WINE AND JEEZ
Bill Belichick and general manager Mike Lombardi have boasted about North Carolina being the “33rd NFL team.”
The Tar Heels might not be the 33rd best team in their state (high schools included).
This team is just plain bad, and that was obvious before Saturday’s carnage commenced.
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But Clemson just plain needed some good vibes, and Belichick’s hapless outfit was exactly what Doctor Dabo ordered in a 38-10 trouncing.
North Carolina (2-3, 0-1) supporters are known as the wine-and-cheese types.
On this day it was wine and jeez.
Or maybe wine and keys: Most of them were long gone at halftime to catch up on the latest news on their basketball team.
Over the summer this was billed as a showcase game for the ACC, a conference that needs flash and profile.
North Carolina tumbled to reality immediately, getting drubbed by TCU in the opener.
It took longer for Clemson (2-3, 1-2) to be recognized as the biggest disappointment in college football a month in.
After falling behind 16-0 to Troy at home, it was obvious that Clemson could lose to anyone if it didn’t figure out basic stuff like throwing to open receivers and making tackles there to be made.
Well, almost anyone.
Because it’s hard to fathom UNC would’ve challenged the Tigers even had they not snapped out of their funk with this first-quarter bonanza.
Dabo Swinney and the offensive staff spent the off week cooking up some trick plays to make things fun again.
Defensive coordinator Tom Allen used the time off to realize he needed to be on the sideline, up close and personal, instead of way up there in the box. Seemed like it made a difference.
Complementary football was back as the Tigers out-gained the Heels 253-57 in the opening 15 minutes while amassing a 28-3 lead.
And it started on the first play with a double-pass touchdown from Cade Klubnik to Antonio Williams to TJ Moore for 75 yards.
That’s all it took for the mood to lighten on the Clemson sideline, for the Tigers to start executing more freely.
Well, it also took the Tar Heels being really bad.
But when you’re 1-3 and coming off a blowout home loss to Syracuse, you take the rhythm and precision however you can get them.
Klubnik missed so many layups over the first four games. That was the biggest problem.
They schemed up the easiest of shots at the rim on the first play, as all Klubnik had to do was turn and throw wide to Williams.
Layup made.
Williams threw perfectly to Moore to bring jokes about moving Williams to quarterback.
But then Klubnik looked pretty darned good in completing 19 of his first 20 passes and exploiting the overeagerness and general slowness of North Carolina’s secondary.
Big plays in the first quarter alone, all through the air:
75 on that first play; 45 to Christian Bentancur for a touchdown; 36 to Bryant Wesco; 35 on a catch-and-run, sideline toe-tapping touchdown by Adam Randall; and 23 on a pump-fake touchdown toss to Randall.
The Tigers put another touchdown on the board in the second quarter when Klubnik hit Bentancur for another score with 2:02 left to make it 35-3. That was Clemson’s last trip to the end zone.
Klubnik finished 22-of-24 passing for 254 yards with four touchdowns, no interceptions and a rating of 235.6.
Backup Christopher Vizzina finally got a chance for extended action and completed 6 of 11 passes for 39 yards, and now fans have a better idea why Swinney was hesitant to insert him when Klubnik was going through pronounced struggles.
Clemson rushed for 89 yards and averaged just 2.9 yards a carry. The Tigers also committed seven penalties for 85 yards.
North Carolina did outscore Clemson in penalties, incurring eight infractions.
The Tar Heels final offensive stats were deceptive: They had 270 yards and 19 first downs, but they had just 78 yards and five first downs at halftime.
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Belichick’s arrival at North Carolina brought all sorts of fanfare and catchphrases such as “Chapel Bill.”
It was Chapel Kill on this day.
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And Clemson needed it.
Oh, did Clemson need it.
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