Heel Tough Blog: PFF Report - Week 2 ETSU
The Tar Heels opened the 100th season in Kenan Stadium in style, beating East Tennessee State 35-3 to improve to 2-0 this season. After a week off following the win over TCU in Dublin, we saw the Tar Heel offense take another step under offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino, and the defense, led by Jaylen Harvey, held ETSU scoreless deep into the second half; after the first two games, it is allowing just 6.5 points per game. It was the perfect tune-up before the ACC opener this weekend at Clemson, a game that suddenly appears more winnable than it did before the season. With that in mind, let’s take a look at how the Tar Heels graded out, according to PFF:
Offense:
Jelani Thurman - 94.2
Tight end Jelani Thurman is emerging as a star for the Tar Heels, proving to be a mismatch nightmare for opposing defenses, and he had a big game on Saturday in his first time playing in front of the UNC faithful. Thurman led UNC with 4 catches for 71 yards and a touchdown, all in just 34 snaps. His big game translated well to the grading sheet, where PFF awarded him a 94.2 overall grade, including a 91.7 grade on passing downs and an 83.5 when he was engaged as a run blocker.
CJ Sadler - 80.2
Along with Thurman, CJ Sadler is emerging as a pass-catching weapon for Billy Edwards Jr., and on Saturday he had 3 catches for 66 yards, both of which were second on the team. He saw just 23 total snaps on Saturday, but received the second-best offensive grade for any Tar Heel, with an 80.2, including a 76.8 on passing plays and a 76.1 as a run blocker.
Billy Edwards Jr. - 78.1
The Wisconsin transfer continues to prove why he won UNC’s starting QB battle, as he’s been nothing but efficient and has protected the football. On Saturday, Edwards Jr. went 15-for-20, for 244 yards, with two touchdowns. PFF graded him with a 78.1 overall grade, with a 79.3 grade in the passing game, a 57.8 as a rusher, and a 60.0 as a run blocker.
Andrew Threatt - 75.6
All of the offensive success wouldn’t have been possible if not for a big day up front, and we finally see the offensive line get recognized for doing just that. Left guard Andrew Threatt played 42 total snaps on Saturday, 25 of which were passing downs and 17 were run plays, and he earned a 75.6 grade. Per PFF, he was graded out as a 67.4 on passing downs and a 77.6 in the run game.
Trey Blue - 75.3
Trey Blue may have only seen 13 snaps at left tackle, but that didn’t stop him from being one of the best Tar Heels on the field against ETSU. In his limited time on the field, PFF gave Blue a 75.3 overall grade, despite struggling in the pass-blocking game (31.0), while thriving in the run game (80.9).
Defense:
Jaylen Harvey - 89.5
With no Melkart About-Joude, it was fair to expect a big performance from Jaylen Harvey, and the Penn State transfer delivered, recording 3 total tackles, including two sacks, in 36 snaps. His 89.5 defensive grade led Carolina, and Harvey graded out well across the board, earning a 70.0 in run defense, a 76.2 tackling grade, 89.2 when rushing the passer, and a 70.8 when dropped back into coverage.
Isaiah Johnson - 87.2
Carolina’s defensive line was dominant on Saturday, and that was proven true on the PFF grading scale. Johnson played 28 defensive snaps but made an impact with 4 total tackles, leading to the 87.2 overall grade, followed by a 90.0 in run defense, a 75.5 tackling grade, and a 58.5 in pass rush situations.
Xavier Lewis - 87.1
After a breakout performance against TCU in Dublin, all eyes were on Xavier Lewis to see how he’d follow up that individual effort. Well, he was dominant once again, recording 5 total tackles, with 2 more sacks and 2 tackles for loss. That fueled his grade of 87.1, including a 79.8 grade as a run defender, a 77.3 grade as a tackler, and a 79.8 grade as a pass rusher.
Leroy Jackson - 79.0
Leroy Jackson might be the most underrated member of the Tar Heel defense, but PFF made sure to give him the love he has earned. Jackson had 5 tackles against ETSU while playing 42 snaps, the most among defensive linemen. That earned him a 79.0 grade overall, an 81.4 in run defense, a 76.2 tackling grade, and a 63.9 grade as a pass rusher.
Peyton Seelmann - 78.0
After a less-than-stellar debut against TCU, it was important for Peyton Seelmann to bounce back, and he did that in a big way, leading Carolina with 10 total tackles, 7 of them were solo, and he even forced a fumble, all of that production coming in 31 snaps. Seelamann excelled as a run defender, grading out at 90.6; his tackling grade was an 82.8, and his coverage grade was 59.9.
Comments