With Houston, there's no problem

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UNC's Draughn out for the season

Junior Shaun Draughn, North Carolina's leading rusher, will miss the rest of the season after fracturing his left shoulder blade in Saturday's 19-6 win over Duke.

Draughn, who leads the Heels with 567 yards, got injured on the first play of the game, a nine-yard run. He was replaced by Ryan Houston, who ran for a career-high 164 yards on 37 carries. Houston's rushing attempts were the most by a UNC player since 1990.

Draughn's absence means there won't be much depth behind Houston. Running backs Jamal Womble (wrist) and A.J. Blue (knee) are already out for the year with injuries. Fullback Anthony Elzy got two carries at halfback on Saturday.

A role reversal for Houston

If the North Carolina bench hadn't called time out, Ryan Houston might have. After carrying the ball on 10 out of 11 plays to get the Tar Heels within 3 yards of the goal line, he was gassed.

That's not his job in North Carolina's offense. Houston has made a career out of collecting the points from short range after Shaun Draughn does the work getting the ball that close.

Saturday, with Draughn injured on his first carry and Houston carrying the load against Duke, when it came time to score the touchdown that put away the Victory Bell, Houston didn't get the call.

Houston carries the Heels

If the North Carolina bench hadn’t called time out, Ryan Houston might have. After carrying the ball on 10 out of 11 plays to get the Tar Heels within three yards of the goal line, he was gassed.

That’s not his job in North Carolina’s offense. Houston has made a career out of collecting the points from short range after Shaun Draughn does the work getting the ball that close.

Saturday, with Draughn injured on his first carry and Houston carrying the load against Duke, when it came time to score the touchdown that put away the Victory Bell, Houston didn’t get the call.

UNC still shuffling

North Carolina's offense has gotten used to making adjustments after playing without six starters -- center, left tackle, left guard, tight end, fullback and wide receiver -- for some portion of the past two months.

But with the news that leading rusher Shaun Draughn will miss the rest of the season after fracturing his left shoulder blade Saturday against Duke, UNC coach Butch Davis was looking for help again Monday.

"We're about out of options," said Davis, who made an NFL-style joke. "We checked the waiver wire this morning, and the ACC frowned upon trying to take somebody off somebody's practice squad. So, we are who we are."

Heels ring up a win

It was fitting two players from North Carolina's defense got the Victory Bell first.

Defensive end E.J. Wilson and cornerback Charlie Brown hopped on the rickety, spray-painted wagon for a celebratory ride after the Tar Heels rode their defense, and running back Ryan Houston, to a 19-6 victory over Duke on Saturday at Kenan Stadium.

The Tar Heels kept Duke's dangerous offense out of the end zone, limited quarterback Thaddeus Lewis to 113 passing yards, sacked Lewis three times and intercepted two passes. Behind a patchwork line, Houston, the second-string back, pounded out a career-best 164 yards on a whopping 37 carries, the most carries by a UNC back since 1990.