UNC Football Preview, 2013-2014

7/30/2019 UNC Football Preview, 2013-2014

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A publication of

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FOOTBALL PREVIEW2013 2014

Renner, the comfortable captaindth/katie sweeney

By Brooke PryorSports Editor

Leading up to North Carolinasseason opener against South Carolina,one name has been on the lips of everycoach, player and analyst associated

with the game.Except for Bryn Renners.Whats his name? Renner asked.

I thought he quit. I thought heretired early.

Renner, of course, was joking. Heknows exactly whats coming for him

Thursday night. Jadeveon Clowneywill be gunning for him from theother side. Renner will be protected

by an offensive line anchored by pre-season first team All-ACC linemanJames Hurst.

Renner enters the season with ayear of a new playbook under his belt,looking nothing like the inconsistentsignal caller from early last season.

A rocky start

In the beginning of the 2012 sea-

son, Renners three interceptionsthrough the first three games showedhe wasn't completely comfortablemaking decisions in coach LarryFedoras new system. Renner had pre-

viously started under Everett Withersin a pro-style offense and threw formore than 3,000 yards in his sopho-more season.

But in the first few games ofFedora's inaugural year, Rennerstruggled to replicate the same pro-duction from the year before.

Renner admits to often forcing the

offense, rather than trusting the playsto naturally develop.

I was threading the needle whenI didn't have to, which is just mymentality that I had to grow out of,Renner said. I was trying to go fora deep ball here and there and reallyforcing my will on the offense.

But I realized the offense is goingto take care of itself if I do my job.

Mowing through opponents

Learning a new playbook in the

few weeks of the preseason is no easyfeat, and Renner admits that the teamoften felt frenzied in trying to keep up

with a frantic no-huddle offense.But as the season went on, Renner

comfortably settled into Fedorasoffense, and it showed. Renner threw13 touchdowns in the final six gamesof the season.

The same playful personalityshown at UNCs pre-South Carolinainterviews manifested on the field

see RenneR, Page 8

Morris and Blue take charge Soph receiverdriven for more

dth file/chloe stePhenson

Romar Morris is one of two seasoned running backs faced with the task of replacing Giovani Bernard.

By Henry GarganSenior Writer

When you add a RomarMorris to an A.J. Blue, does thesum equal a Giovani Bernard?

With the record-break-ing tailback beginning tomake waves for the NFLsCincinnati Bengals , NorthCarolinas offense hopes theefforts of Morris and Blue can

provide a ground attack aspotent as the threat Bernardposed last season.

But perhaps thats not afair question. After all, Blueand Morris both played cru-cial roles alongside Bernardlast season.

Morris is a redshirt sopho-more who spent his fresh-man season returning punts,

blocking kicks and picking upyardage in all sorts of ways.

Blue is a redshirt senior whorecently turned 24. Injuriesand other adversity have pro-longed his stay at UNC.

This season he and histeammates hope his experi-ence will anchor the other-

wise youthful backfield.Freshmen runners Khris

Francis and T.J. Logan arefalling into the support-ing roles Morris and Blueoccupied last season, andthe older backs have takenit upon themselves to make

sure the freshman duo will beprepared to step up when thetime comes.

Its been clear since thespring that the task of fillingBernards shoes will fall toMorris and Blue.

(Bernard) was a greatplayer, he was a game-break-er, but Blue and Romar have

been there, theyve had plentyof time themselves, and Itrust those guys to get the jobdone, senior offensive line-man James Hurst said.

Blues nine rushing touch-downs were second only toBernards 12 last season.

Morris rushed for two scoreslast season, but after impres-sive performances in thespring game and preseasonpractices, the Salisbury, NCnative has emerged this sea-son as Blues equal in compe-tition for Bernards job.

I think Romar has beenthe guy thats really steppedup out there, coach LarryFedora said on his weeklyradio show last spring.

But regardless of who linesup for the opening snap inColumbia, S.C. on Thursday,Hurst said he and the rest ofthe Tar Heels know it will take

the combined, complementaryefforts of Blue and Morris toachieve the desired result an ACC championship.

Blue is a veteran, heshard-nosed, hes really goingto run downhill and get thetough yards that you needthird and short, third andgoal, whatever, Hurst said.

Romar, hes kind of yourhome run. You look up andhes in the endzone. I think itsgreat that were going to havetwo backs like that workingtogether.

[email protected]

The duo is tskedwith replcing

Giovni Bernrd. Quinshd Dviswnts to build on lst

sesons success.

By Robbie HarmsSenior Writer

Quinshad Davis is, accord-ing to his Twitter, just a youngman trying to make it, andthe sophomore receiver could

be well on his way.He has the frame 6-foot-

4 and 205 pounds, and grow-ing the talent 61 catchesfor 776 yards last season,

both UNC freshman records and, perhaps most impor-tantly, the desire.

Davis, from Gaffney, S.C.,emerged as one of UNCstop options last season as atrue freshman, and he has noplans to regress.

We should be the onesthat yall look to see and belike, Oh man, what a catch,

what a run, he said of thisyears corps of receivers. Weshould be that group.

Its not often a kid twoyears out of high school is thespecter in ACC cornerbacks

dreams, but its not often afreshman has a season likeDavis last year.

He played in all 12 games,starting 10, and had a catchin each one. He tied the

ACC record for catches inone game with 16. He was

INSIDE: SCHEDULE JAMES HURST NON-ACC FOESSTARTERS FRESHMEN

dth file/sPencer herlong

Quinshad Davis (left) cel-

ebrates with quarterback Bryn

Renner (right) in a Thursday

night win against Virginia.

named an honorable men-tion freshman All-America byCollegeFootballNews.com.

Hes so athletic and hassuch great body control in theair, coach Larry Fedora said.

Davis was a cherishedrecruit, South CarolinasGatorade Player of the Yearas a senior, and came to UNCcarrying a set of expectationsrare for an 18-year-old.

And it took fewer than 10minutes for Davis to show theworld hed arrived. The catchcame late in the first quar-ter of UNCs season openeragainst Elon. Quarterback

see Davis, Page 8

Thursdy, august 29, 2013dilytrheel.com


2/12

Football 2013Thursday, August 29, 2013 The Daily Tar Heel2

2013 FOOTBALL SCHEDULEDate Opponent Locaton Tme

Thursday, Aug. 29

Saturday, Sept. 7

Saturday, Sept. 21

Saturday, Sept. 28

Saturday, Oct. 5

Thursday, Oct. 17

Saturday, Oct. 26

Saturday, Nov. 2

Saturday, Nov. 9

Saturday, Nov. 16

Saturday, Nov. 23

Saturday, Nov. 30

South Carolina

Mddle Tennessee State

Georgia Tech

East Carolna

Virginia Tech

Mam

Boston Collee

N.C. State

Vrna

Pittsburgh

Old Domnon

Due

Columbia, S.C.

