UNC football players dabble in golf with Thursday afternoon team bonding session

Several North Carolina Tar Heels took up golf Thursday afternoon, but it wasn’t members of the golf team.

I think I speak for college football fans across the country when I say this: August can’t get here soon enough.

ACC programs Florida State and Georgia Tech officially kick off the regular season on Saturday, Aug. 24 in Dublin, Ireland as part of the Aer Lingus Classic. There’ll be three other matchups that Saturday, including new ACC school SMU, but the big slate doesn’t start until five days later.

If you’re reading this article and excited about college football, you’re probably thinking: when do our North Carolina Tar Heels start playing?

Good question. We have an answer – Thursday, Aug. 29 at the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

This year is going to look a lot different for UNC, highlighted by a new quarterback. That competition is between Texas A&M and former LSU transfer Max Johnson, last year’s Duke’s Mayo Bowl starter Conner Harrell, who impressed in North Carolina’s Spring Game, plus Jacolby Criswell, who transferred back into Chapel Hill from Arkansas.

While the Tar Heels try to finalize their starters and overall depth chart for the 2024 campaign, they took to TopGolf for some team bonding on Thursday afternoon.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C9SYIthuior/

If you’re unfamiliar with TopGolf, it’s a multiple-story driving range with a variety of games people can play. Some choose to whack the ball as far as they can, others try to hit the “holes” with netting surrounding the flags, while you even have the option to play a full round.

Before UNC players dial down for the last month of their offseason, it’s refreshing to see them laughing, smiling and enjoying themselves.

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Where does Mack Brown’s job security rank in CBS Sports’ coaching hot seat rankings?

Mack Brown’s job might be safer than you think.

Despite having legends like Lawrence Taylor and Julius Pepper come through the program, North Carolina has never been considered a football school.

UNC won the overall ACC five times in the 20th century, as recently as 1980, plus the ACC Coastal Division twice (2015, 2022). In recent years, the Tar Heels were lucky to have the likes of Sam Howell and Drake Maye, but that hasn’t transpired to much postseason success.

Head coach Mack Brown, whom North Carolina brought back from UT-Austin, is partially responsible for those late-season collapses. He does a great job of getting talent on the field, but not playing up to and exceeding their standards.

UNC started last year 6-0, then finished 8-5 with three straight losses. The Tar Heels finished 2022 with a 9-5 mark, but lost their last four games.

North Carolina has made bowl games in each year since Brown returned, but is just 1-4 in them.

With all this being said, combined with heightened expectations because of his caliber, is Brown on the hot seat?

According to CBS Sports, Brown’s job is safe. His ranking is second out of fifth, which means “all good…for now.”

Good news for Brown this season: expectations are lower. The Tar Heels don’t have the likes of Maye and Devontez Walker on their roster anymore, but do carry star running back Omarion Hampton and a new defensive coordinator in Geoff Collins.

If UNC fails to make a bowl game, though, don’t be surprised if 2024 is Brown’s last in college football.

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UNC football’s projected 2024 win total according to College Football News

Can the gridiron Tar Heels take advantage of their easy schedule for the upcoming season?

Replacing your starting quarterback, number one wide receiver, star linebacker and defensive coordinator can all spell problems for plenty of college football teams.

If you have a star player amongst a team with plenty of question marks, though, he can usually win you a couple games alone.

All of the above describe – you guessed it – the North Carolina Tar Heels.

UNC lost quarterback Drake Maye, starting wide receiver Tez Walker and starting linebacker Cedric Gray to the NFL draft. North Carolina swapped defensive coordinators, ousting Gene Chizik and bringing in former Georgia Tech head coach Geoff Collins.

To help offset these changes, UNC has one of the game’s best running backs in Omarion Hampton, who rushed for over 1,500 yards and 15 touchdowns in his first full season as a starter. Hampton, who will be the featured player in the Tar Heels offense, will certainly make life easier for whoever the new starting quarterback is.

Even with a largely new roster and DC, North Carolina is projected to win eight games this fall by College Football News.

UNC’s likely wins are in its home opener against Charlotte (Sept. 7) and NC Central (Sept. 14). CFN has toss-ups listed as Minnesota (Aug. 29), James Madison (Sept. 21), Duke (Sept. 28), Pitt (Oct. 5), Georgia Tech (Oct. 12), Virginia (Oct. 26), Wake Forest (Nov. 16), Boston College (Nov. 23) and NC State (Nov. 30), while Florida State (Nov. 2) is listed as a likely loss.

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Phil Steele projects UNC football to finish amongst middle of ACC in 2024

Does Phil Steele’s projected 2024 finish for the UNC football team surprise you?

With July officially starting on Monday, that means one thing: college football begins next month.

