2021 CFP SEASON PREVIEW AUTUMN 11

NORTH CAROLINA
#4 ACC: CONF 7-3, HOME 4-1, AWAY 3-2, BOWL: L
HC: Mack Brown (3) OC: Phil Longo (3) DC: Jay Bateman (3) / Tommy Thigpen (3)
OFFENSE:
QB: Returns two-year starter Sam Howell (3586 YDS, 30 TD, 7 INT passing, 146 YDS, 5 TD rushing), a preseason Heisman favorite
who threw for the fourth most yards and 6 th most TDs in the FBS. Howell was sacked 33 times which was the second most in
the FBS. Howell is one of ten returning QBs with 7000+ career passing yards. Returns backup Jacolby Criswell (16 YDS, 1 INT
passing, 26 YDS rushing) and 6’6 Jefferson Boaz. Bringing in 4-star Drake Maye who is the 8 th highest ranked QB of the 2021
class.
RB: Lost Michael Carter (1245 YDS, 9 TD rushing, 267 YDS, 2 TD receiving) and Javonte Williams (1140 YDS, 19 TD rushing, 305
YDS, 3 TD receiving) to the NFL. Ty Chandler (456 YDS, 4 TD rushing, 111 YDS receiving) transferred in from Tennessee. Returns
DJ Jones (65 YDS, 1 TD), Josh Henderson (61 YDS), Elijah Green (55 YDS) and Bitish Brooks (1 TD in 2019). True freshman 230lb
Kamarro Edmonds is a 4-star recruit.
WR: Lost deep threats Dyami Brown (1099 YDS, 8 TD) and Dazz Newsome (684 YDS, 6 TD) to the NFL. Four-star freshman Ray
Rose transferred out. Returns Khafre Brown (337 YDS, 2 TD), 6’3 Beau Corrales (238 YDS, 1 TD), Emery Simmons (201 YDS, 1
TD), Josh Downs (119 YDS, 3 TD) and 6’2 Antoine Green (38 YDS, 1 TD). 6’4 Tylee Craft was a 4-star freshman last season. Kobe
Paysour and Gavin Blackwell are both true freshman 4-stars.
TE: Returns Garrett Walston (255 YDS, 2 TD), Kamari Morales (16 YDS, 1 TD) and Kendall Karr (3 YDS).
OL: All five starters return on the line from last season: LT 325lb Asim Richards, LG 325lb Joshua Ezeudu, Center 305lb Brian
Anderson, RG 335lb Marcus McKethan and RT 340lb Jordan Tucker with 315lb Ed Montilus as a backup with 14 career starts.
DEFENSE:
DL: Returns Tomari Fox (46 TOT, 4 sacks), 300lb Raymond Vohasek (29 TOT, 3.5 sacks), 310lb Jahlil Taylor (18 TOT), 305lb Kevin
Hester (10 TOT), 305lb Myles Murphy (8 TOT, 1 sack) and 300lb Clyde Pinder (6 TOT, 1 sack). True freshman 295lb DE Keeshawn
Silver is a 5-star recruit.
LB: Lost leading tackler Chazz Surratt (91 TOT, 6 sacks, 1 INT) to the NFL. Returns second leading tackler Jeremiah Gemmel (78
TOT, 2.5 sacks, 1 INT). Also returns Tomon Fox (36 TOT, 7 sacks), Tyrone Hopper (27 TOT, 2 sacks), Eugene Asante (26 TOT),
Kaimon Rucker (21 TOT), Chris Collins (13 TOT, 3 sacks) and Desmond Evans (10 TOT, 1 sack). A pair of freshman 4-stars joined
the team in Rara Dillworth and Power Echols.
SF: Returns Cam’Ron Kelly (55 TOT), Don Chapman (48 TOT, 2 sacks, 1 INT), Trey Morrison (39 TOT, 1 sack, 1 INT), Ja’Qurious
Conley (35 TOT, 1 sack) and Giovanni Biggers (3 TOT, 1 INT).
CB: Patrice Rene (28 TOT) transferred to Rutgers. Returns Storm Duck (37 TOT, 2 INT in 2019) who is arguably the best corner in
the ACC but missed 10 games last season for injury. Also returns Kyler McMichael (26 TOT), Tony Grimes (14 TOT, 1 sack, 1 INT),
Ladaeson Deandre Hollins (13 TOT, 1 INT) and Obi Egbuna (8 TOT).
SPECIAL TEAMS:
KR: Returns Grayson Atkins (63/63 PAT, 12/18 FG) and Jonathan Kim who handled kick offs (led FBS in touchbacks).
PR: Starting punter Ben Kiernan (43.7 YD AVG) is back. WR Dazz Newsome was the best punt returner in the ACC but is gone.
SPIN
Chapel Hill, NC – 10 starters are back on defense which forced 36 sacks (tied 5 th nationally). The defense allowed 154.3 YDS/G
rushing (50 th best) which was much better than the 246.7 YDS/G allowed passing (44 th to last out of 130 FBS teams). The
defense seemed to get bailed out by the offense at times, giving up 45 to VT, 44 to UVA and 53 to Wake. The offense ranked 6 th
nationally scoring 43 PPG. The ground game averaged 249.1 YDS/G which ranked 9 th best in the FBS and averaged 307.5 YDS/G
passing which ranked 19 th . The offense was one of the most explosive in the country, but it is tough to look past the lull against
a bad FSU team in a 31-28 loss. The offense lost major production to the NFL at RB and WR. Ty Chandler
was a huge pickup from the transfer market. There is still plenty of talent and the offense will be among
the best in the FBS again, but it will be tough to match the numbers of the 2020 season. Having five
starters back on the OL is a huge help. Sam Howell is as capable as any QB in the country and might be
the best pure passer. Cross division games against Atlantic Division schools are Florida State and NC
State. They also play Wake Forest which will not count in the ACC Standings. Traveling to Notre Dame is
a tough non-conference game, luckily there is a bye week prior. This team should compete with Clemson
for an ACC Championship and bid to the CFP. Starting the year off with a game at Virginia Tech is no easy
task. UNC will be one of the most fun teams to watch in CFB this year. The season win total over/ under
is at 10 games. UNC had an 11-3 season as recent as 2015. At worst they go 10-2.
Twitter @Autumn_Eleven