College Football News Preview 2020: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the North Carolina Tar Heels season with what you need to know.
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– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Schedule Analysis
– North Carolina Previews 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
2019 Record: 7-6 overall, 4-4 in ACC
Head Coach: Mack Brown, 2nd year, 7-6; 11th year overall at UNC, 76-52-1
2019 CFN Final Opinion Ranking: 42
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 59
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 67
No one knows what’s going to happen to the 2020 college football season. We’ll take a general look at where each team stands – doing it without spring ball to go by – while crossing our fingers that we’ll all have some well-deserved fun this fall. Hoping you and yours are safe and healthy.
5. College Football News Preview 2020: North Carolina Tar Heels Offense 3 Things To Know
– The North Carolina offense was far stronger, scoring 129 more points and finishing 12th in the nation in total yards under the new regime, and there’s reason to be even more excited with a loaded team returning.
Even with three receivers and two tight ends transferring, the top five wideouts and top tight end Garrett Walston are expected back. 72-catch Dazz Newsome led the team in catches, but Dynami Brown is the most dynamic of the bunch, averaging over 20 yards per grab with 12 scores.
Throw in third-leading receiver Beau Corrales and top recruit Josh Downs, and the Tar Heels have one of the nation’s best receiving corps.
CFN in 60 Video: North Carolina Tar Heels Preview
– Sam Howell has to stay healthy, and he has to be even sharper. As a true freshman, the former star recruit was fantastic, throwing for 3,641 yards and 38 touchdowns with seven picks. He did a great job of walking the fine line between trusting his receivers and getting away with mistakes, but he showed off why he’s going to be the face of the franchise for the next few years.
With backup Jace Ruder transferring to USF, new recruit Jacolby Criswell will get every show for the No. 2 job. The team’s next star quarterback is coming next year with Drake Maye already committed.
– Top tackle Charlie Heck was drafted by the Houston Texans, but the rest of the line is expected to be back. The right side appears to be set with two veteran 330-pound juniors Jordan Tucker at tackle and Marcus MeKethan at guard – either one of them might move over to Heck’s spot on the left side.
Overall, though, the line has to be far, far better at keeping defenses out of the backfield. It was 113th in the nation in sacks allowed, and it gave up over seven tackles for loss per game. The running game was great, and this group should be able to pave the way for another strong season.
The 1-2 punch of Michael Carter and Javonte Williams are back after combining for close to 2,000 yards with eight touchdown runs. They’re similar-sized backs who can both catch, and there’s a whole lot of good depth behind them.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: North Carolina Tar Heels Defense 3 Things To Know
4. College Football News Preview 2020: North Carolina Tar Heels Defense 3 Things To Know
– The defense has more work to do than the offensive side, but it’s still going to be a good group returning after finishing sixth in the ACC in total defense and fourth in scoring D. Four of the top seven tacklers are gone, but there’s a whole lot of talent and young depth to work around.
– The biggest early issue is defensive tackle with Jason Strowbridge and Aaron Crawford gone. There will be some experimenting on the inside, but there’s plenty over versatility along the front three. 280-pounders Raymond Vohasek and Tomari Fox can play jus about any of the three spots, and 300-pound sophomore Jalil Taylor should be ready to play a bigger role.
– Chazz Surratt came to North Carolina as a promising passer, and he has turned into a great pro prospect as a do-it-all inside linebacker. The four linebackers will have more work to do behind the rebuilding line, but Surratt and junior Jeremiah Gemmel are all-star tacklers to go along with 260-pound senior Tomon Fox on the outside.
– The secondary wasn’t always a rock, but it was great at picking off passes. It was strangely ripped up at odd times, but when it came up with multiple interceptions, good things happened – more on that in the keys to the season.
It was a bit of a building job at corner last season, and now it should pay off with Storm Duck and Trey Morrison back after going through the growing pains. They’re good, getting Myles Wolfolk back after what was termed an upper body injury is big, and there’s enough talent and depth for all five spots to fill in the gaps.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Top North Carolina Tar Heels Players
College Football News Preview 2020: Top North Carolina Tar Heels Players
Best North Carolina Tar Heels Offensive Player
QB Sam Howell, Soph.
He was going to be the new quarterbacking star at Florida State, but Mack Brown and North Carolina swooped in and snatched him away. The 6-2, 225-pounder was great from the start, bombing away in wins over South Carolina and Miami.
He wasn’t always sharp, and he had his freshman ups-and-downs, but he threw two touchdowns or more in all 13 games and threw three scores or more in each of the last five games and in seven of the last eight. He’s got the moxie, the experience, and the receiving corps to do even more.
2. WR Dazz Newsome, Sr.
3. WR Dyami Brown, Jr.
4. RB Javonte Williams, Jr.
5. RB Michael Carter, Sr.
Best North Carolina Tar Heels Defensive Player
LB Chazz Surratt, Sr.
