Tag: Liam Boyd

Starting kicker Noah Burnette ruled out vs. NC Central

UNC football starting kicker Noah Burnette has been ruled out of the Week 3 game.

A major reason behind the North Carolina Tar Heels’ 2-0 start to the college football season is star kicker Noah Burnette, who was a perfect 5-for-5 on kicks in UNC’s season-opening victory at Minnesota.

Burnette was near-automatic in North Carolina’s win over Charlotte last week, converting all four extra points and a 44-yard field goal, but he also missed his first kick of the year.

In today’s Week 3 matchup against NC Central, though, it doesn’t look like Burnette will be available.

Instead, the Tar Heels will likely roll with Liam Boyd, the Clemson transfer who arrived in Chapel Hill before the 2023 season.

Boyd relieved Burnette late last week, converting his first collegiate kick after Davion Gause’s fourth-quarter touchdown run. Boyd is a Tar Heel State product originally, hailing from Asheville High School. Boyd converted 11-of-13 field goals during his senior season, including a 50-year, while also playing soccer his first three years.

North Carolina should be able to score touchdowns at ease today, but if drives stall, Boyd has to be on his game. NC Central is 1-1, winning its season-opener at Alabama State, but losing to Elon by 22 last week.

Keep an eye out on Boyd and if he plays a major role in the Tar Heels’ Week 3 outcome.

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Tar Heels name Players of the Game for blowout over Syracuse

Drake Maye, Myles Murphy, Noah Burnette and Liam Boyd were tabbed Players of the Game in UNC’s 40-7 thumping of 4-win Syracuse.

It seemed like the UNC football team could do no wrong Saturday afternoon against Syracuse.

The Tar Heels obliterated the Orange, 40-7, in a matchup of 4-win ACC teams. UNC star quarterback Drake Maye finished six yards off his collegiate career high in passing yards and fished out three touchdowns, Nate McCollum AND Kobe Paysour each finished over the century mark in receiving yards, plus the Heels never trailed and allowed a season-low 221 yards.

If you struggled picking just one Player of the Game, I wouldn’t blame you, as seemingly everyone was deserving of being named one.

On Monday afternoon, UNC announced Maye, Myles Murphy, Liam Boyd and Noah Burnette as its Players of the Game against the Orange.

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Maye, Carolina’s Offensive Player of the Game, ended Saturday’s victory second among FBS quarterbacks with 442 passing yards. He completed a season-high 33 passes and tossed three touchdowns – his first to Bryson Nesbit, second to John Copenhaver and third to Kobe Paysour. This was Maye’s second 400-yard outing in three weeks, as he did the same against Minnesota.

You could have picked nearly any defensive starter for Defensive Player of the Game, but that honor belonged to defensive lineman Myles Murphy. The Greensboro native registered five tackles – three of the solo variety, including one of the Heels’ three for loss.

Burnette, one of two UNC Special Teams Players of the Game, continued thriving while starting kicker Ryan Coe misses time with an injury. Burnette connected on all eight of his kicks – four field goals and four extra points apiece.

Boyd was on the field for nine kickoffs, totaling 585 yards and EIGHT touchbacks. He nearly equaled Carolina’s total of 644 yards.

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McCollum leads four Tar Heels with Player of the Game Honors

UNC football players Nate McCollum, Power Echols, Noah Burnette and Liam Boyd were named Players of the Game for last week’s performances.

After nearly losing to App State last weekend, the UNC football team responded with a well-rounded, 31-13 victory over Minnesota on Saturday.

Carolina got the Heisman Trophy-level performance it craved from star quarterback Drake Maye, as the redshirt sophomore threw for a season-high 414 yards and two touchdowns. The Tar Heel defense looked a lot more like its Week 1 self, allowing three second-half points and just 11 Athas Kaliakmanis completions.

UNC is now 3-0 through four games – and for the third time in four seasons. Two of the Tar Heels’ three victories came against Power 5 opponents, which is going to help their case if they are undefeated well into ACC play.

There were so many stars on both sides of the ball, but only a select few Tar Heels earned Player of the Game honors.

This week, those honors went to wide receiver Nate McCollum, starting Mike linebacker Power Echols, plus place-kickers Liam Boyd and Noah Burnette.

After posting a virtually non-existent stat line against App State, McCollum exploded for 165 yards and a touchdown on 15 catches. He was named ACC Wide Receiver of the Week.

Echols led all Tar Heel defenders with nine tackles, including seven solo wrap-ups, accounting for just over 32 percent of them.

Burnette, last year’s starting kicker, was a perfect 5-for-5 on kicks. He made all four extra points and connected on a 42-yarder to cap the third quarter scoring.

Four of Boyd’s six kicks went for touchbacks. Boyd, the Clemson transfer, totaled 389 yards on his kickoffs.

One common theme I’m noticing in UNC’s early games is a willingness to step up. So far, there have been no repeat Players of the Game.

We’ll have to wait several days to see who Carolina’s next Player of the Game batch will be. The Tar Heels will travel up to Pennsylvania on Saturday for their ACC opener, as they take on Pitt at 8 p.m.

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