The greatest storyline entering this fall is the expanded College Football Playoff, which increases from four to 12 teams. This gives teams outside of the usual Alabama, Ohio State and Michigan a greater chance to reach glory – will we see a Group of 5 school, such as App State, in the Final 12?

In Chapel Hill, the biggest storyline to watch is who quarterbacks a new-look roster. 2022 ACC Rookie and Player of the Year Drake Maye was selected early in this year’s NFL Draft – third overall by the New England Patriots – and North Carolina’s choices at 2024 starter range between Conner Harrell, Max Johnson and Jacoby Criswell.

The Tar Heels also sport a brand-new defensive coordinator in former Temple and Georgia Tech head coach Geoff Collins.

With all the questions across UNC’s roster, college football sportswriter/analyst Phil Steele picks UNC to finish eighth in the larger, 17-team ACC.

“North Carolina’s success during Mack Brown’s return to the program has been predicated by elite play at the quarterback position, with Sam Howell and Drake Maye helping elevate the program in a major way before making the jump to the NFL level,” Steele said in an On3 Sports article by Kaiden Smith. “Former Texas A&M and LSU quarterback Max Johnson will likely be this year’s starter under center, and will get help from one of the nation’s top running backs Omarion Hampton. But with the Tar Heels having their third defensive coordinator since 2019, better play on that side of the ball could dictate their success.”

Will the Tar Heels exceed expectations and compete for an ACC crown, or stay in mediocrity?

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Sporting News has UNC football team projected to this popular Florida bowl game

If North Carolina can win the minimum six games needed to make a bowl in the winter, they could be heading to the Sunshine State in these projections.

If you’re a college football fan and have been waiting for games since New Year’s Day, your wait is almost over.

On Saturday, Aug. 24 as part of “Week Zero,” eight schools will take the field for the official start of college football season. Fellow ACC rivals Florida State and Georgia Tech highlight the Week Zero slate, kicking off at 12 p.m. ET in Dublin, Ireland for the Aer Lingus College Football Classic.

Just five days later on Thursday, Aug. 29, your North Carolina Tar Heels begin their season on the road with a rematch against Minnesota. For those who remember last season, Drake Maye threw for 400 yards in UNC’s 31-13 win over the Golden Gophers.

North Carolina has one of the ACC’s easiest schedules, as it doesn’t play another Power 5 team until Duke on Saturday, Sept. 28. The Tar Heels toughest games will be Saturday, Nov. 2 at FSU, then Saturday, Nov. 30 for senior day against in-state rival NC State.

With the way its schedule pans out, UNC should be able to make a bowl game this coming winter.

In Sporting News’ latest predictions for 2024-2025 bowl games, Bill Bender has North Carolina facing Oklahoma in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl on Thursday, Jan. 2.

The Tar Heels are no stranger to the Gator Bowl, having played in its seven times and most recently in 1998, a 42-3 domination of ACC rival Virginia Tech.

The Sooners are coming off a much-improved season under second-year head coach Brent Venables, finishing 10-3 (7-2 Big 12) and losing to Arizona in the Alamo Bowl.

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Incoming UNC wide receiver Jordan Shipp named a Top-100 impact freshman from 2024

A big part of UNC’s offense in the upcoming football season could be one of its incoming freshman wide receivers.

There’s no secret the 2024 college football season is going to look a little different in Chapel Hill.

Drake Maye won’t be slinging the football, Devontez Walker won’t be catching passes and Cedric Gray won’t be leading the linebacking corps

Highlighted by Walker’s departure to the NFL, UNC’s wide receiver group will be in search of a new Number One guy. J.J. Jones (711) led the Tar Heels in receiving yards last season, while Nate McCollum (469) showed flashes of brilliance before Walker gained eligibility.

North Carolina has a couple of talented, incoming freshman receivers in Alex Taylor and Jordan Shipp, who are expected to be major parts of the offense.

It’s Shipp, in particular, whom the media is looking at as a Day One contributor.

Shipp, a 3-time state champion at Providence Day School in Charlotte, NC, was recently named a Top-100 Impact True Freshman by 247Sports.

“The Tar Heels exited spring without a proven No. 1 receiver on their roster. There are options to fill that gap, but no real established pecking order with Tez Walker’s absence. That gives Shipp an opportunity to make a Day 1 impact. UNC’s highest-ranked signee in the 2024 class, Shipp entered college as a sound route runner – a skill he’s so good in that it offset sub-par measurables, as far as top-100 prospects go — and showcased that ability during spring ball.”

Shipp’s high school production was a major reason behind Providence Day’s three titles, as he caught 173 passes for 2,934 yards and 37 touchdowns. He’ll look to be a top target for UNC’s starting quarterback, which will come down to either Jacoby Criswell, Conner Harrell and Max Johnson.

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Several UNC football players tabbed Preseason All-American and All-ACC

The North Carolina Tar Heels could surprise some people on the gridiron this coming season.

