QUARTERBACK
- TBD. New starter.
The two challengers for the Tarheels' job are Nebraska
transfer Joe Dailey (right) and redshirt
freshman Cam Sexton. Dailey has the benefit of starting 11 games at
Nebraska, but after throwing 19 interceptions versus only 17 touchdowns with a
paltry 49.4% completion percentage he's hardly a proven college quarterback.
Seeing as how Dailey was recruited to Nebraska as an option QB, he's very
mobile and good when he's on the move, but at some point a quarterback needs to
become confident in the pocket to succeed. Sexton is also a mobile quarterback
who has a good chance to beat out Dailey, but has yet to throw a pass in
college. He was a highly-regarded prep QB and was considered the backup QB as a
freshman before a broken ankle sidelined him. Depth: The loser of the
Dailey/Sexton battle will become the backup for the team. Joey Bozich, who was the backup QB last year and is the only
returning Tarheel who threw a pass
last year, was moved to fullback in the spring.
RUNNING
BACK - Ronnie McGill. 2005 stats: 130 attempts, 530 yards,
5 TDs. Returning starter.
Ronnie McGill missed the first five games for the Tarheels
last year due to injury, but still ended up leading the team in rushing and
touchdowns. He also led the Tarheels in rushing as a
freshman. Still, with 337 career carries and 1,654 yards he is definitely a
veteran running back. Now he just needs to show he can be the feature back and
stay healthy. Depth: Barrington Edwards started the season when
McGill was out and notched 455 yards and 2 touchdowns on 114 carries. The LSU
transfer will give the Tarheels an experienced backup
to McGill. Justin Warren, redshirt freshman Richie Rich, and four true freshman,
including Anthony Elzy, give the Tarheels a very deep stable of running backs.
WIDE
RECEIVERS
Jesse Holley. 47 receptions, 670 yards, 1 TD. Returning starter.
Brooks Foster. 0
receptions, 0 yards, 0 TDs. New starter.
Jesse Holley(right)
is the star of this outfit, but also the only receiver on the team who caught a
pass last year. A durable All-ACC honorable mention, the 6-3 Holley was also a
walk-on with the basketball team as a freshman. On the football field he was
the team's leading receiver, yet he only caught one touchdown last year. The #2
spot opposite Holley looks like it's still up in the air with Brooks Foster
the early leader. Foster is another basketball team walk-on and starred on
special teams last year. Like Holley, Foster is 6-3 which gives the Tarheels a fairly tall starting receiver lineup. Depth: Brandon
Tate was the team's best returner as a freshman
last year and might find more passes thrown his way in his sophomore season.
The biggest receiver on the team at 6-5, 225 pounds, Kenton Thompson has
high expectations from UNC fans but first has to crack the rotation. Freshman Deunta Williams was a big recruit who will
add more speed to the receiver depth chart.
TIGHT END
Jon Hamlett.
21 receptions, 212 yards, 1 TD. Returning starter.
Jon Hamlett returns for his second year as the
Tarheel starter and is a steady, though unspectacular
tight end. Only 3 of his 46 career receptions went for touchdowns, although
it's possible he'll become more of a red zone threat this season. He'll add a
veteran presence to the team and Coach Bunting is high on his improvement, so
he could come through with a solid junior year. Depth: Junior Rock
Wells is a blocking tight end who will fight for the #2 TE spot with
sophomore Richard Quinn.
OFFENSIVE LINE
LT - Brian Chacos. Returning starter.
LG - Charlson
Gray. (#11 G) Returning
starter.
C - Ben Lemming. Returning starter.
RG - Kyle Jolly. New starter.
RT - Garrett Reynolds. New starter.
Brian Chacos will return to the Tarheels after getting the NCAA to greenlight
a sixth year of eligibility. He was healthy last year and started every game at
left tackle, where he is expected to be a solid force yet again. Ben Lemming
is listed as a returning starter, but he's only played in two games in his
career. He started at center in the 2005 season opener, hurt his shoulder, came
back two games later, re-injured his shoulder, and missed the rest of the year.
