Keys to the North Carolina game

Tempted to head to Raleigh for the NC State-Boston College game (O'Brien Bowl). Remember Live Blogging the game tonight.

Today's JI advance.

Keys to the game

1. Get Zach Frazer off

Get Zach Frazer comfortable throwing the ball. If Frazer can be an asset in the passing game and is comfortable, that will make things much easier for Donald Brown and the offense.


2. Limit North Carolina wide receivers

The Huskies can’t let Brandon Tate and Hakeem Nixon and run wild at wide receiver. The primary defense is corners Darius Butler and Jasper Howard. The most important part of the defense is getting a passed rush.



3. Control Brandon Tate on kicks

Tate on kickoffs is explosive. He is averaging 25 yards per punt return, an unheard of amount. He is such an explosive returner the Huskies have to limit his touches.



Offense

UConn turns over the reins of the offense to Zach Frazer at quarterback and now could be the time to unleash the passing game. Frazer is a pure thrower for the Huskies and he has a stronger arm and throws a better ball than Tyler Lorenzen. Frazer has to limit mistakes and pass just enough to soften things up for Donald Brown. If Brown has another big game, and no one has stopped him yet, that makes Frazer’s job much easier. The nations leading rusher vs. a defense that is giving up 138 yards a game is good for the Huskies.

The Tar Heels are an explosive offensive team even with quarterback Tyler Yates out in place of Cameron Sexton and Mike Paulus rotating. The key for the Tar Heels is at wide receiver where Brandon Tate and Hakeem Nixon are perhaps two of the best wide receivers UConn will face. Tate is averaging 25.9 yards a reception and has three touchdowns and 359 yards receiving in four games games. Nixon is almost as explosive, with 357 yards and three touchdowns. Sexton was tremendous against Miami coming in for Paulus, who struggled early.


Defense

The onus of stopping UNC’s high powered offense will fall on cornerbacks Darius Butler and Jasper Howard and the defensive line, which needs to pressure the quarterback. Butler and Howard are faced with their biggest test, perhaps all season, and they can’t let the big plays over the top. The defensive line is banged up at defensive tackle but it can’t be an excuse. The Huskies need to get pressure on the quarterback from the line to give the secondary a chance.


North Carolina hasn’t necessarily bottled up the run this season, so there first task is to stop Donald Brown at all costs and let Frazer beat the Huskies throwing. The Tar Heels are giving up 138 yards a game on the ground. The defensive line is massive however at 280 and 300 pounds across the line and the best strategy might ne to beat up the UConn line. Stuffing the box with linebackers should be required at this point considering Brown’s ability and the lack of a passing game for the Huskies.