Chapel Hll

Atlanta, Ga.

Chapel Hll

Blacksburg, Va.

Chapel Hll

Chapel Hll

Raleigh

Chapel Hll

Pittsburgh, Pa.

Chapel Hll

Chapel Hll

6 p.m.

12:30 p.m.

TBA

TBA

TBA

TBA

TBA

TBA

TBA

TBA

TBA

TBA

Veteran Rettigleads the Eagles

By Wesley LimaStaff Writer

In a top-heavy Atlantic

Division that boasts confer-ence favorites Clemson andFlorida State, first-year BostonCollege coach Steve Addazioand the Eagles face a tall taskof clawing their way back intothe ACC elites.

Facing the Seminoles inthe fourth game of the season

just oneweek aftera WestCoast visitto No. 24SouthernCalifornia

will be a trial by fire for a teamcoming off a 2-10 campaignlast season.

To get our program pre-

pared for what we have to beprepared for in a short amountof time is really challenging,

Addazio said. I tell them everyday were in a foot race.

Fortunately for the formerTemple head coach, the manat the helm of the offense isfourth-year starting quarter-

back Chase Rettig.Rettig threw for more than

3,000 yards last season.Despite playing for a slew

of offensive coordinatorssince he started as a truefreshman, Rettig said hehasnt had difficulty with any

qUiCk HiTS:

BOSTON COLLEgE

Head coach: Steve Addazio

2012 record: 2-10, 1-7 ACC

2012 Atlantic Division

finish: Sixth place

Projected Atlantic Divison

finish: Seventh place

Date with North Carolina:

Oct. 26

of the transitions.This is my fifth system in

three-and-a-half years, so itsnot the most ideal situation,

but youve got to approachthe game as a professional,Rettig said.

For this season, Addazio has

brought in a familiar face torun his offense. Ryan Day

who served as a receivers coachat Boston College before leav-ing to join Addazio at Templefor one season is back withthe Eagles, and is re-establish-ing his relationship with Rettig.

He really thought highlyof me, so obviously I respecthim a lot, Rettig said. Ithink its been a good rela-tionship since hes been outhere. Weve been gettingcloser with each other.

[email protected]


3/12

Football 2013 Thursday, August 29, 2013The Daily Tar Heel 3

Hurst ready tolead UNCs line

dth file/katie sweeney

James Hurst (68) celebrates after tailback A.J. Blue (15) scores a touchdown against Virginia Tech last

season. Hurst is the most experienced player on UNCs offensive line, having made 36 career starts.

By Jonathan LaMantiaSenior Writer

For an offensive tacklelike North Carolina seniorJames Hurst, the prospect of

your assignment blowing byyou and drilling your team-mate with little you can do

but trail behind and pick theteammate off the ground isdevastating.

Our job is to protect thoseguys in the backfield, offen-sive line coach Chris Kapilovicsaid. You miss a block, yourquarterback could be in thehospital that day. They trustus and in turn we have to haveunbelievable focus.

South Carolina defensiveend Jadeveon Clowney is thekind of player who tests thattrust.

The 6-foot-6, 274-poundHeisman Trophy candidaterecorded 13 sacks and 23.5tackles for loss last season.Most memorably, on a play

immortalized as The Hit,Clowney broke through theMichigan offensive line andswallowed up running back

Vincent Smith.Clowneys legend grows

with each replay of The Hit,and he was recently calledHe Who Cannot BeBlocked

in a New York Times profile.Hurst the most seasoned

UNC veteran with 36 starts intends to block him.

Its going to be 60 minutesof probably the best player Iveever got to block, but Im look-ing forward to it, Hurst said.Hes a great player, and if you

want to take your game to thenext level, youre going to haveto play the best player.

Hurst, who at 6-foot-7,305-pounds was selected tothe preseason All-ACC firstteam, has NFL aspirations,and his matchup againstClowney will likely be watchedclosely by NFL scouts.CBSSports.com projects Hurstas the sixth best offensivetacklein the 2014 draft class,

which could land him in thedrafts first two rounds.

If youre going to have togo into a contest where their

best guy is out there, youwant to put your best guy outthere, and I have 100 per-

cent confidence in (Hurst),Kapilovic said.Though Thursdays test

looms large, UNC has a sea-son beyond Clowney andSouth Carolina, and it is bythat body of work that Hurstsoffensive line will be judged.

After three years of play-

ing with veterans, Hurstnow holds seniority, and hasadjusted to his new role as

vocal leader of the line.Middle of the game, say we

have some adversity and aredown a few scores, I feel likeIve got to say something to theguys to get them going a little

bit, and turn the tide, he said.Vocality doesnt necessarilycome naturally to the hulk-ing yet relatively soft-spokenHurst, but Kapilovic believesHurst acts as a perfect foil tothe coachs bad cop role, liftinghis teammates spirits after theposition coach scolds them.

Offensive coordinatorBlake Anderson said Hurst isthe right kind of role modelfor the offensive line, whichalso features redshirt juniorcenter Russell Bodine andredshirt sophomore left guardLandon Turner, who have 18combined starts.

With some guys thatare young, that havent had

a whole lot of experience,Anderson said, to be able todraw from a guy thats calm,thats experienced, thats beenthrough the fire as many repsas he has, thats got to behelpful for everybody.

[email protected]

PEOPLE TO WATCH:

Martin returns as a starterfor his senior season withgreat expectations. The6-foot-6, 265-pounder wasselected to the 2012 All-ACCSecond Team and enters thisyear with Preseason All-ACChonors.

As a junior, Martin regis-

tered 40 tackles 15.5 fora loss. Martin also notchedfour sacks for a total loss of 32yards.

Martin recorded a season-high seven tackles againstDuke last year and is project-ed to be North Carolinas topreturner on defense.

The 2012 Tar Heel defense ranked fifth in the ACC, allowing an aver-

age of 25.7 points per game. UNC lost many defensive players, includ-ing linebacker Kevin Reddick and defensive tackle Sylvester Williams.

