Here Comes Carolina: 2008 UNC Football Offensive Preview

A three-point loss to ECU.  A two-point loss to Virginia.  A seven-point loss in Blacksburg to No. 17 Virginia Tech.  A six-point loss to then-No. 7 South Carolina.  A four-point loss in Raleigh to rivals NC State.  A two-point loss in Bobby Dodd to Georgia Tech.

That's right—six losses by a total of twenty-four points.  Six losses by a touchdown or less.  Six games that were simply a tipped ball, a dropped pass, a made field goal, or a third down conversion away from being Tar Heel wins instead of losses.

In 2008, the Tar Heel offense looks to make these results go the other way.

Similarly to the team entering 2007, this 2008 offensive unit features plenty of talent at every position.  The difference is the level of experience.

While 2007 saw only four players with significant experience open the season, this year's edition features some 15 offensive players who've seen a good amount of quality playing time.

Lets take a look at the this older, more experienced 2008 edition of the Carolina Tar Heels.

Quarterback

At the headlining position of the college football world sits the signal caller.  Since the departure of Darian Durant in 2004, the Tar Heels have started four quarterbacks in three seasons.  Teams live and die with quarterback success, so the emergence of T.J. Yates should restore confidence and stability to this previously shaky position.

Now 21 years old, T.J. Yates had a solid freshman campaign in which he broke the UNC single-season passing yardage record, throwing for 2,655 yards on 218 of 365 attempts.  However, his touchdown to interception ratio of 14:18 was one of many direct contributors to the Tar Heels' struggles.

As a 20-year-old kid, new to the college game and extremely inexperienced, Yates struggled late in the season as teams threw different blitz packages, fronts, and secondary coverages at him.  The young quarterback also battled through shoulder pain during the second half of the season.

This shoulder pain led to surgery in the offseason, a procedure that forced Yates to watch from the sidelines while redshirt freshman Mike Paulus and redshirt junior Cam Sexton dueled in the spring. 

Paulus is the prototypical pocket passer, while Sexton is a slim speedy guy with a big arm.  These two highly touted recruits took advantage of Yates' absence to get reps with the first team, experience that will prove invaluable to the Heels as a team.

Sexton and Paulus battled over the 15 practices, with the younger QB inching ahead in the final weeks of spring ball.  The battle between these two talents should be exciting entering fall camp, with the winner garnering the number two spot.

Heading into 2008, a healthy T.J. Yates should keep his starting job, maintaining the ever-elusive continuity at the quarterback spot that is so crucial in college football—and a luxury that UNC hasn't been afforded since 2004.

Running Back

Last year saw a running back by committee with Anthony Elzy, Ryan Houston, and Johnny White all seeing significant time at the running back position.  None of them were able to truly establish themselves as THE back, and UNC's disappointing run production of 99.5 yards per game clearly reflects this.

Enter Greg Little.  Butch Davis believes this wide receiver turned running back has what it takes to become the next in a long line of great UNC running backs.  In his two games at the tailback position, Little amassed 243 yards and two touchdowns on a workman's diet of 50 carries.

The kid shows promise, and he's critical to the Heels' success.  They need Little to become the first 1,000-yard rusher since Jonathan Linton in 1997 to take the heat off Yates and keep defenses honest.

Over the offseason Little has grown into a running back body, and he showed flashes of brilliance in the spring scrimmage at Kenan.  His dynamic playmaking ability has transitioned nicely to the running back position.  As a threat to run or catch the ball, Little will be dangerous whenever he is in the backfield.

While last year's leading rusher Johnny White has been moved to defense, both Anthony Elzy and Ryan Houston return to the position.  Both are capable runners who excel between the tackles in short yardage situations and don't shy away from contact.  Another plus for both players is their ability to pass protect and catch the ball out of the backfield.

Don't be surprised if Devon Ramsay, who had some strong showings in the spring, also contributes in relief of Little.  Incoming freshman Jamal Womble may see minutes as well.

Wide Receiver

Stability is the word of the day for Carolina's receiving corps.  218 of UNC's 220 receptions—99 percent—return for the 2008 season.  This unit is, without a doubt, one of the strongest in the league.

Hakeem Nicks is the centerpiece of the group.  The junior seems sure to shatter every career receiving record at UNC.  With two seasons left, he's just over 800 yards shy of breaking Corey Holliday's career mark, and a mere 64 receptions short of Jawarski Pollock's record. 

Nicks has truly grown into an elite receiver in every sense of the word.  Expect his first 1,000-yard season in 2008 after finishing some 42 yards shy in 2007.

Returning to join Nicks is the duo of Brandon Tate and Brooks Foster.  Tate, known primarily for his superb return skills, proved his offensive worth last season, catching five touchdowns and averaging 19.9 yards per catch.  Tate is truly a highlight waiting to happen.

Foster, the elder statesmen of the group, is a great athlete who made big catches in spots for the Heels last year but must increase his production in 2008.

For those close to the program, Bobby Brooks Foster's feats of effortlessly fluid athleticism in the weight room, practice, and scrimmages are common knowledge.  In his final year on the Hill, he must now bring those spectacular plays to Kenan on Saturdays.

Junior Kenton Thornton and (R) freshman Rashad Mason, two big bodies at 6'4", 230 and 6'5", 220 respectively, need to become reliable options to help keep drives alive and make big red zone plays.

Tight end Zack Pianalto was the biggest receiving threat out of the three-man rotation of Ed Barham, Pianalto, and Richard Quinn.  His 24 receptions were good for fourth on the team.  This season the experienced sophomore should see his role increase as John Shoop opens up the playbook and gives Yates more options to exploit defenses.

Offensive Linemen

Along with receiver, the O-Line is the most veteran, experienced unit on the offensive side of the ball.  Kyle Jolly, Aaron Stahl, Calvin Darity, Garrett Reynolds, and Lowell Dyer, all with starting experience, return for Butch Davis.

Bryan Bishop, a redshirt senior, steps into the guard spot vacated by Stahl's move to center.  Having Jolly next to him should bring the senior up to speed quickly and make the left side of the line quite formidable.

On the right side of the line, Darity and Reynolds look to form a terrific power.  Darity has started 24 games in a row, while Reynolds has been playing steadily since his freshman season in 2005 and has started 19 games at right tackle. 

These two quality linemen are the the backbone of the offense—two seniors leading by example and showing the hard work and dogged determination required to succeed in the ACC.

While solid and experienced up front, the key will be getting younger linemen like Mike Ingersoll, Alan Pelc, Kevin Bryant, and Carl Gaskins into the rotation.  These young players need to get reps to insulate the unit against injury and a severe dropoff.

The projected starters have the size (6'4.5", 302 lbs. on average), talent, and experience to turn the tides on Carolina's rushing woes and keep T.J. Yates' jersey clean in 2008.

If the Heels can get some experience for their young O-linemen, this unit should be a force in the ACC this coming season, as well as the years to come.

UNC Defensive and Special Teams Unit Previews Due Out Next...