(Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire/USA TODAY Sports)
Key Players Returning:
QB Sam Howell, WR Khafre Brown, WR Emery Simmons, TE Garrett Walston, OC Brian Anderson, OG Joshua Ezeudu, OG Marcus McKethan, OT Asim Richards, OT Jordan Tucker, DE Tomari Fox, DE Kaimon Rucker, NT Raymond Vohasek, LB Tomon Fox, LB Jeremiah Gemmel, LB Tyrone Hopper, CB Tony Grimes, CB Kyler McMichael, FS Trey Morrison, SS Ja’Qurious Conley, NB Don Chapman, SS Cam’Ron Kelly, PK Grayson Atkins, and PT Ben Kiernan.
Key Players Departing:
RB/KR Michael Carter, RB Javonte Williams, WR Dyami Brown, WR/PR Dazz Newsome, LB Chazz Surratt, and CB Patrice Rene.
Top 10 Recruits:
Blue Chip Recruits: DE Keeshawn Silver (Rocky Mount, North Carolina).
4 Star Recruits: QB Drake Maye (Charlotte, North Carolina), LB Raneiria Dillworth (Kernersville, North Carolina), LB Power Echols (Charlotte, North Carolina), DE Jahvaree Ritzie (Kernersville, North Carolina), ATH DeAndre Boykins (Concord, North Carolina), WR Gavin Blackwell (Monroe, North Carolina), ATH Gabe Stephens (Mount Holly, North Carolina), RB Ty Chandler (Tennessee transfer), and RB Kamarro Edmonds (Havelock, North Carolina).
2020 Results:
G01 SYRACUSE W 31-6
G02 at Boston College W 26-22
G03 #19 VIRGINIA TECH W 56-45
G04 at Florida State L 28-31
G05 #23 NC STATE W 48-21
G06 at Virginia L 41-44
G07 at Duke W 56-24
G08 WAKE FOREST W 59-53
G09 #2 NOTRE DAME L 17-31
G10 WESTERN CAROLINA W 49-9
G11 at #9 Miami (FL) W 62-26
BOWL vs. #5 Texas A&M L 27-41
Misc. Team Information:
2020 Record: 8-4 (4th in ACC)
Home: 5-1
Away: 3-2
Neutral: 0-1
ACC: 7-3
Non-AAC: 1-1
Head Coach: Mack Brown
North Carolina: 84-56-1
Career: 259-132-1
Bowls: 14-9
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Sam Howell (237-348, 3586 yards, 68.1%, 10.3 avg., 30 TD, 7 INT)
Rushing: Sam Howell (92 car., 146 yards, 1.6 avg., 5 TD)
Receiving: Garrett Walston (19 rec., 255 yards, 13.4 avg., 2 TD)
TDs Scored: Sam Howell (6)
Sacks: Tomon Fox (7)
Tackles: Jeremiah Gemmel (78)
Tackles For Loss: Tomon Fox (10.5)
Interceptions: Jeremiah Gemmel (2)
Pass Deflections: Kyler McMichael (6)
Forced Fumbles: Don Chapman (2)
Kick Returns: D.J. Jones (1 ret., 18 yards, 18.0 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: None
Kicking: Grayson Atkins (12-18 fg/fga., 67%, 63-63 xp/xpa., 99 pts.)
Punting: Ben Kiernan (34 punts, 1485 yards, 43.7 avg., 16 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 7 Sam Howell (JR)
RB: 19 Ty Chandler (GR/TR)
WR: 1 Khafre Brown (RS SO)
WR: 15 Beau Correales (SR)
WR: 11 Josh Downs (SO)
TE: 84 Garrett Walston (GR)
LT: 72 Asim Richards (JR)
LG: 75 Joshua Ezeudu (RS JR)
OC: 68 Brian Anderson (RS SR)
RG: 73 Marcus McKethan (RS SR)
RT: 74 Jordan Tucker (RS SR)
KR: 1 Khafre Brown (RS SO)
PK: 17 Grayson Atkins (GR/TR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 56 Tomari Fox (JR)
NT: 51 Raymond Vohasek (SR/TR)
DE: 8 Myles Murphy (SO)
LB: 12 Tomon Fox (GR)
LB: 44 Jeremiah Gemmel (RS SR)
LB: 7 Eugene Asante (JR)
LB: 10 Desmond Evans (SO)
CB: 20 Tony Grimes (SO)
CB: 1 Kyler McMichael (RS JR/TR)
FS: 4 Trey Morrison (SR)
SS: 00 Ja’Qurious Conley (SO)
PR: 11 Josh Downs (SO)
PT: 91 Ben Kiernan (JR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: A
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: B
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: B
Punters: B
Schedule:
09/03 at Virginia Tech Hokies | North Carolina trials the series 13-24. The Tar Heels are 3-7 since 2011, and their last series loss (41-43 OT) was in 2019.
09/11 GEORGIA STATE PANTHERS | First meeting between schools.
09/18 VIRGINIA CAVALIERS | North Carolina leads the series 64-57-4. The Tar Heels are 6-4 since 2011, and their last series win (35-14) was in 2016.
09/25 at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets | North Carolina trails the series 22-30-2. The Tar Heels are 4-5 since 2011, and they won (38-22) the last meeting between teams in 2019.
10/02 DUKE BLUE DEVILS | North Carolina leads the series 62-41-4. The Tar Heels are 5-5 since 2011, and their last series loss (35-42) was in 2018.
10/09 FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES | North Carolina trails the series 3-16-1. The Tar Heels won (28-31) last season’s meeting between schools, and their last series win (37-35) was in 2016.
10/16 MIAMI (FL) HURRICANES | North Carolina leads the series 13-11. The Tar Heels are 5-5 since 2011, and their last series loss (10-47) was in 2018.
10/30 at Notre Dame Fighting Irish | North Carolina trails the series 2-19. The Tar Heels lost (17-31) last season’s meeting between schools, and their last series win (29-24) was in 2008.
11/06 WAKE FOREST DEMON DEACONS | North Carolina leads the series 70-36-2. The Tar Heels are 3-2 since 2011, and their last series loss (18-24) was in 2019.
11/11 at Pittsburgh Panthers | North Carolina leads the series 10-4. The Tar Heels are 6-1 since renewing the series in 2013, and they lost (27-34 OT) the last meeting between schools in 2019.
11/20 WOFFORD TERRIERS | First meeting between schools.
11/26 at NC State Wolfpack | North Carolina leads the series 68-36-6. The Tar Heels are 5-5 since 2011, and their lasts series loss (28-34 OT) was in 2018.
Predictions:
Home: 6-1
Road: 2-3
Neutral: 0-0
ACC: 4-4
Non-ACC: 4-0
Overall: 8-4 (4th in ACC Coastal)
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