Got it?
Field Goal Curse Kicks Dirt in Florida State’s Eyes
Filed under: Florida State, UNC, ACC
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — It was pregame on Saturday afternoon.
There in the middle of the field at Doak Campbell Stadium were two kickers from opposing teams, North Carolina and Florida State, making small talk and wishing each other good luck. As fate would have it — FSU fans are well aware of the program’s cursed legacy with missed field goals — one kicker had good luck, the other did not.
Take a guess which kicker did not.
Yep, you guessed it.
UNC ended nearly three decades of futility here against FSU with Saturday’s dramatic 37-35 victory in Atlantic Coast Conference play.
Casey Barth connected on a 22-yard field goal with under a minute to play, and the Tar Heels then held their collective breath as FSU’s Dustin Hopkins missed a 40-yard field goal wide right with just seven seconds left on the clock. Hopkins also missed a 42-yard attempt with 7:51 left.
ACC Report: Virginia Tech Looking to Turn Three Points Into Six
Filed under: Boston College, Clemson, Duke Football, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Maryland, University of Miami, NC State, UNC, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, ACC
It’s safe to assume that Virginia Tech‘s mood has improved the past few weeks. Yet, by no means are the Hokies out of the woods just yet. They have another opportunity on Saturday at No. 23 North Carolina State to prove their 0-2 start was indeed a fluke.
Wolfpack coach Tom O’Brien certainly thinks so.
“They are about five plays away from being a top five team in the country,” O’Brien said. “I don’t see where anybody should be down. They’re by far the best team we’ve played this year. It’s not even close.”
If Virginia Tech (2-2) wants to keep it close against the undefeated Wolfpack (4-0), led by quarterback Russell Wilson — the early favorite for ACC Player of the Year honors — the Hokies need to be more productive in the red zone.
Virginia Tech managed three field goals and one touchdown inside the red zone in last Saturday’s victory over Boston College and gained just 343 yards total.
T.J. Yates Stays Positive as UNC’s On-Field General
There’s no need to play the what-if game with North Carolina quarterback T.J. Yates. It’s counter-productive and, quite frankly, it won’t change the past. The Tar Heels are 0-2, suffering close-but-no-cigar defeats by identical scores of 30-24 to LSU and Georgia Tech.
While 12 UNC players remain suspended or continue to be held out for precautionary reasons because of two NCAA investigations into the program, Yates says the Tar Heels are composed and confident. They believe in each other more than ever as they continue preparations for Saturday’s road game at Rutgers.
That’s a good thing, too, because reality can be harsh. A season that held so much promise just two months ago has begun to disintegrate in Chapel Hill, N.C. UNC is now playing for postseason viability — the Tar Heels haven’t started 0-3 since 2003.
“We know we have to get a win — it’s put-up or shut-up time,” Yates told FanHouse Wednesday afternoon.