Expectations are high on him should be be able to
keep his shoulder healthy this year. The right side of the line is young with redshirt freshman Kyle Jolly expected to land the
starting right guard spot and redshirt sophomore Garrett
Reynolds starting next to him at right tackle. Depth: Junior Scott
Lenahan is the backup plan at center while redshirt freshman Andre Barbour will contend with
Reynolds for a starting right tackle spot. Nearly all of the depth on the team
is very inexperienced.
DEFENSIVE
LINE
Brian Rackley.
15 tackles, 2 sacks, 3 TFL, 1 FR, 1 FF. Returning starter.
Shelton Bynum.
22 tackles, 1 sack, 3 TFL, 1 PBU. New starter.
Kyndraus Guy. 21 tackles, 3
sacks, 5 TFL, 1 INT, 1 PBU. New
starter.
Melik Brown. 7 tackles, 1
sack, 2 TFL, 1 FF. New
starter.
Brian Rackley (left) is the leader of this
defensive line that returns six players overall with starting experience. Even
though he missed the last three games of the 2005 season with a concussion, Rackley has 14 career starts and UNC fans are hoping for a
breakout season. The other returning starter is tackle
Kyndraus Guy, who started five games
last year while playing in all 11. Like some of the other tackles on the
schedule, Guy isn't all that big at 280 pounds. Teaming up with him in the
middle is Shelton Bynum, a senior who started six games and does tip the
scales at 300 pounds. The final starting spot is still up in the air, but Melik Brown has as good a chance as any to
grab it. He's been a reserve so far in his career, but could have a productive
senior year if he takes the starting job. Depth: Battling Brown for the
spot is junior Hilee Taylor, who is in
the quick pass-rushing mold of defensive end. Kentwan
Balmer started three games at defensive end last
year, but has been moved inside to tackle for this year to add depth. Cameron
Thomas also has high expectation as the 330 pound redshirt
freshman was a highly regarded recruit and will add a lot of bulk to the
defensive tackle position.
LINEBACKERS
SLB - Larry Edwards. (#25 - OLB) 91 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 8 TFL, 1 INT, 2 PBU, 1
FF. Returning starter.
MLB - Mark Paschal. 7 tackles. New
starter.
WLB - Durell Mapp. 46 tackles, 1
sack, 1.5 TFL, 1 FR, 2 FF. Returning starter.
The leader of this linebackering corp
is strongside 'backer Larry Edwards (left). He
led the team in tackles last season and is expected to contend for all
conference honors this year as one of the team leaders on defense. Mark
Paschal is the surprise starter at the middle linebacker position after a
solid showing in the spring and fall camps. Another relatively small middle
linebacker at 225 pounds, Paschal will have a lot of attention as the rookie
running the middle of the Tar Heel defense. Durell
Mapp started the final 6 games last year at
middle linebacker for North Carolina but this season was switched to the
weak-side spot. He missed the spring due to a shoulder injury and in fall camp
sprained his knee. Assuming another injury doesn't hit him though, he should be
healed up by the ND game. Depth: If Mapp can't
go, sophomores Chase Rice and Garrett White will look to step
into the starting lineup and contribute. Victor Woolsey is a veteran
backup middle linebacker who holds some weight room records for the Tar Heels,
but also has had injury issues in the past.
DEFENSIVE
BACKS
CB - Jacoby Watkins. 19 tackles, 3 PBU. Returning starter.
CB - Quinton Person. 36 tackles, 0.5
TFL, 1 INT, 4 PBU. New
starter.
FS - D.J. Walker. 9 tackles. New starter.
SS - Kareen
Taylor. 61 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 4.5
TFL, 2 INT, 2 PBU, 1 FF. Returning starter.
The strength of this Tar Heel secondary is strong safety Kareen
Taylor (left). He has made 15 starts as the free safety spot and now moves
over to the strong safety position due to the injury to Trimane
Goddard. His physical, agressive play has made him an
All-ACC candidate for 2006. D.J. Walker will try and replace