UNC football overwhelms Charlotte behind QB Harrell. 3 takeaways from Tar Heels’ win

North Carolina coach Mack Brown talked this week of the Tar Heels playing to a certain standard in each game, regardless of the opponent.

The Heels were 22-point favorites for Saturday’s game against Charlotte, in UNC’s home opener. They had Conner Harrell starting at quarterback and running back Omarion Hampton ready for a lot of work while its defense was intent on making it a long afternoon for 49ers quarterback Max Brown.

It didn’t quite play out that way but it all ended well enough for the Tar Heels, who took a 38-20 victory for a 2-0 start to the season.

Harrell completed 16 of 25 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns. In what was an unexpected twist, freshman running back Davion Gause spelled an injured Hampton in the second half and was UNC’s leading rusher with 16 carries for 105 yards.

Charlotte’s Brown, a transfer from Florida, was injured in the first half after passing for 175 yards and did not return for the 49ers (0-2). He was spotted on the Charlotte sideline in the second half with a cast on his right hand.

Three takeaways from the game :

Harrell did what was needed

It was hardly a perfect game for Harrell, but it was more than acceptable.

Brown wanted to get some explosive pass plays in the second game and Harrell delivered. He appeared to make the proper check downs and picked his spots on when to pull the ball down and run, showing speed and elusiveness.

“He gives you an added dimension because he’s so fast,” Brown said. “I mean, when he turns it up there’s 15 yards, real quick. So it’s going to change how people play us and its going to allow us to have more people open.”

It helped that he converted an early third down with a scrambling play that had him dart out of the pocket, move quickly to his right and then throw back across the field to J.J. Jones for 13 yards and a first down.

A play like that can calm the nerves. The Heels, who had been pinned at their 6 after a Charlotte punt, went 94 yards for a touchdown and never trailed.

The Heels burned the 49ers in the third quarter with a well-executed flea flicker. Harrell’s eyes had to widen when he got the ball back and saw wide receiver Christian Hamilton sprinting behind the Charlotte secondary, with nary a white jersey close to him.

Harrell gunned the ball down field for a 58-yard touchdown, Hamilton holding up a bit until the ball got there. Harrell showed off his arm on that one and it was strong enough.

“I thought the he had a lot of poise on the trick play, because the corner was coming, coming fast, and he sat right there,” Brown said.

“Conner did a lot of really good things. We were 6-for-11 on third down, we ran for 269 yards, we threw for 221 yards, and we can do a better job in that area.”

Injuries, injuries

After losing quarterback Max Johnson to a broken leg in the opener, the Heels went into Saturday’s game knowing rush end Kaimon Rucker was injured and would not play. Rucker has a lower-body injury -- hurt Thursday in the weight room-- and will miss a few weeks, Brown said.

But then, as the game progressed, the Heels had starting center Austin Blaske go down. In the second quarter, Hampton headed to the locker room for some treatment. Tight Bryson Nesbit left the game.

Nesbit scored the Heels’ first TD on a 30-yard sideline pass from Harrell and later threw a clearing block for Nate McCollum’s 37-yard scoring run.

The Heels planned on getting a lot of players into the game and had to on Saturday — continuing a next-man-up mode.

Hampton, who had rushed for 77 yards, was back on the sideline and available in the second half, but sat out anyway, allowing freshman running back Davion “Bullet” Gause to get a good look. The true freshman scored his first college TD in the fourth quarter and was a workhorse on the scoring drive.

Brown said other than Rucker, everyone who left the game Saturday should be available this week.

“Kaimon was out there singing and jumping up and down, screaming,” Brown said. “He led the fight song in the locker room after the game.”

49ers hurt Tar Heels with the pass

The 49ers could not run the ball against the Tar Heels. That was evident early in the game and did not change as they finished with 49 yards.

But the 49ers could pass, and did. Brown had some good throws in the first half and then Deshawn Purdie had some nice balls in the second as Charlotte picked up 309 yards.

Brown went out in the first half after being sacked, but Purdie, a freshman, came out winging the ball in the second half. The 49ers took the second-half kickoff and zipped the ball down the field into the red zone, Purdie using play-action for a 5-yard scoring throw to tight end Bryce Kennon.

Late in the game Purdie hit Henry Rutledge for a 28-yard TD down the left sideline -- and the 49ers made it look easy.

Granted, the Tar Heels had some subs in the game. They also have some work to do in the secondary.

Photos: Tar Heels host Charlotte 49ers in season home opener