Amid the numerous missed tackles and mental mistakes in the North Carolina football team's game last weekend was the continuance of a pattern that has hurt the Tar Heels since Day One of this season.
UNC has been unable to stop its opponents on third down all season, and Saturday was no exception.
Johnson's inability to wrap up Kerry Watkins with four minutes left in the game led to nine more Tech plays, which meant that when the Tar Heels did get the ball back, only 14 seconds were left on the clock.
The Yellow Jackets converted 11 of 17 third downs, including seven of 11 "long" third downs, or third-and-five or longer.
"When you go out there and you know you can stop them, you've got to get a stop on third down," said UNC defensive end Will Chapman. "And it's a stab in the heart when they make a long pass or run for one more yard than the first down."
That exact scenario has happened all too often for the Tar Heels this season. In its four games, North Carolina has allowed its opponents to convert third down 50.8 percent (32 of 63) of the time.
Not surprisingly, in the only game UNC has won, against Syracuse, the Orangemen made a first down on just four of 10 third-down situations.
As for the Tar Heels' three losses, the defense has had a particular problem stopping the opposing offense when they needed to do so.
In those games, UNC has allowed first downs on 13 of 19 "short" third downs, or third-and-four or shorter. On third-and-long situations, the Tar Heels' opponents got a first down on 15 of 34 plays.
