Consider: The ground attack finished sixth in the ACC last season in total yards per game (126.2) and is without a clear starting tailback this season. With a pair of talented quarterbacks and a pair of productive wideouts -- All-ACC candidate Sam Aiken and Chesley Borders -- returning, the passing attack figures to account for the bulk of the offense.
The preceding line of thought, though, neglects an important aspect of the 2002 Tar Heel offensive unit.
The running backs consider themselves not merely runners but instead an integral part of a larger offensive scheme, one where blocking takes precedent.
"It's a very big job to protect the quarterback," said sophomore tailback Jacque Lewis. "Therefore, we've been working very hard on our pass protection; it's our number one goal."
Far from being marginalized, then, the running backs have embraced their expanded role.
The transition to blocking backs wasn't entirely smooth, though. Entering practice this season, junior Willie Parker said, the tailbacks concentrated intensely on improving their blocking, and although this endeavor has paid dividends, it initially was painful.
"It was pretty bad at first," Parker said. "The blocking drills we used to do in practice killed us, and we didn't like it. Blocking was our weakness, and we were concentrating on it all the time. But now since we're better at it, it doesn't matter what we do in practice: We improved, and now it's paying off."
The running game, though, has not been forgotten. UNC features three main tailbacks -- Lewis, Parker and junior Andr
