Many defenses over the last few seasons have gone into games against Clemson wanting to stack the box and stop the Clemson run game with Travis Etienne and take their chances with the passing game. Not North Carolina.
Tar Heel defensive coordinator Jay Bateman went into the game against the Tigers wanting to play less of a one-high safety look – with more defenders in the box – and entice Clemson into running the football with less defenders in the box.
The strategy worked as the Tigers put up just 331 total yards, with only 125 coming on the ground.