CHAPEL HILL -- North Carolina's players and coaches gathered round the television and watched Georgia Tech beat Florida State on Saturday, thankful for the extra week they've been afforded to prepare for the Yellow Jackets.
In addition to resting their minds and bodies, the No. 19 Tar Heels (6-2, 2-2) believe they put their bye week to good use, devoting a good chunk of practice time Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday to the Yellow Jackets' quirky offense in advance of Saturday's important Coastal Division showdown at Kenan Stadium (WRAL, noon).
"Fortunately, we had the three days last week to try to get the scout team out there and to try to get them [used to Georgia Tech] because the blocking schemes are totally non-traditional with the offensive line, certainly the execution of the quarterback," UNC coach Butch Davis said.
No. 22 Georgia Tech (7-2, 2-2) runs a variant of the wishbone or triple option that can be tough to prepare for in only one week. Few other teams in the country have as much going on in the backfield, whether it's a potential dive up the middle with the fullback, the quarterback sprinting off tackle or the quarterback running to the perimeter only to pitch it to a tailback. All the while, different "A" and "B" backs are running in to block or serve as decoys.
It's one of the reasons Georgia Tech leads the ACC and is eighth in the country with 242.8 rushing yards per game.
With Yellow Jackets wide receiver Deymarius Thomas averaging 65.5 receiving yards, there's also the play-action pass to consider.
"Georgia Tech is more dangerous than a traditional wishbone team because a traditional wishbone team historically always had a tight end and three backs in the backfield and maybe one wide receiver," Davis said. "With what Georgia Tech's doing, they have two wide receivers and they have two guys in the slot that are in a dangerous position to get out for passes.
"They're going to require your secondary to be a big, significant part of the run defense. You're always very susceptible to the play-action pass."
UNC sophomore Anthony Parker-Boyd mimicked the part of the Georgia Tech quarterback -- Josh Nesbitt injured an ankle in Saturday's win, and back-up Jaybo Shaw might start against the Tar Heels -- last week and figures to reprise that role when practice kicks back up this afternoon. Even if Parker-Boyd does a good job, Davis stressed that it could be a poor substitute for the real thing.
"One of the things that you have to caution your team about is the speed at which we're going to be able to execute it is nowhere near the speed with which they're going to execute it," Davis said. "You've got to get into the flow and the speed of the game as quickly as possible."
Safety Trimane Goddard said the key will be for the Tar Heels' defense to use its noggin as much as possible.
"It takes the whole team being on the same page, everyone being disciplined and reading their keys because if you don't, it's a 60-yard play," he said.
NOTES -- With Saturday's football game kicking off at noon, UNC's exhibition against UNC Pembroke will start at 5:30 p.m. at the Smith Center. ... Butch Davis said he wouldn't know the status of T.J. Yates (ankle) and Zach Pianalto (ankle) until today. "We'll have a better appreciation for where they're going to be." ... The Tar Heels' next game, a Nov. 15 trip to Maryland, will kick off at 3:30 p.m.