Jackson is a flexibledefender with the capabil-ity of playing both defensiveend and tackle. The 6-foot-5285-pound senior recorded18 tackles last season, half ofwhich were unassisted.

His four tackles againstDuke last year matched a sea-

son high.Jackson also had four

tackles for a loss in the 2012campaign, including onesack.

An Exercise and SportScience major, he earnedAll-ACC academic honors lastseason.

Price, a returning starter, isexpected to be a leader in thesecondary for North Carolinathis season.

The 6-foot-0, 200-poundsenior has started 17 games inhis three years at UNC, 11 ofwhich were during his junioryear.

Price had the third-mosttackles for the Tar Heels lastseason with 76 and lead theteam with nine pass break-

ups.Parker was a key compo-

nent for UNC in 2012, regis-tering at least four tackles inevery game.

Boston returns for hissenior season after leadingNorth Carolina in tackles lastseason with 86 49 of whichwere solo stops.

Those numbers earnedthe 6-foot-1, 205-poundsafety an All-ACC HonorableMention last season and 2013

Preseason All-ACC honors.Boston also earned ACC

Defensive Back of the Weekhonors two times last season.

The senior started all 12games at safety in 2012, andleads all returning starters ininterceptions with four lastseason and eight for his career.

Kareem Martin, Defensive end

Tim Jackson, Defensive tackle

Jabari Price, Cornerback

Tre Boston, Free safety

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4/12


Pittsburgh seeks stabilityin new conference

acc FOOTBaLL newcOmers

By Dylan HowlettStaff Writer

There arent many surethings for first-year Syracusecoach Scott Shafer, except fora rare mainstay in a collegefootball landscape swept upin a sea of change.

The Carrier Domes areally unique place, Shafersaid of the Oranges enclosedhome field since 1980. A spe-

cial place its one of theLast of TheMohicans

with theindoorfacility at

an NCAADivision I program.

The Dome will serve as asmall shred of familiarity toits primary tenant this fall

when Syracuse officially joinsthe ACC a move that manyperceive as more aptly suitedto the Oranges mens basket-

ball team than its chronically

inconsistent gridiron gang.Syracuse annually stum-

bled in the now-defunct BigEast, a much weaker footballconference compared to the

ACC.When you look at the

ACC, there are higher-rankedopponents, more qualityopponents, different stylesof play, said senior offensivelineman Macky MacPherson.You have a lot of real fastguys in the ACC. You got torespect that.

Avoiding a rude awakeningwill hinge on finding a newquarterback to replace stand-out Ryan Nassib, a casualty tothe NFL.

Shafer must wade througha long list of candidates,headlined by Drew Allen,a senior transfer fromOklahoma.

Whoever emerges victori-ous from the quarterbackcontest earns the privilege ofleading the Orange throughits first ACC slate.

By Daniel WilcoAssistant Sports Editor

Pittsburgh football is usedto change.

In the three seasons sincethe end of 2010, a slew of

coacheshaveheaded theteam. Butas coachPaul Chryst

enters his second season atthe helm, its an opportu-nity for the team to finallysettle into a groove. And thePanthers must once againprepare for an adjustmentas 2013 marks the first sea-son they will be playing as a

member of the ACC.Redshirt senior wide

receiver Devin Street has beenon the team through its recentgame of head coach musicalchairs and views the recentstring of personnel change as agreat learning experience.

It was an experience thatwas hectic, Street said. But atthe same time, it was an experi-ence that Id never take back."

You have to kind of see

the coach as a different per-son ... just because they havethe same label, doesnt meantheyre the same.

What doesnt have thesame label for Pittsburgh this

year is its division. In the BigEast natives inaugural seasonin the ACC, the Panthers willface members of their newconference eight times.

Senior defensive linemanAaron Donald said he is look-ing forward to the competitionthe conference change brings.

Just to have the oppor-tunity to play teams that wenever got the opportunity toplay against, just to competeagainst new players and a newteam, its going to be fun.

Donald anchors a defensethat ended the 2012 seasonranked No. 17 in total defense.Matt House, Pittsburghs sec-ondary coach last season, waspromoted to defensive coordi-nator in February.

He was the one that inmy mind, (I) felt really goodabout him, tried to talk tohim. If we could find some-one that was going to be sig-nificantly better than great,

Syracuse brings ACCto Carrier Dome

quick hiTs:PiTTsBurGh

Head coach: Paul Chryst

2012 record: 6-7, 3-4 Big

East

2012 Coastal Division

finish: None

Projected Coastal Division

finish: Fifth place

Date with UNC: Nov. 16

right? Chryst said. But I feltreally good with Matt

Donald is admittedly excit-ed about his teams new con-ference, and said uncertaintyin how his team will match updoes not affect their mentality.

I cant tell you what weregoing to do, I cant tell you

were going to be this and thatbecause we havent playeda game of football yet in the

ACC, Donald said.But were going to go out

there and compete, thats whatI can say.

[email protected]

quick hiTs:

sYracuseHead coach: Scott Shafer

2012 record: 8-5, 5-2 Big

East


finish: None

Projected Atlantic Division

finish: Sixth place


None in 2013

Despite his teams list ofchallenges, Shafer isnt inter-ested in hoisting a white flag.

After all, he said, the ACC still

has to visit the Carrier Dome.We look forward to get-

ting them in there and try-ing to knock the hell out ofthem a little bit and play thegame the way its meant to beplayed, Shafer said.

Itll be a lot of fun.

[email protected]

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5/12


Clemson claimspreseason No. 1By Andrew Tie

Staff Writer

When senior Clemsonquarterback Tajh Boyd satdown with reporters at the

ACC Football Kickoff, hejoked around with teammateSpencer Shuey.

There was a real sense thatBoyd feltcomfortablein his ownskin.

Even withmonumen-

tal pressure as reigning ACCPlayer of the Year and leaderof the media-predicted ACCchampions in 2013, Boydanswered each question with a

smile and the savvy of a fifth-year senior whos been there,done that.

Though Clemson was closeto an ACC title last year, coachDabo Swinney said Boyd

would be more adept to han-dle the pressure and attentionas a favorite this year.

At the end of the day, wehave to focus on Clemson, ourformula for success, our planof preparation and thats reallyall that matters, Swinney said.

With a talented team and arelatively weaker conference,the ACC title is within theTigers grasp. But the teamisnt ready to start the cel-ebrations just yet.

You still got to go out andplay and perform and winthose games, said Shuey, asenior linebacker.

