CHAPEL HILL -- Jabari Price entered the starting lineup at cornerback for North Carolina on Thursday, and fellow sophomore Tre Boston moved back to safety from cornerback.
North Carolina interim coach Everett Withers announced the moves before practice.
Saturday against East Carolina, Price made five tackles in a reserve role. He started the final four games of the 2010 season as a freshman but missed the first four games this year recovering from a torn tendon in his left hand.
"Jabari did a good job for us last week," Withers said, "so we'll see about him starting and trying to get back into a normal routine back in the secondary."
North Carolina's other two starters in the secondary are Charles Brown at cornerback and Matt Merletti at safety. The Tar Heels (4-1) will play at home Saturday (noon, ESPN2) against Louisville (2-2).
Boston had moved from cornerback to safety in the spring but went back to cornerback after Price's injury. Boston has 26 tackles, third-highest on the team, and one interception.
"We felt like (safety) was his more natural position," Withers said. "I think he feels more comfortable there."
The secondary has been somewhat of a problem for the Tar Heels this season. North Carolina is giving up 258.8 passing yards per game, the second-highest mark in the ACC.
Merletti said this week the defensive backs need to take responsibility for improving the pass coverage.
"It's on us in the secondary," he said. "Our defensive line is obviously very, very good."
Injury update: Kicker Casey Barth, who has missed the past two games with a groin injury, will miss Saturday's game.
Five other players are fighting injuries that could keep them out, and Withers said he will make game-time decisions on many of them.
Running back A.J. Blue (high ankle sprain), center Cam Holland (back), safety Jonathan Smith (ankle), linebacker Kevin Reddick (ankle) and linebacker Ebele Okakpu (ankle) are injured.
Withers said he would prefer to be able to hold Reddick and Holland out to avoid aggravating their injuries.
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Three Points from N.C. State's 86-74 loss to UNC on Tuesday night: 
North Carolina beat N.C. State, again, on Tuesday for the 12th straight time. The end result was the same for the Tar Heels, who have won 18 of 19 games in the series under coach Roy Williams, but the 86-74 road win had a different feel from previous meetings. 
North Carolina beat N.C. State, again, on Tuesday for the 12th straight time.
The end result was the same for the Tar Heels, who have won 18 of 19 games in the series under coach Roy Williams, but the 86-74 road win had a different feel from previous meetings. 
UNC's John Henson enters tonight's game today against N.C. State at the RBC Center (8 p.m., WRAL) with the second-most blocked shots in school history, only 39 behind Brendan Haywood, who blocked 304 shots during his four seasons with the Tar Heels. 
With four conference games remaining, Florida State, Duke and North Carolina have clearly separated themselves at the top of the ACC. All three teams are 10-2, and all will be vying during the next week and a half to secure the top seed in the conference tournament. The Tar Heels, though, have the most difficult road. Keep up with the latest sports stories with our free e-mail newsletters, delivered to your inbox!
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Photo Gallery
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208 images from the Tar Heels vs. Pirates
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UNC 35, ECU 20 | 10.01.11 (43 images)
The Tar Heels defeat the pirates in Greenville
