College Football News Preview 2021: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the North Carolina football season with what you need to know.
– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Keys To The Season
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– North Carolina Schedule Analysis
– North Carolina Tar Heels Previews
2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
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2020 Record: 8-4 overall, 7-3 in ACC
Head Coach: Mack Brown, 3rd year, 15-10; 12th year overall at UNC, 84-55-1, (259-132 overall)
2020 CFN Final Ranking: 14
2020 CFN Preview Ranking: 17
2019 CFN Final Ranking: 59
North Carolina Tar Heels College Football Preview 2021: Offense
– The offense was a whole lot of fun, there was a whole lot of explosion, and there was a whole lot of production. Now there are a whole lot of key parts gone, but the infrastructure is sound.
The Tar Heels had the most efficient passing attack in the ACC, they were fifth in the nation in total offense and ninth in scoring – averaging 537 yards and 42 points per game – and expect more of the same as long as the main man stays healthy.
– There needs to be a little roll slowing on the Sam Howell For Heisman talk, but after hitting 68% of his passes and with a phenomenal first two years as the Tar Heel quarterback, he’s worthy of the hype.
The running game might have been a bit more fun at times, but Howell is the best player, the one who opens things up down the field, and has the NFL skills to take the Mack Brown era to another level. New recruit Drake Maye might be the star of the near future, but there’s an issue if Howell goes down.
Now Howell needs guys to throw to with Dyami Brown on the Washington Football Team and Dazz Newsome a Chicago Bear. Third-leading receiver Khafre Brown averaged over 22 yards per catch. TE Garrett Walston is a good downfield threat – catching 19 passes and two scores – and Howell will make the receivers better, but …
– The offensive line has to be better in pass protection. Size is hardly the problem for this group, and it got the job done for the ground game, but it wasn’t great at keeping defenses out of the backfield. All five starters are expected back around all-star Joshua Ezeudu at left guard and Jordan Tucker at one of the tackle spots.
Now they need the runners to block for.
Michael Carter and Javonte Williams combined to average close to 7.5 yards per carry with 28 touchdowns – Williams scored 19 of them. Howell ran for five, and the rest of the Tar Heels combined for two, and one came from Newsome.
Ty Chandler is coming in from Tennessee to take over, but British Brooks and DJ Jones- two 5-10ish, 205ish sized backs – will be a part of the rotation.
– What You Need To Know: Defense
– Top Players | Keys To The Season
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– North Carolina Schedule Analysis