Blue Devils boastveteran experience

By Madison WayStaff Writer

When Duke defeated NorthCarolina last season with a latefourth-quarter touchdown, itcould have been considered asurprising upset.

The Blue Devils had 17 con-secutivelosingseasonsand theprogramhadnt

been to a bowl game since itearned a trip to the 1995 Hallof Fame Bowl.

That postseason absenceended in 2012.

Duke finished the yearwith an even regular seasonrecord and played Cincinnatiin the Belk Bowl. Duke leftthat game with another Lin the results column, but theprogram was beginning tolook like it was headed in apositive direction.

I expect us to be a bowlteam this year, coach DavidCutcliffe said. I expect ourplayers to expect that.

The landscape of the teamhas changed. Cutcliffe point-ed to a new defensive schemeas a sign that the team iscontinuing to make improve-ments.

Oh, were going to be bet-ter. I know were going to be

better than we were a yearago, Cutcliffe said. Were

better physically, were moreexperienced up from wherethe ball starts and I like what

our defensive staff has donein preparing this team.

Duke returns preseason All-ACC selection Ross Cockrell.The redshirt senior corner-

back started all 13 games forthe Blue Devils last season andrecorded 71 tackles.

For Cockrell a redshirtsenior the Blue Devils

bowl game appe arance lastyear was just another stepalong the road of solidifyingthe team as a legitimate foot-

ball threat in the ACC.You feel like youve made

it, Cockrell said of the bowlappearance. When the stan-dard for so long has just beento make it to a bowl game, andthen you finally do it, yourekind of like, Oh man, werehere now. Weve made it. Wevearrived. But in reality, you arenowhere close to arriving.

The trend of redshirtseniors and juniors takingleadership roles is also evi-dent on the offensive side ofthe ball.

The Blue Devils offensetook a hit when startingquarterback Sean Renfree

was drafted by the AtlantaFalcons in the 2013 NFL Draft,

but redshirt junior AnthonyBoone has comfortably takenRenfrees space.

Though the starting quar-terback job is new to him,Boone expressed confidencein his and his teammates experience and passion.

(We have) guys that got ataste of winning games, andonce you get a taste, you want

dth file/chloe stephenson

North Carolina quarterback

Bryn Renner throws a pass

during the UNC-Duke match-up on Oct. 20, 2012.

more, Boone said.We want more wins. Were

hungry.

[email protected]

dth file/spencer herlong

Former UNC safety Matt Merletti (25) makes a tackle on a

Clemson ball carrier. The two teams played last in 2011.

Everyone media, play-ers, coaches, fans knowsthe championship hopes forClemson rest squarely on theshoulders of their fifth-yearsenior signal caller.

Swinney said Boyd hascontinued to progressand improve, even upon aremarkable year in which hethrew for more than 3,800

yards to go with 46 tot altouchdowns.

He should play consistent-ly at a high level, take care ofthe football and play withinthe system at the highest levelsince hes been here, Swinneysaid.

Boyds focused, yet calmdemeanor reflects his com-fort in the spotlight. Hell becounted on one last time tolead a program to greatness,

but luckily for him, he knows

quick hits:

clemson

Head coach: Dabo Swinney

2012 record: (11-2, 7-1 ACC)


finish: First place


finish: First place


None in 2013

how to win, even with a targeton his back.

When I decided to cometo Clemson, I said I wantedto win a championship, Boydsaid. Im excited to get onemore shot at it.

[email protected]

quick hits:

Duke

Head coach: David Cutcliffe

2012 record: (6-7, 3-5 ACC)


finish: Fifth place


finish: Seventh place


Nov. 30

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6/12


Miami seeks ACC crownBy Carlos Collazo

Staff Writer

After several seasons ofdisappointment followingNCAA sanctions and scan-

dals, coach Al Golden hopesto lead the 2013 Miami foot-ball team back to dominancein college football.

Miami,which ispredictedto win theCoastalDivision

of the ACC, tied for first inthe division last year despitestarting many unprovenunderclassmen from the

beginning.This season, the team

returns a talented group ofveterans. But according toGolden, that talent doesntguarantee success.

What Im looking for isthe best team, Golden said.I dont want to have the

Virginia mustcount on

young rosterBy Kate EastmanStaff WriterIt is no surprise to

Virginias football coach MikeLondon that the odds arestacked against him.

The Cavaliers mustrebound from a disappoint-

ing 4-8season and

will play anACC non-conference

schedule considered to be oneof the toughest in the confer-ence.

Both offensive and defen-

sive coordinators are brandnew, and the Virginia rosterfeatures a mere nine seniors.

But London, who is enter-ing his fourth year at thehelm of the Cavaliers, is readyto take on the challenge.

Its true theres very(little) senior leadership, buttheyre guys whove been inthe program for a few yearsnow and they understandhow we want things done,London said.

Theres a good young coreand nucleus of players thatare very talented.

This Virginia team,comprised of more than 70freshmen and sophomores,

will ne ed to sho w immed iatematurity in their first twogames of the season versusBrigham Young on Aug. 31and Oregon on Sept. 7.

London will look to theexperience of his revampedcoaching staff, which heclaims to be the best in thecountry, to lead this youngteam to success.

Responsibility will alsofall on the shoulders ofsenior offensive tackleMorgan Moses. The 6-foot-6, 335-pound lineman is

Virginias only repres enta-tive on the preseason all-

ACC team.

dth file photo

Former UNC wide receiver Dwight Jones (83) catches a pass in

2011. The Tar Heels defeated Miami 18-14 in the 2012 season.

final four games of the season.Stephen is very, very tal-

ented, Golden said. Nothingspeaks to his football acuity

better than the fact that heshad three different coordina-tors and now he sees the gamefrom a concept standpoint.

Hes very smart and itshows up on the field.Johnson, who is ranked the

top running back in the ACC,finished second to Clemsonsquarterback Tajh Boyd in the

ACC Player of the Year pre-dictions.

Morris and Johnsonwill look to lead their moreseasoned team to the ACC

crown.

[email protected]

Moses will be challengedwith replacing Oday Aboushi,who is now a rookie with theNew York Jets, at left tackle .

Last season, Moses linedup on the right side.

Being on the left-handedside is more natural for me,Moses said.

Coming into that posi-tion, I feel like the coachesand quarterbacks definitelyfeel comfortable with me

being on the blindside. Imjust ready to take that t askon.

[email protected]

dth file/spencer herlong

UNC players celebrate duringlast years meeting with UVa.

