Jalen Dalton, penciled in as the team’s starting defensive tackle, played approximately 30 snaps in UNC’s 33-24 loss to Georgia. Tyler Powell and Dajaun Drennon didn’t play, leaving UNC vulnerable to the Bulldogs’ vaunted rushing attack.
“There’s a little bit of mix-and-matching going on right now for a lot of different reasons ...” defensive coordinator Gene Chizik said. “But there’s some question marks in terms of guys that we’re counting on experience-wise.”
Football is all about the next man up, though — and Malik Carney filled that role.
The redshirt sophomore recorded 12 tackles and no sacks in three games last season. But Carney was thrust into the starting lineup for Saturday’s game in Atlanta and performed well.
“I was really proud of him,” Chizik said. “It’s a big man’s game down there — he’s not a big man for that position. And all of that being said, I thought he really played tough, played physical. He needs to continue to improve, and I think he’ll do that with experience.”
The position is a new one for Carney, who was recruited as an outside linebacker in 2014 but changed to defensive end in his first year when Chizik arrived before the 2015 season.
Carney finished with five tackles and half a sack on Saturday. He showed great promise as a run-stopping defensive end and got after the quarterback on passing downs. Despite being a bit undersized at 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds, Carney more than held his own against Georgia’s huge offensive tackles.
But Carney didn’t see it that way.
