MINNEAPOLIS — North Carolina’s primary goal for this work-in-progress season is figuring out how to avoid the late fade that spoiled the last two years with star quarterback Drake Maye.
This finish in the season opener at Minnesota was a good first step.
Noah Burnette made four field goals, three of them after quarterback Max Johnson was sent to a hospital with a leg injury, a clutch performance highlighted by the go-ahead 45-yarder with 1:44 left for the Tar Heels in a 19-17 victory over the Gophers on Thursday night.
“We talked about doing every little thing possible to help with their confidence, to help with their commitment, to help with their discipline,” coach Mack Brown said. “I’m just proud of the change in all of these guys.”
Dragan Kesich, whose 30-yarder with 3:40 to go gave the Gophers the lead, missed his chance to win it as time expired when a 47-yard try went wide right. He also missed a 27-yarder earlier.
“There’s no one play that loses you the game. I told him right when he get off the field, ‘Hey, don’t even think about that right now. Keep your head up,” Minnesota linebacker Cody Lindenberg said. “There’s plenty of things that could’ve gone a different way.”
Preseason All-American Omarion Hampton rushed 30 times for 129 yards and Jahvaree Ritzie had three sacks for the Tar Heels, who bounced back from a one-hour thunderstorm delay, a rough first half and a disheartening injury in the third quarter to their new quarterback in the first game of the post-Maye era.
Conner Harrell, who was beaten out in a close fall camp competition for the job, relieved Johnson and had a key 32-yard completion to J.J. Jones to set up Burnette’s winner.
“A little jitters,” Harrell said, “but the defense was playing really well.”
North Carolina netted only 252 yards on 64 plays, far from a work of art.
“It was if you’re a defensive coach It was if you’re a special teams coach,” Brown said, smiling.
The front seven swarmed Gophers quarterback Max Brosmer for five sacks, and linebacker Amare Campbell — playing with an oversized covering on a broken right hand — forced a fumble on a first-down run by Brosmer at the Minnesota 22 early in the fourth quarter set up Burnette’s first of two go-ahead kicks. Kaimon Rucker had two tackles for loss and a pass breakup. Tom Maginness averaged 51 yards on three punts, including one that was downed at the 2.
With Darius Taylor sitting out with a leg injury, Marcus Major, who transferred from Oklahoma, rushed for 73 yards and a touchdown in his first game for the Gophers.
Justin Walley had a 70-yard interception return that set up Major’s score to give the Gophers a 14-7 halftime lead the Gophers had a golden opportunity to build much bigger.
Za’Quan Bryan dropped an interception at the North Carolina 16 when Jones fell down and the ball went straight into the cornerback’s arms. Kesich’s short kick rattled off the right upright. Then Johnson’s fumble at his own 10 was recovered by Minnesota, until a holding penalty on Aidan Gousby negated the turnover. The Tar Heels went on an 80-yard touchdown drive.
Bryan’s holding penalty later gave the Tar Heels a first down after the incompletion Johnson was injured on, and they moved on for a field goal.
The takeaway
North Carolina: The Tar Heels clearly have confidence in Harrell, who started the bowl game last season after Maye declared for the draft.
“’You’re really, really good,’” Brown said he told Harrell after the injury. “’Go win the game.’”
Minnesota: Brosmer had a rushing touchdown and went 13-for-21 passing for 166 yards in an uneven debut. The Gophers will need more accuracy from the sixth-year transfer from New Hampshire if they’re going to strike the offensive balance they’ve lacked for several seasons.
“I would’ve loved for everything to go a little bit better for everybody,” coach P.J. Fleck said, “but I saw a lot of things that I’ve seen for a long time. He’s a really good kid, a really good quarterback.”
Up next
North Carolina: Hosts Charlotte on Sept. 7. The Tar Heels have never played the 49ers, who are in their 10th season in the FBS.