Roster-wise, the 2024 UNC football season is going to look significantly different.

Gone are 2023 stars Drake Maye, Devontez Walker and Cedric Gray to the NFL. North Carolina will have a new starting quarterback for the first time in three years, a decision that has yet to be made between Jacolby Criswell, Max Johnson and Conner Harrell, while there isn’t a ton of experience in the wide receiver room behind J.J. Jones and Nate McCollum.

The Tar Heels return plenty of stars, though, headlined by running back Omarion Hampton and jack linebacker Kaimon Rucker. Whichever QB wins the starting job should take advantage of UNC’s deep tight end room, including Bryson Nesbit, John Copenhaver and Texas A&M transfer Jake Johnson.

Just over two months away from North Carolina’s season-opener – Thursday, Aug. 29 at 8 p.m. ET in a rematch with Minnesota – several Tar Heels made college football analyst Phil Steele’s Preseason All-American and All-ACC teams.

Hampton, a Preseason First Team All-American and All-ACC honoree, led the ACC and finished fifth in the country with 1,504 rushing yards last year.

Rucker, a Preseason First Team All-ACC and Fourth Team All-American honoree, led the Tar Heels with 15 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks last season. Nesbit, also a Preseason First Team All-ACC and Fourth Team All-American, paced UNC’s tight end room with 585 receiving yards and finished second overall with five touchdowns.

Alijah Huzzie, a Preseason First Team All-ACC honoree, led North Carolina with three interceptions last year. He also had the Tar Heels’ lone return touchdown.

Power Echols, a 2023 starting linebacker who formed a formidable 1-2 tandem with Gray, recorded 102 tackles last season. That is most amongst returners.

Willie Lampkin, who rounds out the Preseason honors with his Third Team All-ACC Honors, started all 11 games he appeared in last year on the Tar Heels’ offensive line.

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North Carolina’s quarterback room ranked amongst Top 10 tiers entering 2024 season

The 2024 UNC quarterback room is ranked higher than you might think.

Knowing that 2022 ACC Player of the Year Drake Maye was returning last season, the UNC football team didn’t have to stress about its quarterback situation.

With Drake Maye now in the NFL, looking to become the next great New England Patriots quarterback, North Carolina goes back to the drawing board under center. The Tar Heels return star running back Omarion Hampton and a deep tight end room, led by Bryson Nesbit, but carry a new group of wide receivers besides J.J. Jones and Nate McCollum.

UNC doesn’t have the luxury of knowing its starting quarterback this season, but it does have the luxury of three starting-caliber quarterbacks to choose from.

Duke’s Mayo Bowl starter Conner Harrell, Texas A&M transfer Max Johnson and Jacolby Criswell, who began his career in Chapel Hill, transferred back after a season at Arkansas.

With these three guys in the room, ESPN ranked North Carolina’s quarterback situation in its eighth tier (of 20) entering the fall.

Check out what ESPN has to say about Johnson regarding his Tier 8 spot:

It’s UNC’s (Max) Johnson who no one seems to be overly excited about,” David Hale wrote. “Perhaps it’s that he has been stuck on two different SEC teams whose coaches ultimately got fired. Regardless, he has been pretty solid, if never entirely thrilling. He’s basically the Big Boi of college football — around forever, part of some big brands, always overshadowed and undervalued.”

I know the Tar Heels aren’t expected to do a ton this coming season, but they have a lot of unproven talent. That begins in the quarterback room, where either Harrell, Johnson or Criswell could start from Day One.

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Which returning UNC offensive lineman is amongst the ACC’s best?

Just how good is UNC offensive lineman Willie Lampkin?

Summer is about to start and – in two months – so will college football.

Michigan will try and defend its National Championship, but that won’t be easy to accomplish, as last year’s starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy, starting running back Blake Corum and starting receiver Roman Wilson all were selected in the NFL Draft.

Washington, whom the Wolverines beat in the CFP Title Game, also lost last year’s starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and a pair of starting wide receivers, Rome Odunze and Ja’Lynn Polk, to the NFL Draft.

Your North Carolina Tar Heels, ranked as high as 10th in the country last season before another late-season collapse, will not have Drake Maye or Devontez Walker on their offense. UNC does return star running back Omarion Hampton, who broke out for 1,504 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns, plus a deep tight end room headlined by Bryson Nesbit.

North Carolina will also have a solid offensive line anchored by Willie Lampkin, who earned Third Team All-ACC honors and started all 11 games he appeared in.

Lampkin is also one of the top returning linemen in the conference, as his 76.2 grade is fourth amongst ACC interior linemen.

Lampkin will be blocking for either Conner Harrell or Max Johnson in the fall, as the Tar Heels have not decided on their starting quarterback yet.

Regardless of who starts under center, it’s nice to know UNC has a reliable piece like Lampkin on its line.

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