Which positions still need depth? Breaking down UNC’s position groups
For better or worse, North Carolina has its first practice Thursday, marking the beginning of what is sure to be an eventful season. Without spring practice to give coaches a chance to look at younger players, coach Mack Brown said in a press conference Friday that the team needs “depth at every position.”
Last year, the Tar Heels finished fourth in the ACC Coastal with a 4-4 conference and 7-6 overall record. UNC lost five games against ACC opponents by one touchdown or less, including the six-overtime, 41-43 loss to Virginia Tech on Oct. 19. Brown’s team also lost by just one point to then-No. 1 Clemson, holding the Tigers scoreless in the first and third quarters.
With some key players returning from injuries, including backup quarterback Jace Ruder, and a handful of incoming freshman with impressive resumes, like Tony Grimes, Brown should have no problem filling out his roster. Here’s a look at the projected depth chart for each position.
Offense
1 - Wide Receiver
Starters: Dyami Brown (Jr.), Dazz Newsome (Sr.), Beau Corrales (Sr.)Antoine Green (Jr.)
Reserves: Antoine Green (Jr.), Emery Simmons (So.), Rontavius Groves (Sr.), Josh Downs (Fr.), Khafre Brown (So.)
Breakdown: While Brown refrained from using the word “great” to describe the potential of his wide receivers this year, he spoke highly of the position group, which is returning all its starters. Brown led the group in receiving yards (1,034) and touchdowns (12), closely followed by Newsome. Green led the team in average yards per reception (27.1), but Corrales was third in receiving yards (575) and touchdowns (6). The two might split time as starters. In terms of younger players, there are two incoming four stars that could find their way onto the depth chart.
2 - Offensive Line
Starters: Asim Richards (So.), Joshua Ezeudu (R-So.), Brian Anderson (Jr.), Marcus McKethan (Jr.), Jordan Tucker (Jr.)
Reserves: Ed Montilus (R-So.), William Barnes (R-So.), Triston Miller (So.), Billy Ross (Jr.),
Breakdown: While the O-line group lost a couple starters from last year, the group remains one of the more experienced on the offense. The five projected starters all appeared in all 13 games last season, and last year’s offense ranked second in the ACC and 12th in the NCAA for average yards per game. The biggest gap to fill will be at center, where a second stringer behind Anderson will be needed.
3 - Running Back
Starters: Javonte Williams (Jr.) and Michael Carter (Sr.)
Reserves: Josh Henderson (So.), British Brooks (Jr.)
Breakdown: Williams and Carter shared the starting spot last year, and are expected to do the same again. The pair combined for 1,936 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns. Both are on the 2020 Doak Walker Award Watchlist. The third-string spot is still up for grabs. Henderson had 18 carries for 127 yards across two games last year as a true freshman, also appearing in games on special teams. Brooks also featured on special teams, but had just three carries for 10 yards and a touchdown at running back.
4 - Quarterbacks
Starters: Sam Howell (So.)
Reserves: Jace Ruder (R-So.), Jacolby Criswell (Fr.)
Breakdown: Howell became the first true freshman to start a season opener for UNC last year when he was given the starting slot against South Carolina. He earned Freshman All-American and ACC Offensive and overall Rookie of the Year honors, and was named to the Davey O’Brien Award Watch List for 2020. He threw a career-high five touchdowns against Virginia State. Ruder, who competed against Howell for the starting spot last season, had his first two seasons each cut short by injury — a broken collarbone in 2018 and a broken leg in 2019 — and has only appeared in three games for the Tar Heels. He’ll most likely compete for the second spot this season with freshman Jacolby Criswell, a four-star dual-threat quarterback who threw for 5,925 yards his senior season.
5 - Tight End
Starters: Garrett Walston (Sr.)
Reserves: Kamari Morales (So.)
Breakdown: On the offensive side of the ball, tight end is by far the position lacking the most depth and experience. Walston made eight starts at tight end last year as the third-string man, but with Noah Turner’s transfer, Morales is the only other tight end on the roster who saw any snaps. The Tar Heels will add two three-star freshmen, John Copenhaver and Kendall Karr, who could see the field early in the season depending on how often Brown uses his tight ends. The learning curve for this group is sure to be steep, though.
Defense
1 - Secondary
Starters:
Safeties: D.J. Ford (Sr.), Myles Wolfolk (Sr.)
Cornerbacks: Patrice Rene (R-Sr.), Kyler McMichael (Jr.)
Nickel: Trey Morrison (Jr.), DeAndre Hollins (R-So.)
Reserves: Don Chapman (So.), Cam’Ron Kelly (So.), Storm Duck (So.), Tony Grimes (Fr.), Bryce Watts (Sr.), Obi Egbuna (So.)
Breakdown: Brown spoke most highly of his secondary on Friday, which is one of the position groups with the most depth. Ford made seven starts at defensive back last year, but appeared in all 13 games, recording 54 tackles, one sack, one fumble recovery and one interception. Chapman had two interceptions and a forced fumble in his true freshman season. Wolfolk and Rene will both return from injuries that ended their 2019 seasons, and the younger players — Duck, Hollins, Egbuna — gained necessary experience last season by filling in for them. The secondary also adds five-star cornerback Grimes, who reclassified from class of 2021, into the mix a season early.
2 - Linebackers
Starters: Tomon Fox (Sr.), Chris Collins (Jr.), Jeremiah Gemmel (Jr.), Chazz Surratt (Sr.)
Reserves: Tyrone Hopper (Sr.), Eugene Asante (So.), Khadry Jackson (So.), Desmond Evans (Fr.), Ethan West (Fr.)
Breakdown: UNC will return an experienced starting linebacker group that combined for 246 tackles last season. Surratt was runner-up for ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2019, recording 6.5 sacks and 15 tackles for losses, the fifth-most in the conference. In terms of backups, though, the experience level is much different. Asante and Jackson had only a handful of appearances at linebacker. With the limited reps between those four, there’s a chance Evans, a five-star defensive end, or West, a four-star inside linebacker, could find their way onto the depth chart. Evans was No. 2 on the ESPN 300 list and ranked first in position, state and region.
3 - Defensive Line
Starters: Raymond Vohasek (Jr.), Jahlil Taylor (R-So.), Xach Gill (Jr.)
Reserves: Tomari Fox (So.), Kendrick Bingley-Jones (Fr.), Clyde Pinder Jr. (Fr.), Kevin Hester Jr. (So.)
Breakdowns: UNC’s D-line is on the younger side compared to some of its other positions. Gill was the only one to appear in all 13 games last season; Vohasek and Taylor each appeared in 12. There will be room for Bingley-Jones and Pinder on the depth chart, four and three-star recruits, respectively.
This story was originally published August 4, 2020 at 1:48 PM.