Tag: Minnesota Football

Jahvaree Ritzie amongst national leaders in which defensive category?

Jahvaree Ritzie’s hot start for UNC has him amongst college football’s most productive lineman early in the 2024 college football season.

After playing in a rotation last year, Jahvaree Ritzie is taking full advantage of his starting opportunity for the UNC football program so far in 2024.

Ritzie’s defensive prowess has North Carolina at 2-0 already, with a close Week 1 win at Minnesota and a more comfortable victory against Charlotte last weekend.

Ritzie has a Tar Heels-best five sacks and tackles for loss through two games, as he is one of many beneficiaries from new defensive coordinator Geoff Collins’ pressure-heavy scheme. UNC is still giving up big plays in the secondary, but the defensive line is doing its job.

On a line where Kaimon Rucker is supposed to be the unit’s most productive star, it’s Ritzie shining the most through two games.

Ritzie’s five sacks, which not only lead his teammates, are best in the ACC and second in the nation – only to New Mexico’s Christian Ellis.

Ritzie nabbed his first three sacks in the season-opener at Minnesota, then tacked on two more against Charlotte. His 2024 figures already passed his previous career totals, which included just 2.5 sacks combined from 2021-2023.

It’s tough for anyone to keep up Ritzie’s level of production, but it’s also a level of play I see Ritzie continuing through much of the season. With North Carolina facing NC Central this coming Saturday, I see Ritzie continuing his breakout season and adding to his sack total.

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Kaimon Rucker praises UNC defensive coordinator Geoff Collins’ new scheme

UNC football players are already enjoying their new defensive coordinator after just one game into the 2024 season.

After just one game into the 2024 college football season, the North Carolina Tar Heels showed a marked defensive improvement from 2023.

Opponents averaged 405.4 yards per game against UNC last year. North Carolina nearly halved that figure in its season-opening, 19-17 win over Minnesota, limiting the Golden Gophers to just 244 yards.

Star edge rusher Kaimon Rucker, who recorded four solo tackles, two tackles for loss and one sack, credited defensive coordinator Geoff Collins for the defensive improvements.

A major reason behind those improvements was Collins’ ability to rotate players in and out of the game, something Gene Chizik didn’t do a ton of the past two seasons.

“I felt like it just allowed us to get more guys on the field, and for the guys that we needed in crucial situations, allowed them to be rested up and ready to go,” Rucker told InsideCarolina’s Jeremiah Holloway. “I know in the past, we would not substitute like that. And so a lot of guys would get tired when we needed them the most and stuff like that. And I know Coach Collins understood that was an issue in the past, and Coach (Mack) Brown knows that was an issue in the past, and for us to rotate around 20 guys, man, that’s something that we’ve been preaching for years that we need to do a better job of. And I feel like we finally are starting to do that a lot more.”

Just about every Tar Heel contributed on defense in the Week 1 win.. Defensive tackle Jahvaree Ritzie led UNC with three sacks and tackles for loss apiece. NC State transfer Jakeen Harris thrived from his starting safety spot, leading North Carolina with ten tackles.

Can the Tar Heels’ defense deliver another strong performance in their home opener against Charlotte?

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UNC quarterback Max Johnson releases statement on injury

UNC quarterback Max Johnson delivered some exciting news in his first media statement since suffering a season-ending broken leg.

Thanks to a much-improved defense and a perfect night from kicker Noah Burnette, the North Carolina Tar Heels hung on to beat Minnesota, 19-17, in both teams’ season opener on Thursday, Aug. 29.

UNC opened the scoring early in the second quarter, when quarterback Max Johnson evaded pressure and ran three yards into the end zone for a 6-0 lead. North Carolina never found the end zone again – and Johnson would leave the game late in the third quarter.

At first, no one knew whether Johnson suffered a knee, hip or leg injury. Johnson’s injury was later confirmed to be a broken leg, which he then required season-ending surgery on.

After spending the past eight days recovering from surgery, Johnson finally released a statement to ESPN.

In Johnson’s statement, he confirmed some good news to Tar Heel Nation. Despite likely not being able to work out for months, Johnson plans to play for UNC in 2025.

https://twitter.com/PeteThamel/status/1832112290809966714

While Johnson spends the rest of 2024 recovering from his broken leg, Conner Harrell takes over as North Carolina’s starting quarterback. Harrell had a memorable play in relief of Johnson last week, completing a fourth-quarter zone read to J.J. Jones, which set up one of Burnette’s five made kicks.