It’s been an interesting college career. Surratt was a superstar quarterback recruit for the program with the size, arm, and next-level skills to follow Mitch Trubisky and Marquise Williams in the succession. He got going as a freshman – running for five scores to go along with a decent season throwing the ball – but he only played in one game as a sophomore, and then came the transition.
He bulked up into a 230-pounder on his 6-3 frame, and he became one of the ACC’s best defensive players with 115 tackles and 6.5 sacks with 15 tackles for loss. He might not be the biggest hitter, but he’s great in the open field, he can move, and he thinks like a quarterback to be in the right position to make things happen.
2. LB Tomon Fox, Sr.
3. LB Jeremiah Gemmel. Jr.
4. CB Storm Duck, Soph.
5. DE Tomari Fox, Soph.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: North Carolina Tar Heels Keys To The Season
College Football News Preview 2020: North Carolina Tar Heels Keys To The Season
Biggest Key To The North Carolina Tar Heels Offense
Balance out the offense with the running game to open things up for Sam Howell and the passing attack – and vice versa.
The ground game was just fine-to-great even when the team started to struggle in the Larry Fedora era. The running backs are deep and good, the offensive line can generate a bit of a push, and when everything is working on the ground, everything will work with the offense.
UNC ran for over 200 yards five times last season and won all five games. Howell was too good and the receivers too strong in the red zone, but the offense only came up with four touchdowns in the first ten games before scoring nine in the final three.
Biggest Key To The North Carolina Tar Heels Defense
As the pass defense went, so went the Tar Heels. The secondary returns deep and loaded, and the pass rush should show up. Now the pass defense has to do its part.
The Tar Heels had big, big problems generating big plays in previous seasons – coming up with 15 picks from 2016 to 2018 – but the came up with 14 interceptions last year. When they made two or more, they were 5-0, and were 2-6 when coming away with fewer.
More than that, it was about not letting passers get into a groove. UNC was 5-0 when it allowed fewer than 200 yards passing.
Key North Carolina Tar Heels Player To A Successful Season
DL Tomari Fox, Soph.
It’s the team’s biggest hole to fill. The defensive tackles are gone after a strong year, and the front three overall needs a little reworking. Tomari Fox – his brother, Tomon, is a dangerous pass rushing linebacker – got his feet wet as a freshman with 12 tackles and a few plays behind the line, but now he’s the wild-card.
The 278-pounder isn’t a massive tackle, but he could see time on the nose, or he could grow into a pass rushing 3-4 end. There needs to be explosion up front – he could provide it.
Key Game To The North Carolina Tar Heels Season
at Virginia, Oct. 3
Assuming the Tar Heels don’t biff the home game against Georgia Tech, they can take charge of the ACC Coastal race early on by beating Virginia four the first time in four years. With Virginia Tech in Chapel Hill right after, there’s a shot they can put a stranglehold on the division by mid-October. Lose, and there’s a problem with a trip to Miami a few weeks later to deal with.
– North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2019 North Carolina Fun Stats
– 4th Quarter Scoring: North Carolina 120 – Opponents 51
– Fumbles: Opponents 19 (lost 6) – North Carolina 16 (lost 5)
– 4th Down Conversions: North Carolina 15-of-23 (65%) – Opponents 8-of-16 (50%)
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: North Carolina Tar Heels Win Total Prediction, What Will Happen
1. College Football News Preview 2020: North Carolina Tar Heels Win Total Prediction, What Will Happen
There’s nothing but excitement around the North Carolina program as Mack Brown stepped right in and gave it a jolt.
The recruiting has been terrific – the 2021 class looks like a potential whopper – and to be fair to previous head coach Larry Fedora, there were pieces in place for the new staff to work with. There’s reason to expect something special coming, but …
Pump the brakes a little bit.
For all of the good things Brown and his coaches did last year, the Military Bowl win over Temple was the only victory over a team that finished with a winning record. Miami was the only other bowl team it beat, and it took wins over Mercer and NC State just to get that extra game.
You have to go back to the middle of the 2016 season for the last time the UNC program beat an FBS team that finished with a winning record.
And even with all of the cupcake eating last year, three of the seven wins were by four points or fewer. Fedora couldn’t win the close ones over his final few seasons, and Brown won his – but that’s the game.
A five-win improvement is excellent no matter what, and now the talent is there to think bigger. Maybe not ACC Championship-big – that Clemson machine is still rolling – but the ACC Coastal might be in play.
However …
Set The North Carolina Tar Heels Regular Season Win Total At … 7.5
Bet at BetMGM Win Total Line: 8.5
At UCF, Auburn (in Atlanta), at Virginia, at Miami. There’s no Clemson, Florida State or Louisville on the slate, but …
Duke will be better. That’s up the road. NC State will be better. Virginia Tech has to be dealt with, and Brown lost to a Pitt team that Fedora beat over his final two seasons.
This really is a stronger UNC team, and there really is reason to believe it could be playing for the ACC title if everything breaks right, but …
Beat the good teams, Tar Heels.
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– Schedule Analysis