The Tar Heels won the game

37-13 in Charlottesville, Va.

quick hits:

virginia

Head coach: Mike London

2012 record: 4-8, 2-6 ACC


finish: Sixth place


finish: Sixth place


Nov. 9

quick hits:

miami

Head coach: Al Golden

2012 record: 7-5, 5-3 ACC


finish: Tied-first place


finish: First place


Oct. 17

most talent, but a team thatunderstands the game andunderstands how to not beatitself how to execute andeliminate all the things thatcauses teams to lose.

Senior quarterbackStephen Morris and sopho-more running back DukeJohnson are expected to lead

Miamis offense.Morris threw for 1,131 yardsand 11 touchdowns over the

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7/12


NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS

STARTERSOFFENSELeft Tackle 68 - James Hurst (6-7, 305, Senior)

Left Guard 70 - Caleb Peterson (6-5, 300, RS Freshman)

Center 60 - Russell Bodine (6-4, 310, Junior)

Right Guard 78 - Landon Turner (6-4, 320, Sophomore)

Right Tackle 71 - John Heck (6-6, 300, RS Freshman)

Tight End 85 - Eric Ebron (6-4, 245, Junior)

Quarterback 2 - Bryn Renner (6-3, 225, Senior)

Tailback 21 - Romar Morris (5-10, 185, Sophomore)

Wide Receiver 81 - Kendrick Singleton (6-2, 200, Sophomore)

Wide Receiver 6 - Sean Tapley (6-1, 185, Junior)

Wide Receiver 14 - Quinshad Davis (6-4, 205, Sophomore)

DEFENSE

Defensive End 95 - Kareem Martin (6-6, 265, Senior)

Defensive Tackle 96 - Ethan Farmer (6-3, 295, Junior)

Nose Tackle 93 - Tim Jackson (6-5, 285, Senior)

Bandit 8 - Norkeithus Otis (6-1, 240, Junior)

Will Linebacker 9 - Travis Hughes (6-2, 225, Junior)

Mike Linebacker 33 - Nathan Staub (6-2, 240, RS Freshman)

Ram 20 - Brandon Ellerbe (6-0, 220, Junior)

Cornerback 4 - Jabari Price (6-0, 200, Senior)

Free Safety 10 - Tre Boston (6-1, 205, Senior)

Strong Safety 26 - Dominique Green (5-11, 185, Freshman)Cornerback 7 - Tim Scott (5-11, 190, Junior)

SPECIAL TEAMS

Kicker 18 - Thomas Moore (5-10, 200, Junior)

Punter 30 - Tommy Hibbard (5-10, 190, Junior)

Deep Snapper 67 - Mack Lloyd (6-0, 230, Senior) OR

61 - Connor Fry (6-2, 240, Sophomore)

Holder 30 - Tommy Hibbard (5-10, 190, Junior)

Punt Return 5 - T.J. Thorpe (6-0, 200, Sophomore) OR

3 - Ryan Switzer (5-10), 175, Freshman)


8/12


during the final stretch of 2012.Renner, along with walk-on

quarterback Caleb Pressleydeveloped the iMow touch-down celebration, a mime ofmowing a lawn capped with aTiger Woods-esque fist-pump.The duo were tight-lippedabout the celebrations planned

this season, but theres a chanceiMow will be reprised.

If the games going wellthen I'll bring it back, he said.

A new Renner

This season, Renner saidhe feels much more confidentheading into the season openerthan he did a year ago.

You feel so much morecomfortable going to the lineof scrimmage knowing where

your read keys are for every-body, Renner said.

His teammates are noticing.(Renners) really stepped

up his game, said tight endEric Ebron. Hes a lot more

smooth, a lot more decisive,a lot more confident withinhimself.

The key to his comfort? Acouple talks with Fedora andoffensive coordinator Blake

Anderson.By the conclusion of the

season, Renner eclipsed T.J.Yates UNC record for single-season total offense with3,394 yards.

At the end of thi s yearspreseason, Fedora nameda laundry list of improve-ments in his starting quar-terback.

The ability to understandwhen he has to make thethrows and when he doesnt,

when he has to punt, how youhave to try to move the chains,Fedora said. All the big thingsin just managing a footballgame.

While theres one name fre-quently tossed around leadingup to Thursdays game, Renneris concerned with a differentname: Tar Heels.

The offense needed meto work that hard, he said.Everyday I want to prove tomy team that this is my team.

[email protected]

RENNERfrom page 1

Bryn Renner received the snapout of the shotgun, dropped

back, let fly and watched.Davis beat his corner off

the line, turned for the ball,and saw the corner tip it. The

ball shot into the air, Davisreadjusted, tipped it him-self, and brought it down asanother Elon defender shottoward his knees.

His first career catch carriedan important message: Davis

was here, unaffected by hypeand unfounded expectation.

Now comes even greateranticipation. Davis wasnamed to the watch list for theBiletnikoff Award, given annu-

ally to the nations best receiver.Davis pays no mind to thehysteria, and hes not sated bylast seasons success.

He is still that very eagerfootball player, Fedora said.When you talk to him, hiseyes kind of get big, andhes listening and absorbingeverything you say.

Fedora told him to getstronger. Davis hit the

weights. Fedora told himto step up his game. Davis

worked tirelessly all summer.Hes not that skinny bird-

chested kid when he cameinto camp or came the sum-mer before, Fedora said.

Hes just a young man try-

ing to make it, and this sea-son is simply another step.

[email protected]

Davisfrom page 1

Smith the SpeedSter

Roy Smith (81), a junior wide receiver, works on a cutting drill during

North Carolinas preseason. Last season, Smith worked primarily on

special teams as a punt returner. He is a member of the track team and

returned 12 punts for 167 yards in 2012. This season, sophomore T.J. Thorpe

and freshman Ryan Switzer are slated to be the teams primary punt returners.

dth file/katie sweeney

spoRts DEsk staff

Jonathan LaMantia, Michael Lananna, HenryGargan, Robbie Harms, Brandon Chase, Lind-

say Masi, Kate Eastman, Dylan Howlett, CarlosCollazo, Ben Salkeld, Max Miceli, Madison Way,

Andrew Tie, Wesley Lima, Kevin Phinney

STAFF WRITERS

Brooke PryorSPORTS EDITOR

Grace RaynorDaniel Wilco

Aaron DodsonASSISTANT SPORTS EDITORS

Rachel HoltDESIGN & GRAPHICS EDITOR

Chris ConwayPHOTO EDITOR

Nicole ComparatoEDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Production manager:

Stacy Wynn

Business and advertising:Kevin Schwartz, director/general manager; Renee Hawley, advertising director;Lisa Reichle, business manager; Molly Ball, print advertising manager; Hannah

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customer service:Chessa DeCain, Marcela Guimaraes and Taylor Hartley, representatives.

disPlay advertising:

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digital advertising:

Margrethe Williams, manager.

advertising Production:

Beth OBrien, creative manager; Hunter Lewis and Chelsea Mayse, assistants.

FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2013 is published by the DTH Media Corp., a nonproft

North Carolina corporation.

Advertisers should call 962-1163 between

8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday to Friday.

Editorial questions should be directed to 962-0245.

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9/12

By Lindsay MasiStaff Writer

For Virginia Tech fans,the opportunity to forget themany mishaps of a highlyanticipated 2012 season cantcome soon enough.

After finishing last season7-6, the teams worst singleseason performance since

1992,theHokies

aim toregroup

and utilize their key returningplayers.

Im excited about tryingto get back to taking thisfootball team and getting thechemistry right and buildingit to where we can have thesuccess that we have had for anumber of years, coach FrankBeamer said.

The 2013 Hokie squad isled by senior quarterbackLogan Thomas, a 2011 All-

ACC second team selectionwho led the team in passingand rushing last season .

And while he didnt quitelive up to last seasons hype,

Thomas is ready to put thatbehind him and show thecountry who he really is ahard worker, a determined


Hokies aim to forget 2012 season

dth file/kevin hu

A Virginia Tech tailback carries the ball against the Tar Heel

defense last year. The Hokies rushed for 77 yards in the game.

test his teams resiliency thanstarting off the season facingthe top team in college foot-

ball Alabama.If you play a team like

Alabama and you play well,theres always a positive inthat, linebacker Jack Tylersaid. Youre always goingto gain something weremindful of our first game

because of the caliber of

Alabama. We know we canttake this lightly.

Beamer agrees that theopportunity his team has to

face the Crimson Tide is onethat will benefit them no mat-ter the outcome.

What happens withAlabama is your footballprograms better regard-less of how that game turnsout, your programs better,he said. Its a tremendousopportunity. Youre playingagainst the best team in col-lege football. Thats how you

approach this thing.Its not easy its work.

[email protected]

dth file/chris conway

Former UNC defensive tackle Sylvester Williams (92) celebrates after making a play in last seasons

meeting between N.C. State and the Tar Heels on Oct. 27. UNC defeated the Wolfpack 43-35.

NC State to fill

quarterback spotBy Grace Raynor

Assistant Sports Editor

They didnt have an answera month ago at the ACCsFootball Kickoff, and RashardSmith and Dontae Johnsonstill dont have one now.

Soonthe deci-sion will

be madepublic, andthe athletethat willlead Smith,

Johnson and the rest of theWolfpack on the field asquarterback will make hisdebut against Louisiana Tech. But for now, the Wolfpackremains quiet.

Your guess is as good asmine, said Johnson, a cor-nerback.

But to be honest, Im com-fortable with Pete (Thomas),Manny (Stocker), Brandon(Mitchell) the transfer from

Arkansas or the incomingfreshman. Whoever we put in,Im going to have confidence.

The Wolfpack is forced toreplace Mike Glennon, who

was drafted by the TampaBay Buccaneers in the third

round of the NFL Draft inApril. Glennon registered 32touchdowns in his career andmaintained a .626 completionpercentage, good for second

best in school history.Smith, a wide receiver

who used to be a cornerbackfor N.C. State, said that hehas enjoyed new coach DaveDoerens high-tempo prac-tices where the entire team

works out together.In previous years, some-

times we come out and wedont see the offensive line,

he said.Now we come out and

were working as a group building that bond with theoffensive linemen, buildingthat bond with the defensivelinemen.

That high energy stemsfrom Doeren and his coachingstaff.

If you dont coach withpassion, you cant coach forme. Im just going to tell youthat right now, Doeren said.

To me, its a sport built onpassion, and competitiveness,and fire. I dont like beingaround guys that dont have it.

As for Doeren whocomes to Raleigh from

Georgia Tech flirtswith new formations

By Max MiceliStaff Writer

Georgia Tech's triple optionoffense is one of the mostunique offensive schemes infootball. And throughout the

years, its become coach PaulJohnsons bread and butter.

As Johnson begins his sixthseason at the helm of the

Yellow Jacket football team,everyone knows what he planson doing run the ball.

His M.O. is that hes hard-nosed and hes going to runthe football, senior lineman

Will Jackson said. Coach isan option guy. Thats what

he does.I thinkanything

we runwill havesome

option principals to it.But during spring ball, the

team flirted with the idea ofrunning plays out of the shot-gun and pistol formations.

While Johnson doesntplan on changing anythingdrastically, there are some

benefits Georgia Tech couldsee from giving opposingdefenses more to expect.

Senior defensive endJeremiah Attaochu saidif the Yellow Jackets tookadvantage of quarterback

Vad Lees arm, the teamcould be that much moredifficult to stop.

From what Ive heardtalking to other guys, theycome in with one game plan,one defense they do againstour offense, Attaochu said. Idoubt they even work on cov-erage for our offense.

Johnson said he doesntthink teams are catching up

with his triple option offense,which was evident by hisoffense averaging nearly 34points per game in 2012.

But according to Jacksonthe addition of another facetin the Yellow Jackets offense

wouldnt hurt.Its just one of those things

where you want to keep thedefense honest, Jackson said.

Theyve got to watch a littlebit more tape of us runningthe pistol and some zone readstuff, and thats less time theyspend watching our tradi-tional triple option, counteroption and under centerstuff.

Jackson believes thatJohnsons implementationof the pistol formation in2013 is primarily a tailoringof the scheme to its playersin an attempt to play to thestrength of players like Lee.

Johnson, who doesnt thinktheres a magic defense thatcan stop the triple option,doesnt plan on changing toomuch in 2013.

You know, were going totry to throw it a lot, Johnson

dth file/kevin hu

Georgia Tech senior running back David Sims (25) scurries away

from UNC linebacker Tommy Heffernan (55) last season.

QUICK HITS:

n.C. STaTe

Head coach: Dave Doeren

2012 record: 7-6, 4-4 ACC


finish: Third place


finish: Third place


Nov. 2

Northern Illinois takingover a young team that hefeels maybe underachievedlast season comes with itsquestions.