Here’s to hoping Johnson makes a speedy recovery – and we see him back in Carolina Blue next fall.

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UNC defensive tackle Jahvaree Ritzie earns honor after week 1

Jahvaree Ritzie’s Week 1 breakout game at Minnesota gained himself some well-deserved national recognition.

Jahvaree Ritzie was undoubtedly the greatest defensive difference-maker in the UNC football team’s 19-17 victory over Minnesota last week.

Ritzie, who played largely as a reserve during his first three years as North Carolina, registered three tackles for loss and sacked Golden Gophers quarterback Max Brosmer three times. When Ritzie wasn’t stuffing the stat sheet, he was bowling through Minnesota’s offensive line and disrupting the offensive rhythm.

Arguably Thursday’s greatest beneficiary in new defensive coordinator Geoff Collins’ pressure-heavy scheme, Ritzie was named the Outland Trophy Player of the Week.

Despite allowing the Gophers to march down the field and set up a game-winning field goal try, the Tar Heel defense showed major improvements from the past two seasons.

As a team, UNC limited Minnesota to under 250 yards. Kaimon Rucker, Amare Campbell and Kaleb Cost joined Ritzie in the sack parade, while NC State transfer Jakeen Harris was the lone player with 10 tackles.

The Outland Trophy is given annually to the nation’s best interior lineman – on both sides of the ball.

Ritzie’s National honors follow his ACC Player of the Week honors. Ritzie played all 13 games last year as a reserve, recording just 25 tackles, a half sack, half-TFL, one pass deflection and one forced fumble, but started half of North Carolina’s 2022 games.

What kind of performance will Ritzie deliver for an encore in Saturday’s home opener?

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Minnesota football mistakenly lit off fireworks after a missed game-winning kick to North Carolina

Many teams are still working out the kinks both on and off the field.

It is still early in the college football season and many teams are still working out the kinks both on and off the field.

Never was that more apparent than when the Minnesota Gophers hosted the North Carolina Tar Heels on Thursday night. Heading into the final seconds of the game, Minnesota kicker Dragan Kesich had an opportunity to secure a victory for his team.

Kesich, who missed a 27-yard field goal attempt earlier in the game, missed a 47-yard field goal and North Carolina was officially victorious. Despite that, though, the fireworks operator still set off the display for the home crowd.

This was a sitcom-worthy awkward series of events.

Hopefully for Minnesota fans, isn’t a preview of what is to come as the season progresses for the Gophers.

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How to watch UNC’s first game of the 2024 college football season

Here’s your everything you need to know guide for UNC’s 2024 football opener against Minnesota.

After waiting for what seemed like forever, are you finally ready to watch your North Carolina Tar Heels take the football field?

That waiting stops tonight, as UNC faces Minnesota at 8 p.m. ET in Huntington Bank Stadium. North Carolina won a 31-13, Week 3 clash last year in Kenan Stadium, but it’s the Golden Gophers’ turn to host in 2024.

There’s so much to watch for on the Tar Heels’ 2024 roster: a new starting quarterback, number one wide receiver, offensive line and an experienced defense. UNC also hired Geoff Collins as its new defensive coordinator in the offseason, with hopes the former Georgia Tech head coach can turn around a unit amongst the FBS’ worst.

North Carolina needs a victory tonight in the worst way. Beating Minnesota would showcase two things: the Tar Heels can win in tough road environments, plus compete with Power 4 schools.

If you won’t be in attendance tonight, let us deliver you all the necessary broadcast information:

UNC-MINNESOTA TV, RADIO, AND STREAMING INFORMATION

WHAT: North Carolina (0-0, 0-0 ACC) @ Minnesota (0-0, 0-0 Big 10)

WHEN: Thursday, Aug. 29 at 8 p.m. ET

LOCATION: Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, MN

TV: FOX (Watch and stream the game live on Fox Sports)

ANNOUNCERS: Jason Benetti (play-by-play), Brock Huard (analyst), Allison Williams (sideline reporter)

RADIO: Tar Heel Sports Network. Jones Angell, play-by-play;
Bryn Renner, analyst; Lee Pace, sideline

SATELLITE RADIO: SiriusXM (84 or 193)

WEBSITE: Fox Sports (sign in with TV provider)

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Is Minnesota star running back in danger of missing season opener?

