bgorman@heraldsun.com; 419-6668
CHAPEL HILL -- Six weeks ago, North Carolina coach Butch Davis couldn't really explain why his team wasn't forcing turnovers.
The Tar Heels produced just a combined seven turnovers through the first five games of the season, including none in losses to Georgia Tech and Virginia.
But over the past six games, UNC's defense has recorded 22 turnovers and the Tar Heels have won five games during that stretch.
It's a turnover turnaround that Davis couldn't really explain Monday during his weekly news conference.
"I wish I knew the answer," Davis said. "I know that we practice creating turnovers in practice every single day. I mean, we do turnover drills, strip drills, interception drills -- sometimes you're fortunate enough to be there."
No. 24 UNC visits N.C. State on Saturday (noon, ESPN2) for the regular-season finale and a chance for the Tar Heels to avenge an embarrassing 41-10 loss at Kenan Stadium a year ago.
"It hurt a lot," UNC safety Deunta Williams said. "But I think everybody still remembers what happened and how it happened, and we've got to make sure it doesn't repeat."
The Tar Heels lost the turnover battle to the Wolfpack 4-0 in 2008, and it's something they don't want to have happen again.
N.C. State has the worst turnover margin (-13) in the ACC this season. The Wolfpack has lost the ball a league-high 25 times, while the Tar Heels are ranked fourth in turnover margin (+5) thanks to their league-high 28 takeaways.
It's quite a turnaround for UNC, which ranked 106th in the country with a minus-1.06 turnover margin after the Virginia game.
"I think we're more aggressive," Williams said. "We've got more confidence on defense. ... But as far as getting the ball and teams really fearing Robert [Quinn] off the edge and double-teaming him, it's loosening other guys up like Marvin [Austin], Tydreke [Powell] and people like that. So they're doing a good job on the front four, just getting pressure on [the quarterback]."
UNC's dominating defensive line has been a key to the turnovers, as they're not giving quarterbacks much time with the ball. The Tar Heels are ranked second in the ACC with 29 sacks, and Quinn has recorded 11.
"Quarterbacks under duress throw balls they wish that maybe they didn't throw, and it gives kids in the back end the ability to maybe make some plays on the ball," Davis said. "But you obviously want to stay in that mode where you're winning the turnover battle, because it's so critically important to winning a football game."
And for UNC, turnovers are saving the offense. The Tar Heels' have struggled to move the ball the past few games and have relied heavily on turnovers for points. Of UNC's 14 turnovers during its current four-game winning streak, nine have resulted in points -- including three interceptions and a fumble returned for touchdowns. UNC leads the ACC with seven non-offensive touchdowns this season.
"I think guys are more focused in on what they're doing," linebacker Bruce Carter said. "I think the main thing for me and the rest of the linebackers is [to] just go out there and have fun, make sure everybody is on the same page communication-wise. Just go out there and have fun, and I think everything else will fall into place."
