Preview: Three things to look out for as UNC football begins spring practices
Junior defensive line Desmond Evans practices tackling during Carolina football's first Spring practice on Tuesday, Mar. 1, 2022.
Similar to UNC men's basketball, the football team will also have some fresh faces in the spotlight during its upcoming slate of spring practices.
From players to coaches, UNC football is in a transitional period after high expectations lifted the program to new heights. Although last season's 6-7 outcome was disappointing — considering the team reached the Orange Bowl the year prior — the Tar Heels' roster was nonetheless loaded with talent.
But players do leave, meaning many of those standouts will not be wearing Carolina blue this coming season. Some of those notable names include former quarterback Sam Howell and linebacker Jeremiah Gemmel.
As they prepare to step into new roles and make first impressions, here are three things to watch as the Tar Heels take the field this spring.
The offense
Nowhere on the team will have more personnel change than the offense. UNC is returning only five starters — specifically offensive linemen and three receivers — leaving important gaps in the run game and the quarterback room.
Finding Howell’s replacement is high on the Tar Heels’ list, and the battle for the starting job between sophomore Jacolby Criswell and redshirt first-year Drake Maye is going to heat up these coming weeks.
First-year quarterback Drake Maye throws the football during Carolina football's first Spring practice on Tuesday, Mar. 1, 2022.
The Tar Heel faithful were given a few glimpses of each quarterback’s abilities in some of the team's blowout games last season. Criswell and Maye are both exceptional passers and shouldn’t have any problems fitting into an explosive offense that thrives on big plays. Both have also shown flashes of mobility, and their running abilities will be valuable to an offense that often relied on Howell to make plays with his legs.
But none of that matters without a strong offensive line.
After three years at UNC, former offensive line coach Stacy Searels is back at Georgia, where he performed the same job from 2007-2010 under former head coach Mark Richt.
Searels’ offensive lines at Chapel Hill have been crucial in the offense’s success over the past few years. They've protected Howell for the most part, and created lanes for some of the best rushing seasons in program history.
Jack Bicknell Jr. is expected to replace Searels, but won’t have big names like Joshua Ezeudu and Jordan Tucker to throw up front. This spring will test if he and the new faces on the line can anchor the offense and get it to where it needs to be come fall.
Leading the defense
Although the defense did not lose many starters and key reserves from last season, it did lose its two leaders, notably Gemmel and Tomon Fox, as well as the experienced Trey Morrison and Kyler McMichael.
For a defense that did not have an ideal season last year, this spring is crucial in determining who will replace those names and provide the veteran inspiration for the talented, yet still developing unit.
Luckily for the Tar Heels, there are multiple guys who are capable of filling the open leadership roles. After deciding to return to the team, look for graduate Raymond Vohasek to provide experience and energy on the defensive line, as well as junior Cedric Gray to make the seamless transition at the linebacker position.
There’s also junior defensive back Storm Duck, who’s looking to stay healthy and have a good season, with hopes of being drafted in the near future.
Early enrollees
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With a recruiting class full of highly-touted prospects, don’t be surprised if one or multiple early enrollees make an immediate impact this spring.
At 6-foot-5 and 360 pounds, five-star Travis Shaw will be competing this spring with the defensive linemen. Shaw was possibly head coach Mack Brown’s biggest land of the recruiting season. He was ranked the fifth-best player in the country and the No. 1 player in North Carolina by 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN.
Zach Rice is another five-star with great size who is looking to make an instant impact on the offensive line. The 6-foot-6, 315-pound tackle was ranked as the ninth-best player in the country and has a great outlook considering the open spots ahead of him on the depth chart.
