CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Mack Brown’s return to North Carolina stabilized the program. His sixth season begins with two hurdles on the way to more.
The Tar Heels are making progress after star quarterback Drake Maye left for the NFL, and Brown is determined to find a way to finish better after two season-ending slumps.
“It’s a problem, it’s an issue,” Brown said. “And it’s the only thing that’s stopping us from being where we need to be.”
The Tar Heels had a 9-1 record in 2022 after securing a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship gamebut then lost their last four. Last year’s team started 6-0 and reached 10th place in the AP Top 25ended with 2-5.
Now that Maye is gone as the No. 3 overall pick in the draft, Brown is focused on how he can lead the Tar Heels to a winning finish.
“If we come out here and say the offense had a bad day in practice, that means we’re probably going to be an inconsistent team,” Brown said after the first practice of preseason camp. “And we have too much of that here.”
This year’s team is expected to finish eighth in the expanded 17-team ACC.
Brown touts the roster depth as the best of his second tenure in Chapel Hill and is optimistic about further development under former Georgia Tech and Temple head coach Geoff Collins as defensive coordinator.
Maye is the most well-known of the eleven offensive and defensive players who left, but also among those leaving is linebacker Cedric Gray, one of the best tacklers in the country.
Strengthening the offensive
Running back Omarion Hampton was named a second-team All-American by the Associated Press last year after finishing fifth in the Bowl Subdivision with a 115.7-yard rushing average. He has watched footage of players like NFL star Christian McCaffrey to improve his game.
“I try to catch the ball … and then block the pass because I know that’s what they do in the (NFL),” Hampton said. “I feel like that’s how I can improve my game and show them that I can do that, too.”
Mayes successor
The Tar Heels will compete for Maye’s replacement in preseason training camp, led by redshirt sophomore Conner Harrell and Max Johnson, a transfer with stints at LSU and Texas A&M.
Harrell made his first career start in the Dukes’ Mayo Bowl loss to West Virginia after Maye declared for the NFL draft. He threw for 270 yards and two scores while also running for 75 yards and a score. Johnson, son of former NFL quarterback Brad Johnson, has 22 career starts.
There is also the return of Jacolby Criswell, who began his career at UNC before moving to Arkansas for a year.
Line guidance
Willie Lampkin, who played eight games at right guard last year, is the only returning starter on the offensive line. The Tar Heels have bolstered their numbers at that position through the transfer portal, including the signings of Austin Blaske (Georgia), Howard Sampson (North Texas) and Jakiah Leftwich (Georgia Tech).
Brown said his goal is to be able to reliably play with nine offensive linemen.
Defensive
Brown is the third defensive coordinator of his second tenure at UNC, Collins, who replaced Gene Chizik. UNC has never ranked higher than 10th in the 14-team ACC in points or total defense over the past three seasons. The loss of Gray (10.1 tackles per game) won’t help, although fellow linebacker Power Echols returns with pass rusher Kaimon Rucker (8 1/2 sacks last year).
“More aggressiveness – ‘Master of Mayhem’ describes him perfectly,” Echols said of Collins. “He’s going to call a really aggressive game.”
Brown also praised the secondary, which includes cornerback Alijah Huzzie (three interceptions) and safety Jakeen Harris from rival North Carolina State.
The schedule
The Tar Heels play at Minnesota on Aug. 29 and visit rival Duke (Sept. 28) in their ACC opener. There’s also a trip to No. 10 Florida State (Nov. 2), the defending league champion and preseason favorite. The list doesn’t include any of the league’s three new schools and is based on long-standing matchups within the state or league, including a trip to Virginia (Oct. 26), a visit to Wake Forest (Nov. 16) and the home finale against No. 24 NC State (Nov. 30).
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