There were four spring games around the ACC this weekend and defense grabbed the headlines in three of them. After the jump, we'll run down how UNC, UVa, Clemson and FSU did in its spring games and take a look at a scrimmage from our other Coastal rival still going through spring practice, Georgia Tech.
North Carolina Tar Heels
The Blue and White defensive units combined for eight sacks and five interceptions in a 17-0 win by the White team. Blue team quarterback T.J. Yates was harassed into five sacks and a pick while completing 15 of 26 passes for 122 yards. Second-team QB Bryn Renner threw two interceptions of his own, but completed 15 of 21 passes for 184 yards and a touchdown.
Butch Davis told the media after the game that Renner is closing the gap between he and Yates and he was in position to push for playing time. The Tar Heel offensive line struggled throughout the game. In addition to the sacks it gave up, the running game was never able to get off the ground. UNC's top two running backs in the game, Shawn Draughn and Anthony Elzy combined for 60 yards on 22 attempts (2.7 ypc). The longest run by either was a seven-yard run by Draughn. It should be noted that UNC mixed up its teams, so neither back was running behind a true first-team offensive line.
Renner 'closes the gap' at QB for Heels (Raleigh News & Observer)
"(Renner's) performance - captured by ESPN's cameras - will most likely spark conversations about the Heels' starting quarterback position, which has been filled for three seasons by rising senior T.J. Yates. Based on the poise, arm strength and mobility Renner displayed Saturday, there will be those who want coach Butch Davis to replace Yates with him."
Renner leads White team to win in spring game (WRAL)
"Other than Renner’s 55-yard connection with Dwight Jones in the second half, the other receivers didn’t do much too impress on Saturday. Sophomore Erik Highsmith reeled in four catches for 26 yards, Jones finished with two for 66 and sophomore Jhay Boyd added three receptions for 17 yards. The problems went beyond the statistics, however, thanks to defensive backs ripping the balls away too easily and several crucial drops."
Young players shine in spring game for Tar Heels (Burlington Times News)
"Opting to de-emphasize the established stars, including the nine returning starters on North Carolina’s super-charged defense, Tar Heels coach Butch Davis went with a pared-down game plan to give lesser-known players opportunities to shine. [...] The player with arguably the best day was junior defensive end Michael McAdoo. After spending last season in the rotation on the defensive line, McAdoo made strong case for an increased role, registering four sacks and an interception off a ball batted up by teammate Quinton Coples."
Virginia Cavaliers
UVa's Orange and Blue teams combined for 26 yards on 27 carries (including sacks) according to the Charlottesville Daily Progress in the Orange team's 30-3 win in Saturday's spring game. QB Marc Verica completed 8 of 23 passes for 83 yards and threw two interceptions. The three main running backs, Torrey Mack, Keith Payne and Perry Jones, combined for 47 yards on 16 carries (2.9 ypc). Mack worked primarily with the first-team offensive line and had minus-6 yards on six carries.
It looks like the Hoos' defense isn't having much trouble adjusting to the move to a 4-3 defense. The offense, however, probably needs more work with Bill Lazor's offense.
London confident running game won't be a liability (Daily Press)
"None of the trio of backs looked especially inspiring in the spring game. Payne led all runners with six carries for 29 yards, while Jones had four carries for 24 yards and Mack added six carries for minus-6 yards. Still, it's hard to tell much from what essentially equaled a dress rehearsal, with Payne and Jones getting some carries running behind No. 2 offensive linemen."
Flaws linger in London's first spring game (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
"On a day that saw a rash of penalties, a surplus of incomplete passes and little punch from the offense, that team-first mentality might take on a life of its own during a tough 2010 campaign. [...] Despite the new energy from the newly-constructed coaching staff, the veterans among the Cavaliers should have felt as if they were playing a home game under the previous regime, one that saw three losing seasons in the past four years."
Still work to do to return power to UVa attack (Charlottesville Daily Progress)
"Of course, spring games rarely reveal what a football team is truly all about. There are still parts of London’s offense that hasn’t been implemented and coaches essentially consider a spring game event just another practice, so they are looking for certain things from certain players. It’s all part of the experiment. Still, from an outsider’s point of view, there wasn’t a whole lot out there Saturday that’s going to keep Frank Beamer and the other Coastal Division coaches up at night over the summer."
