23 | 2023 SOUTHERN FOOTBALL GUIDE
NORTH CAROLINA
HEAD COACH: Mack Brown OC: Chip Lindsey DC: Gene Chizik
Chapel Hill, NC
2022 RECORD: 9-5 (6-2) FOUNDED: 1789 STADIUM: Kenan Memorial (50,500)
OFFENSE
DEFENSE
Drake Maye is on the short list of the top quarterbacks in the nation. He returns after throwing for 4,321 yards and 38 touchdowns last season. Oh, by the way, he also led the Tar Heels in rushing with 698 yards and seven touchdowns. He won’t run as much this season, and may even throw for more than 4,500 yards. He will miss his top two targets (Josh Downs and Antoine Green), but he will have a couple of nice receivers in Tez Walker and Nate McCollum, both from the portal. Walker was first team All-MAC at Kent State as a sophomore. McCollum caught 60 passes at Georgia Tech in 2022. Tight end Bryson Nesbit is also a handy weapon for Maye. Elijah Green and British Brooks are both capable backs, so the running game will be in good shape as long as the line stays healthy. Center Corey Gaynor is among the best in the conference.
For the second year in a row in this space, we must proclaim that the North Carolina defense wasn’t very good last season. Maybe 2023 is the year of improvement? The unit allowed 30.1 points a game and gave up 436.5 yards a game. Even with the stellar offense, another performance like that will not be sufficient. The Heels must find a way to make more plays in the backfield, and Kaimon Rucker is counted on to do just that off the edge. Improved play from Myles Murphy and Kevin Hester Jr. in the middle would go a long way toward turning this unit around. Cedric Gray is one of the best linebackers in the nation. But he needs help to alleviate the attention he receives from opponents. Power Echols is improving and should make more plays this season. The secondary has been remade and should be a strength.
DEPTH CHART
DEPTH CHART
NO 10 21 5 9 6 18 76 63 65 52 75
PLAYER Drake Maye Elijah Green J.J. Jones Tez Walker Nate McCollum Bryson Nesbit William Barnes Ed Montilus Corey Gaynor Jonathan Adorno Spencer Rolland
POS QB RB WR WR WR TE LT LG C RG RT
HT 6-4 5-11 6-2 6-2 5-9 6-5 6-4 6-3 6-3 6-4 6-6
WT 230 210 210 205 180 235 320 315 309 315 310
CLASS SO JR JR JR JR JR SR SR SR SR SR
NO 10 98 8 25 23 33 28 29 31 27 16
PLAYER Desmond Evans Kevin Hester Jr. Myles Murphy Kaimon Rucker Power Echols Cedric Gray Alijah Huzzie Marcus Allen Will Hardy Giovanni Biggers DeAndre Boykins
POS DE NT DT Edge LB LB CB CB S S NB
HT 6-6 6-4 6-4 6-1 6-0 6-2 5-10 6-1 6-2 6-1 5-11
WT 275 315 305 262 221 235 195 185 210 200 205
CLASS SR SR SR SR JR SR JR SO SO SR JR
15 24 2 1 8 81 61 53 54 64 78
Conner Harrell British Brooks Gavin Blackwell Andre Greene Jr. Kobe Paysour John Copenhaver Diego Pounds Willie Lampkin Chance Carroll Malik McGowan Trevyon Green
QB RB WR WR WR TE LT LG C RG RT
6-1 5-11 6-0 6-2 6-1 6-3 6-6 5-11 6-2 6-4 6-7
205 226 180 200 190 245 330 290 294 316 340
FR SR SO FR SO JR SO JR JR JR FR
93 0 5 3 44 17 6 9 7 2 1
Jacolbe Cowan Tomari Fox Jahvaree Ritzie Amari Gainer Deuce Caldwell Amare Campbell Lejond Cavazos Armani Chatman Derrik Allen Don Chapman Stick Lane
DE NT DT Edge LB LB CB CB S S NB
6-4 6-3 6-4 6-4 6-0 6-0 6-0 6-0 6-1 6-1 5-9
280 305 290 235 225 230 200 205 210 200 190
JR SR JR SR SO FR JR SR SR SR SR
40 91
Ryan Coe Ben Kiernan
225 215
SR SR
23 6
George Pettaway Nate McCollum
195 180
SO JR
SPECIAL TEAMS K P
6-2 6-0
2023 SCHEDULE S.2 ...South Carolina (Char.)
O.21 ........................... Virginia
S.9 ..........Appalachian State
O.28 ........... at Georgia Tech
S.16 ......................Minnesota
N.4 ..........................Campbell
S.23 ................. at Pittsburgh
N.11 ................................Duke
O.7 ............................Syracuse
N.18 ....................at Clemson
O.14 ..............................Miami
N.25 .................... at NC State
SPECIAL TEAMS KR PR
5-10 5-9
NEWCOMERS Tez Walker, WR — The transfer from Kent State amassed good numbers against inferior competition, but he was also playing catch with an inferior quarterback. Nate McCollum, WR — Grabbing 60 catches at Georgia Tech is no small feat. Alijah Huzzie, CB — The Heels are counting on Huzzie, a transfer from East Tennessee State, to become a top cover corner in the ACC. Too much to ask? Derrik Allen, S — The safety brings his talents to Chapel Hill after a solid career with the Yellow Jackets.
