Some writer is already a bit early with this thinking but he feels the Heels could be found in the Orange Bowl...guess we better keep playing football. Lots of season left, especially after three tough injuries to key players.

...and this will be brief, as ya don't learn much playing such a physically overmatched opponent.

Honestly, team-wise I was watching for three things going in:
1. Would we indeed reinvigorate the Caroilina transition game?
2. Would we be able to morph from that into half-court offense without scheming space?
3. Would we see any defensive diversity?
Welp, lessee...
1. Happily, YES. Refreshingly, we committed to our core transition concepts early on --- outlet passes, pitching ahead and getting in lanes, and often the results were satisfying, including ball-reversals. Bad news was we got slack in the second half --- less passing ahead, Bigs bringing the ball up, Guards forcing drives, and other such nonsense. Ammunition for a film-room session for sure.
2. The answer was once again YES, but with the caveat that JCS played 90+% Zone, so the swing passes dove-tailed nicely into the space endemically created by Dean's venerable Zone Continuity, which continues to get us open look after open look, Thus the real answer here will hafta wait til we play a Man team to see if we can change over as smoothly.
3. I suspected we might hafta wait for this answer as well, dang it.

Other random observations:
- Speaking of our Zone-O, I really liked the renewed emphasis on utilizing the "short-corner" entry option, one of the most difficult things for Zones to defend. That said, I wanna see more Hi-Lo action. I mean, hell, we're starting a front line of 6'11, 6'10, 6'8. The few times we did it, it was unstoppable.
- I was disappointed with our mid-range efficiency. Those shots are there for the taking --- too many clankers.
- Dunn continues to look like he belongs (despite one really bad transition force in the second half), and should be a staple of the rotation. And speaking of rotation, our guy Nickel looks like he's carved his way into it in at least some capacity, even when everyone is healthy.
- Fans should understand that Nance ain't Brady Manek --- he's an actual Big who yes, can knock down the occasional "pop" or "trail" 3 (better than he did tonight), but the more time he spends in the paint the better, as far as I'm concerned.
- Love did a nice job of keeping the ball moving, and allegedly RJ is cleared to play the opener, which is relieving to hear, because right now they are our PG options. Dunn is best off the ball, and while Trimble is an exciting athlete (especially in transition) and finisher, well... a PG he ain't --- not at this stage anyway.

Finally, man, I'm really hoping Puff's "soreness" doesn't get to be chronic, and I'm hoping to see some multiplicity on defense moving forward, and mostly I'm SURE AS HELL GLAD IT'S BASKETBALL SEASON AGAIN!

Ron Cherry

It is still presented, with basically one exception, as if he were a great official rather than a guy easily lampooned who often did really pick on certain players and teams.If he called UNC vs. VT, it was a given that he would manage to make 2 or 3 awful calls that helped VT.

Each one will be tough for different reasons...

- @ Virginia - enough said
- Wake Forest - Can we outscore them or turn them over like L'ville did?
- GaTech - These guys have played teams tough throughout the year.
- NC State - I expect them to find a rhythm sometime soon. Hey..It's rivalry game!

Heisman Watch 2022: Drake Maye Q&A With ESPN, Leading Contenders​

Drake Maye's father, Mark, played football at UNC, and his brothers -- Cole (a former baseball player at Florida), Luke (a former UNC basketball player) and Beau (on the current UNC hoops team) -- all have enjoyed immense success in college. But Drake's first eight starts haven't just stood out among family members. He's one of the country's best QBs. (ESPN.com)

AJ/Mods--There has been discussion that it's a "first to commit" scenario between Fland and Cadeau, whose official visit is scheduled for next Friday, Oct. 7. How does the cancellation of Fland's Sept. 30 official visit affect Cadeau's recruitment, if at all?

In fact, it always has been the best reason for UNC to rehire Mack Brown: he is an easy 'fit' in Chapel Hill and at UNC. Yes, that can be used as a silly excuse to make and keep bad hires (such as Bunting), but it nonetheless always should be taken into account at every turn.

Auburn boosters by and large are nuts and vicious, and they gravely harmed the program they love by undermining Harsin before he ever held a practice as Tiger HC. That said, it also is true that Harsin, who was 50 games over .500 at Boise St with 5 double digit win seasons out of 6 possible such seasons, is a westerner who is not close to a natural fit to any SEC program.

I think the best way to understand 'fit' right now is Bret Bielema. As a young, 1st time HC, he won 3 BT championships at Wisconsin. He also had a 12-1 team that did not win the BT. And he was an IL country boy, actually raised on a hog farm. So it seemed logical to assume that he could win at Arkansas. But his 5 year record there was 29-34. Bielema never could fit into Arkansas or the SEC. He was a midwestern fish out of water around Fayetteville and among HS coaches ands recruits across the southwest and the SEC area. He stood out as an odd duck among SEC coaches at SEC Media Days.

And now look at Bielema. In 2021 he took over the basket case that is Illini football. Before Bielema, Lovie Smith had 5 consecutive losing teams at Illinois and was 22 games under .500. In his first year in Champaign-Urbana, Bielema was 5-7, and this year, the long inept Illini are 7-1 and ranked #14. Midwestern born and raised, and BT trained (he played at Iowa and was an assistant at Iowa and was Wisconsin DC before being named Wisconsin HC), Bielema is a fit in the BT. He is working a small miracle now in the BT.