After last night, it’s hard not to be impressed with the North Carolina football team.
The No. 13 Tar Heels, just two seasons removed from a miserable 2-9 campaign, finished this year 8-4 and won a trip to Miami for the Orange Bowl, their first major bowl game in 70 years.
Despite suffering a 41-27 loss to No. 5 Texas A&M, they reaffirmed what they’ve spent the last two seasons proving: there is more to this team than can be read from a box score. Here are some of the key takeaways after the Tar Heels’ trip to the Sunshine State:
UNC's roster depth helped manage opt-outs
The biggest storyline for UNC leading up to the Jan. 2 matchup was the absence of four of its most important players after they opted out of the Orange Bowl to prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft. So how did the team fare?
Well, with UNC’s leading receiver Dyami Brown out, first-year Josh Downs had a breakout performance with four catches for 91 yards and two touchdowns, including a 75-yard score to give UNC the lead in the fourth quarter. Brown’s first-year brother, Khafre, also played well when called upon, getting an efficient 40 yards on two catches.
In place of first-team All-ACC linebacker Chazz Surratt, sophomore Eugene Asante led the team with 10 total tackles. The area where the opt-outs were most missed, though, was in the backfield.
Without the dynamic running back duo of Javonte Williams and Michael Carter, walk-on junior British Brooks had a respectable 53-yard performance, including a powerful 17-yard run in the first quarter. Though it wasn’t enough to replace their impact, the Tar Heels can rest easy knowing their upcoming recruiting class features four-star running back Kamarro Edmonds. It'll give them enough talent in the backfield to aid their explosive passing offense.
