(Photo Credit: Andy Mead/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
Key Players Returning:
QB Drake Maye, RB Elijah Green, WR JJ Jones, TE Bryson Nesbit, OC Corey Gaynor, OT Spencer Rolland, DE Kaimon Rucker, DT Jahvaree Ritzie, NT Kevin Hester Jr., LB Power Echols, LB Cedric Gray, NB DeAndre Boykins, FS Giovanni Biggers, BS Will Hardy, KR Omarion Hampton and PK Noah Burnette.
Key Players Departing:
WR/PR Josh Downs, WR Antoine Green, TE Kamari Morales, OC Brian Anderson, OG Ed Montilus, OG William Barnes, OT Asim Richards, DE Chris Collins, LB Noah Taylor, CB Storm Duck. CB Tony Grimes, CB Cam’Ron Kelly and PT Ben Kiernan.
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: WR Devontez Walker (Kent State transfer), WR Chris Culliver (Maiden, North Carolina), CB Alijah Huzzie (East Tennessee State transfer), DL Tyler Thompson (Cary, North Carolina), DL Jaybron Harvey (Durham, North Carolina), WR Christian Hamilton (Harrisburg, North Carolina), DL Joel Starlings (Richmond, Virginia) and QB Tad Hudson (Cornelius, North Carolina).
3 Star Recruits: DS Ayden Duncanson (Mableton, Georgia) and OL Willie Lampkin (Coastal Carolina transfer).
2022 Results:
G01 FLORIDA A&M W 56-24
G02 @ Appalachian State W 63-61
G03 @ Georgia State W 35-28
G04 NOTRE DAME L 32-45
G05 VIRGINIA TECH W 41-10
G06 @ Miami (FL) W 27-24
G07 @ Duke W 38-35
G08 PITTSBURGH W 42-24
G09 @ Virginia W 31-28
G10 @ Wake Forest W 36-34
G11 GEORGIA TECH L 17-21
G12 NC STATE L 27-30
ACC vs. #9 Clemson L 10-39
BOWL vs. #15 Oregon L 27-28
Misc. Team Information:
2022 Record: 9-5 (1st in ACC Coastal)
Home: 3-3
Away: 6-0
Neutral: 0-2
ACC: 6-2
Non-AAC: 3-3
Head Coach: Mack Brown
North Carolina: 99-68-1
Career: 274-144-1
Bowls: 14-11
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Drake Maye (342-517, 4321 yards, 66.2%, 8.4 avg., 38 TD, 7 INT)
Rushing: Drake Maye (184 car., 698 yards, 3.8 avg., 7 TD)
Receiving: Bryson Nedbit (35 rec., 507 yards, 14.5 avg., 4 TD)
TDs Scored: Elijah Green (9)
Sacks: Kaimon Rucker (3.5)
Tackles: Cedric Gray (145)
Tackles For Loss: Cedric Gray (12)
Interceptions: Cedric Gray (2)
Pass Deflections: DeAndre Boykins (7)
Forced Fumbles: Cedric Gray (3)
Kick Returns: George Pettaway (5 ret., 129 yards, 25.8 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: None
Kicking: Noah Burnette (15-21 fg/fga., 71%, 57-58 xp/xpa., 102 pts.)
Punting: Cole Maynard (1 punt, 14 yards, 14.0 avg., 0 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 10 Drake Maye (RS SO)
RB: 24 British Brooks (GR)
WR: 9 Devontez Walker (RS JR/TR)
WR: 2 Gavin Blackwell (RS SO)
WR: 6 Nate McCollum (SR/TR)
TE: 81 John Copenhaver (RS JR)
LT: 76 William Barnes (RS SR)
LG: 63 Ed Montilus (GR)
OC: 65 Corey Gaynor (GR/TR)
RG: 53 Willie Lampkin (SR/TR)
RT: 75 Spencer Rolland (GR/TR)
KR: 23 George Pettaway (SO)
PK: 40 Ryan Coe (GR/TR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 10 Desmond Evans (SR)
NT: 98 Kevin Hester Jr. (RS SR)
DT: 8 Myles Murphy (SR)
DE: 25 Kaimon Rucker (SR)
LB: 23 Power Echols (JR)
LB: 33 Cedric Gray (JR)
NB: 16 DeAndre Boykins (JR)
CB: 28 Alijah Huzzie (JR/TR)
CB: 29 Marcus Allen (SO)
FS: 27 Giovanni Biggers (GR)
BS: 31 Will Hardy (SO)
PR: 28 Alijah Huzzie (JR/TR)
PT: 91 Ben Kieman (GR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: A
Running Backs: B
Wide Receivers: B
Offensive Line: C
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: A
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returners: B
Punt Returners: B
Kickers: A
Punters: A
Schedule:
09/02 vs. South Carolina Gamecocks | North Carolina leads the series 35-20-4. The Tar Heels lost (21-38) the last meeting between schools in 2021.
09/09 APPALACHIAN STATE MOUNTAINEERS | North Carolina leads the series 2-1. Last season’s 63-61 win was the first meeting between schools since 2019 and their only loss (31-34) of the series was in 2019.
09/16 MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS | First meeting between schools.
09/23 @ Pittsburgh Panthers | North Carolina leads the series 11-5. The Tar Heels are 7-2 since 2013 and their last series loss (23-0 OT) was in 2021.
10/07 SYRACUSE ORANGE | The series is tied 3-3. The Tar Heels won (31-6) the last meeting between schools in 2020.
10/14 MIAMI (FL) HURRICANES | North Carolina leads the series 15-11. The Tar Heels are 6-4 since 2013 and their last series loss (10-47) was in 2018.
10/21 VIRGINIA CAVALIERS | North Carolina leads the series 66-57-4. The Tar Heels are 6-4 since 2013 and their last series loss (41-44) was in 2020.
10/28 @ Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets | North Carolina trails the series 22-32-3. The Tar Heels are 4-5 since 2013 and their last series win (38-22) was in 2019.
11/04 CAMPBELL CAMELS | First meeting between schools.
11/11 DUKE BLUE DEVILS | North Carolina leads the series 64-41-4. The Tar Heels are 6-4 since 2013 and their last series loss (35-42) was in 2018.
11/18 @ Clemson Tigers | North Carolina trails the series 19-39-1. Last season’s 10-39 loss was the first meeting between schools since 2019 and their last series win (21-16) dates back to 2010.
11/25 @ NC State Wolfpack | North Carolina leads the series 38-38-6. The Tar Heels 4-6 since 2013 and their last series win (48-21) was in 2020.
Predictions:
Home: 7-0
Road: 4-0
Neutral: 3-1
ACC: 8-0
Non-ACC: 6-1
Overall: 14-1 (1st in ACC/ACC Champions – Eliminated by Texas in National Championship)
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