Will running back Darius Taylor miss the Week 1 game against the UNC football program?

North Carolina and Minnesota will open the 2024 college football season on Thursday night, continuing a two-game home and home series.

While there are a lot of questions surrounding the Tar Heels entering this game, the biggest question surrounds a star Minnesota player. Running back Darius Taylor reportedly suffered an injury during training camp and there are questions about his status.

A big sign of bad news for Minnesota is that the betting line went from Minnesota being 2.5-point favorites to UNC now being 2.5-point favorites on some books. That’s a four-point swing in a matter of days, something that a team missing a star player could influence.

There has been no official word on any injury and P.J. Fleck did keep things close to the vest during a media session on August 19th when asked about Taylor: 

“He’s doing great, but we brought in a ton of players for that reason in general. If anybody ever gets banged up, and we got a few bumps and bruises but I’m going to use the same line as we get 10 days before. The injury report will come out two hours before.

But this is a very healthy football team and I love how they’ve gone about their business throughout training camp.”

Andy Greder of the Pioneer Press reported earlier in August after a practice that Tayor had left and was limping. In addition to that, top wideout Daniel Jackson has also been limited at times:

Both are significant injuries for the Gophers’ offense ahead of the week 1 game. We won’t know much until the injury report is put out around two hours before kickoff but this is a big development.

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Big Ten primer — Minnesota’s greatest football moment

Minnesota and USC were both football dynasties in the 1930s.

Big Ten football media days are coming up. USC’s entry into the Big Ten will become that much more real. USC will not be part of Pac-12 media days. This is the Trojans’ new home. Let’s get to know our new neighbors, starting with the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

Minnesota has gone more than 60 years without an appearance in the Rose Bowl, the longest drought of any school which was in the Big Ten in the early 1960s. However, through the early 1960s, Minnesota was a top program. The Gophers were particularly great in their dynastic period from 1934 through 1941. They won five national championships and had four unbeaten seasons under legendary coach Bernie Bierman. Minnesota won three consecutive national championships from 1934 through 1936. Last season, Georgia was trying to become the first college football program since the 1930s Gophers to win three straight national crowns. Minnesota used to be the real deal in college football. If you didn’t know that about one of USC’s new Big Ten competitors, now you do.

Big Ten media days runs from Tuesday through Thursday, July 23-25, in Indianapolis.

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USC football’s possible trap game in the Big Ten this year

Two games emerge from the pack as possible trap games for USC this fall.

When you look at the 2024 USC football schedule, a few obvious possibilities emerge when discussing a potential trap game for the Trojans this fall in the Big Ten Conference.

USC hosts Wisconsin on Sept. 28 and hosts Penn State on Oct. 12. That makes the Oct. 5 game against Minnesota a possible trap game for USC. The Wisconsin and Penn State games are featured attractions on the coming Big Ten schedule, so the Minnesota game could get lost in the shuffle and become a game the Trojans might overlook. They might devote a little less energy and focus to that game, compared to the other Big Ten battles on the slate this year.

After the Penn State game on Oct. 12, the Trojans have to go to Maryland. The notable part of the Maryland game on Oct. 19 is that it precedes a Friday game against Rutgers on Oct. 25. That Maryland game’s kickoff time has not been announced, but that game could easily be a noon Eastern time start, 9 a.m. in the West. That could become a “body clock game” which trips up the Trojans.

We talked more about this topic at The Voice of College Football:

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The Minnesota Golden Gopher’s College Football 25 celebration is absolutely delightful

The Minnesota Golden Gopher is one of the breakout stars of College Football 25.

As college football fans celebrate this week’s release of College Football 25, the various Easter eggs and little details hidden in the game by its developers are beginning to come to light.

One fun twist that’s already catching fans’ attention is how the Minnesota mascot celebrates a big play for the team.

The Golden Gopher has indeed taken some spotlight with the new edition of the EA Sports game, as the mascot unexpectedly turns his head around a few times in a 360 circle whenever Minnesota is able to make a big splash on the football field.

While mascot celebrations aren’t anything out of the ordinary, watching Golden Gopher spin his head around in a full circle is the kind of unexpectedly hilarious surprise that makes this such a welcome return for a college football video game.

See for yourself how the Golden Gopher twists its head around below.

Apparently, the Golden Gopher has pulled this off in real life, too.

 

 

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