We won the league my firstyear at Northern (Illinois), so Idont know if Im going to havethat kind of success here in

year one, he said.But there is one thing hes

certain about.Im very fortunate to have

a schedule like (ours), hesaid.

Eight home games with anew quarterback? I guaranteeour quarterbacks are ecstatic.

[email protected]

QUICK HITS:

georgIa TeCH

Head coach: Paul Johnson

2012 record: 7-7, 5-3 ACC


finish: Tied-first place


finish: Fourth place


Sept. 21

said jokingly. We may lookat (the pistol) and tweak it alittle bit, but were going to do

what we do.

[email protected]

QUICK HITS:

VIrgInIa TeCH

Head coach: Frank Beamer

2012 record: 7-6, 4-4 ACC


finish: Fourth place


finish: Second place


Oct. 5

leader, and a man on a mis-sion.

Im on a mission for onething, and thats to win moregames and to be the best wecan possibly be, Thomas said.Ive started from last yearnot letting anybody slack off,not cutting corners or any-thing like that.

Though he has always beenconsidered a leader on thefield, this years senior status

will bring even more respon-sibility. And thats somethingThomas doesnt take lightly.

Im going to come outhere and give it everything

Ive got, he said. I dont carewhat people say about me,what people do.

And what better way to

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10/12


Wake Forest strives for full seasonBy Brandon Chase

Staff Writer

Heading down the stretchlast season, the Wake Forestfootball team ran out of gas.

Injuries, poor o ff-the-fielddecisions,and a dif-ficult clos-ing sched-ule turned

whatlooked like a promising cam-paign into a fourth straightlosing season.

Honestly, by the end of theyear we were a bad footballteam, coach Jim Grobe said.We were really beat up wehad some issues with ourteam, about some of the deci-sions some of our guys made

and by the end of the year, wewere running on fumes.

But one of the reasons forWake Forest to be optimisticgoing into the 2013 seasonis the return of wide receiver

Michael Campanaro, wholed the ACC with 79 catchesin 2012 despite missing twogames with a broken hand .

The redshirt senior is look-ing to put his injury behindhim and help lead the ACCs

worst team in scoring offenselast year back to a bowl game.

Last year, Campanarosinjury exposed a glaring holein the Wake Forest offense,something Grobe said heknows must be rectified if theDemon Deacons are goingto put points on the boardagainst a tough schedule.

We got to the point (lastseason) where its almostevery play we call Go toMike, Grobe said. So I thinkfrom that weve just got tofind a little bit more balance."

Grobe has pledged toreturn to his patented misdi-rection running attack. Andsenior quarterback TannerPrice will look to help theoffense easily transition backinto the scheme that led theDemon Deacons to the 2006Orange Bowl .

But ultimately, ensuringWake Forest's rise back torelevancy will be determined

by the team's eight returningdefensive starters led by seniorlinebacker Justin Jackson .

As a group, I think weregoing to be pretty good,

dth file photo

A UNC ball carrier plunges over the goal line against Wake Forest

in 2011. The Demon Deacons defeated UNC last season.

Jackson said. We have a lotof returning players. Theseguys really know the systemand we should be able to getgoing pretty fast.

[email protected]

Terrapins prepare forlast season in ACC

By Ben SalkeldStaff Writer

Marylands previous sea-son, plagued with so manyinjuries that freshman line-

backer Shawn Petty startedfour games at quarterback,

was ayear theTerrapinsmight be

willing toforget.With

an officialmove to the Big Ten confer-ence planned for 2014, theTerrapins hope to move onfrom last years misfortunesand make their final seasonin the ACC one to remem-

ber.Even with the impending

conference move, stabilitymay be key, especially for aMaryland team that will bring

back its previous offensiveand defensive coordinatorsfor the first time since coachRandy Edsall was hired in2011 .

The sky is the limit, red-shirt senior quarterback C.J.

Coker, Winston fightto replace Manuel

By Aaron DodsonAssistant Sports Editor

Florida State coach JimboFisher knew he would eventu-ally have to say goodbye totwo-year starting quarterback

EJ Manuel.So whenthe redshirtsenior wasselected

No. 16 over-all in AprilsNFL Draft,

Fisher and the Seminoles werealready set to usher in a newquarterbacking era.

At FSUs annual springgame the teams two front-running candidates for the

job redshirt freshmanJameis Winston and redshirtsophomore Jacob Coker made a name for themselves

while carefully usheringManuels into the past.

The two signal callers com-bined for 391 passing yards andthree touchdowns, includinga 58-yard strike on Winstons

first pass of the game.Though Fisher has yet to

select a starter, he has highexpectations for his two

young quarterbacks.I expect some great deci-

sions, a lot of touchdownsand a lot of wins, Fisher said.I think you have two guysthat are very talented, verycapable and that the teamrespects very so much.

But without Manuel and 11other players from the 2013Orange Bowl-winning team,

will Florida State match itssuccess from last season?

After finishing 2012 atopthe ACC, Florida State wasselected second in an ACCpreseason media poll, 80 votesshy of top-ranked Clemson.

We know they dont thinkwere the top dog, junior widereceiver Rashad Greene said.So theres a lot of provingthat we want to do week inand week out.

Despite heading into theseason without a starter atquarterback or as the top team

Brown said. We have a lot ofguys coming back Now that

were coming back in our sec-ond year of our offensive anddefensive coordinators, werea lot more comfortable. Were

building upon where we leftoff thats a lot better thanstarting off from scratch.

Brown, who sat out lastseason after sustaining a torn

ACL in the preseason, said he

is now 100 percent healthyand ready to compete in theprograms 61st and final yearin the ACC.

Yeah, its our last year topartake in the ACC, but wereexcited for the opportunityand were going to go out andrepresent Maryland the best

we can. Hopefully well go outwith a bang and have somefun doing it.

Senior cornerback DexterMcDougle said he has similarfeelings of optimism.

This year, I feel like weregoing to shock some people,McDougle said. We haveeverybody in place that we

want. There (are) no excuses.

(There is) no reason weshouldnt excel this year and

quick hits:

florida state

Head coach: Jimbo Fisher

2012 record: 12-2, 7-1 ACC

2012 Atlantic finish: First

place

Projected Atlantic finish:

Second place

Date with North Carolina:None in 2013

in the ACC, senior defensiveback Lamarcus Joyner has allthe faith in his close-knit team.

