Some observations compiled during the Terps’ 17-15 win against North Carolina…
-Da’Rel Scott eclipsed his rushing yardage total (11) from the Virginia Tech game on his first carry this afternoon with a 14-yard run. The Terps’ running game was excellent in the first half, and solid throughout.
-Long snapper Andrew Schmitt got some good hangtime on that snap that went over punter Travis Baltz’s head for a safety early in the first quarter. Heads up play by Baltz to fall on the ball in the endzone instead of near the goal line so the Tar Heels wouldn’t have had first and goal.
-The offensive line was the key on the Terps’ touchdown drive that made it 7-5 late in the first quarter. The line was markedly better than it played against the Hokies, knocking the Tar Heels off the line of scrimmage and sealing things off for Scott.
-Terps’ safety Kenny Tate made a terrible play on the ball on Cameron Sexton’s 59-yard touchdown pass to Cooter Arnold. Instead of running under what looked like an errant pass, Tate thought it would be a good idea to stop and try to leap up to grab it with one hand. He got a fingertip on it, but Cooter kept running under it and took it to the house. Not a good play.
-Tremendous drive for running back Davin Meggett to give the Terps a 14-12 lead early in the second quarter. The freshman took the ball on the last six plays of the drive and did so through pelting rain. Meggett runs hard every time he touches the ball.
-I have never seen Diamondback beat writer Eric Detweiler smile wider than when a rainbow appeared over Byrd Stadium in the second quarter. “I’m so excited about this,” Detweiler said.
-Tar Heel fullback Bobby Rome’s 44-yard pass to Brooks Foster made a lot of people look bad. The Terps were caught completely off guard by Rome throwing the ball after he took a handoff, and the two officials nearest to the catch both fell down. Tar Heel kicker Casey Barth missed a short field goal attempt off the upright for good measure.
-Other than that one long pass, the third quarter was pretty much a waste of everybody’s time. Neither offense could move the ball or score any points, and it wasn’t because there were many great plays on defense. It’s fitting that the last play of the quarter was a Terp false start.
-We hadn’t seen quarterback Josh Portis for a few weeks, and he didn’t help his cause fumbling on the first play of the fourth quarter. He was lucky it didn’t cost the Terps more than field position after the Tar Heels went three and out. The airmailed pass he threw to Darrius Heyward-Bey (sort of) in the first half showed why he’s still only counted on to run at this point.
-Great play by Terp safety Antwine Perez on the Tar Heels’ 3rd-and-3 play in the fourth quarter. Isolated on the outside, Perez fought through a block and tackled a scrambling Sexton short of the first down marker to force a punt. It gave the Terps the ball back before the incredible 19-play drive that ended in Obi Egekeze’s go-ahead 26-yard field goal.
-Two gutsy plays kept that drive going. Wide receiver’s Ronnie Tyler’s tough catch in traffic on 3rd-and-11, and then Turner’s 12-yard scramble up the middle on 4th-and-5.
-It wasn’t the best-played game, but there was plenty of drama and the Terps are two wins away from the championship game. Accurately called by The Diamondback.
Anyone in attendance can admit that the second quarter rainbow was the best they have ever seen, and with the odd mix of rain and sunshine it was clear that one was coming. Hence the wide grin. Unfortunately, I was too busy to track down the pot of gold at the end of it.