UNC's Switzer logs two punt return touchdowns, breaks school record
Ryan Switzer's luck has officially turned around.
After seeing multiple long touchdowns called back on penalties earlier in the season, both in the return game and in the passing game, North Carolina's true freshman speedster returned not one but two punts for touchdowns against Pittsburgh on Saturday, giving him three return touchdowns in the past two weeks.
In other words, in just four halves of football, Switzer set the school's single-season record for punt return TDs.
The previous record was held by multiple former Tar Heels, including Cincinnati Bengals rookie standout Gio Bernard. Last week, Switzer, a Charleston, W.V., native tagged Virginia with a 85-yard return in a 45-14 blowout. This time around, he started off by taking a second-quarter punt back for 65 yards, breaking the game open at 24-3 in Chapel Hill:
When the Panthers fought back to tie the game at 27-27 with five minutes remaining, Switzer responded with yet another game-breaking special teams play, taking it back 61 yards for the game-winning (and record-breaking) score. Want to take a look at that one, too? Sure, why not:
UNC reached the .500 mark at 5-5, winning by the final score of 34-27. Barring future misfortune, Switzer will have an opportunity to demolish the record against Old Dominion, Duke and, presumably, in the Tar Heels' bowl game.
It might be worth noting that the NCAA's single-season record for punt return touchdowns is currently set at five, set by Hawaii's Chad Owens back in 2004.
