North Carolina has been through the emotional ringer over the past three weeks, but the Tar Heels’ legendary head coach may be second to none in keeping players even-keeled and focused.
Bill Belichick will take North Carolina (4-4) on a non-conference trip to face UConn (4-4) on Saturday afternoon in East Hartford, Conn.
The Tar Heels followed a late 24-20 win at rival Duke on Oct. 17 with a 31-30 overtime loss to Syracuse. Then, they welcomed the No. 1 team in the country on Halloween and played Miami close for four quarters in a heartbreaking 38-35 loss.
“Whether you win by one or win by 20 or you lose by one or lose by 20, it is what it is,” Belichick said Monday. “When it’s done, it’s done. … It’s just part of preparation for the next game, mental toughness and putting it all together as a team.”
Billy Edwards Jr. had his best game as a Tar Heel, throwing for 341 yards and a career-high four touchdowns without an interception. He had North Carolina ahead in the fourth quarter, but after the Hurricanes took a 31-28 advantage, Edwards lost the ball on a strip sack, and the visitors made it a 10-point game in short order.
Meanwhile, defense had been the Tar Heels’ calling card until the unit gave up 31-plus points in back-to-back games. North Carolina did not force a turnover against Syracuse or Miami.
“We got a couple of key ones against Duke and against Pitt to help in those games, but we need to start to create more negative plays and more turnovers,” Belichick said.
This trip to Connecticut will mark the farthest into New England that Belichick has traveled in his two years at North Carolina following a generational run as coach of the NFL’s Patriots.
“Thank God Tom Brady is not walking out of that locker room Saturday,” UConn coach Jason Candle said. “We’ve got to focus on them and their players and what they do and what they do well.”
Topping that list: UNC defensive ends Leroy Jackson and Xavier Lewis generate constant pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Lewis’ seven sacks are tied for second in the ACC.
“Two elite defensive ends, both guys I think are game-changers, and you can’t let them wreck the game,” Candle said. “You try to do that each and every week, you try to make sure that the other team’s strength is neutralized the best you can.”
Facing Edwards will be a much different task for the UConn defense than last week’s 35-26 setback at Air Force. The Huskies lost despite the Falcons failing to complete a pass (0-for-3); the option-oriented service academy racked up 366 yards on 74 rushes.
UConn’s Kalieb Osborne (263 yards passing, two TDs last week) has thrown for 14 touchdowns to just two interceptions this year.