Some teams may havesuperstars, he said. But wehave a lot of guys that aregoing to take care of eachother. And when youve got 11guys playing for each other,

you may not have one guythat may be an All-American,

but youre going to win abunch of football games.

[email protected]

quick hits:

maryland

Head coach: Randy Edsall

2012 record: 4-8, 2-6 ACC

2012 Atlantic finish: Fifth

place


Fifth place

Date with North Carolina:No date in 2013

quick hits:

wake forest

Head coach: Jim Grobe

2012 record: 5-7, 3-5 ACC

2012 Atlantic finish:

Fourth place


Fourth place


None in 2013

accomplish all of our goals.Edsall said he is excited

by the prospect of a good-looking freshmen class, anumber of players returningfrom injury and the returnof a core of proven offensiveplayers.

Brandon Ross, the teamsprevious leading rusher, will

be a sophomore, and sopho-more wide receiver StefonDiggs will return as the onlyTerrapin named to the pre-season All-ACC team.

I feel like being the last

team to play in the ACC forthe University of Marylandis special, McDougle said.The way to be rememberedis to go out the r ight wayand win the ACC champion-ship.

[email protected]

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11/12


Non-conference opponents

Team

Plays North Carolina

Conference

2012 record

2012 conference finish

Postseason result

Returning starters

2012 leading passer & player stats

2012 leading rusher & player stats

Key defensive player & stats

South Carolina

Aug. 29

SEC

11-2, 6-2 SEC

Third in Eastern Division

Middle Tennessee State

Sept. 7

C-USA

8-4, 6-2 Sun Belt T-2nd

Tied for second in Sun Belt

No bowl

17

Logan Kilgore, 2,571 yd, 16 TD

Jordan Parker, 851 yd, 3 TD

Craig Allen, 82 tackles

Old Dominion

Nov. 23

C-USA

11-2, 7-1 CAA

First in Colonial Athletic Association

No bowl

14

Taylor Heinicke, 5,076 yd, 44 TD

Tyree Lee, 864 yd, 8 TD

Craig Wilkins, 90 tackles

12

Connor Shaw, 1,956 yd, 17 TD

Marcus Lattimore, 662 yd, 11 TD

Jadeveon Clowney, 54 tackles

Outback Bowl, W 33-28 toMichigan

East Carolina

Sept. 28

C-USA

8-5, 7-1 C-USA T-1st

Tied for first in Eastern Division

21

Shane Carden, 3,116 yd, 23 TD

Vintavious Cooper, 1,049 yd, 7 TD

Jeremy Grove, 83 tackles

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl,L 43-34 to Louisiana-Lafayette

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12/12


PEOPLE TO WATCH:

The 2013 UNC roster has 18 true freshmen and 14 redshirt freshmen. Heres a look at the standouts:

UNC FRESHMEN

A two-time West VirginiaPlayer of the Year, Switzer willplay an active role in an offenselooking to replace GiovaniBernard, who was selected bythe Cincinnati Bengals in the sec-ond round of the 2013 NFL Draft.

As a senior at GeorgeWashington High School in

Charleston, W.Va., Switzernotched 206 carries for 2,379yards and 32 touchdowns. His103 career touchdowns aregood for a top five finish in WestVirginia state history.

The first team Parade All-American could also see time onspecial teams.

An early enrollee, Franciscame to UNC in January andjoined the team for springpractice.

In the annual Spring Game,he had 20 carries for a game-high 101 yards.

A native of Durham, Francisnotched 2,100 yards and 27

touchdowns as a senior atHillside High School. He playedon North Carolinas Shrine Bowlteam and was the conferenceoffensive back of the yeartwice.

ESPN.com listed him as atop-30 running back in thecountry.

Howard comes to ChapelHill from Wilcox County HighSchool in Rochelle, Ga.

With 1,630 yards his seniorseason, he went down inGeorgia state history forregistering the second high-est receiving total in a singleseason.

He also notched 19 touch-downs and 115 catches thatsame season.

ESPN.com named him the No.24 wide receiver in the countryand the No. 22 player in Georgia.

In 2012, Howard was aMaxPreps Small School All-American selection.

Green joined Francis inJanuary as an early enrolleeand began spring practice.

A walk-on at UNC, theLaurinburg native earned back-to-back All-Conference honors inhigh school.

The 5-foot-11, 185-pounddefensive back was a wide

receiver in his freshman andsophomore campaigns beforebecoming a safety for his lasttwo years of high school.

His 102 tackles his seniorseason helped lead his teamto a perfect 15-0 season thatended with a state champion-ship.

Though h e only app earedin the fourth quarter twicehis senior year of high school,Logan still put together a3,146 yard, 47 touchdownseason.

That, combined with a domi-nant junior season, allowedhim to finish his final two sea-

sons in high school at NorthernGuilford in Greensboro with5,614 yards and 85 touch-downs.

His 510 yard, eight touch-down performance in the state

championship game led hishigh school team to a 3AAtitle.

Trubisky will look to fight forthe backup quarterback positionbehind veteran Bryn Renner.

He also enrolled in Januaryand in the annual Spring Gamecompleted 10 of 18 passes,

throwing one 20-yard touch-down.The Associated Press named

him Ohios Mr. Football, recogniz-ing him as the best high schoolplayer in the state.

He threw for more than 9,000yards in his high school career 4,063 of them coming in his

senior campaign alone.He goes down in Ohio statehistory as a top 10 passer.

Heck, who redshirted lastseason is a 6-foot-6, 300-poundoffensive lineman out ofJacksonville, Fla.

As a senior at The BollesSchool, he led his team to a 13-1finish and a state championshiptitle.

Heck beat out Kiaro Holts

and John Ferranto for the start-ing position at right tackle.

Football is in his genes, as hisfather was also an offensive tack-le and was a member on NotreDames 1988 championshipteam. He then went on to coachcollegiately and now coacheswith the Kansas City Chiefs.

Peterson also redshirted in2012, and is now back, ready tocompete for time on the offen-sive line.

A 6-foot-5, 300-pound nativeof Auburn, Ala., Peterson was anESPN four-star prospect.

With his help, his highschool team held down an 8-2

record during his senior seasonand made a run at the sateplayoffs.

His brother also plays footballcollegiately as a redshirt junioroffensive lineman.

ESPN.com listed him as theNo. 11 offensive guard in thecountry.

Ryan Switzer, Wide receiver Khris Francis, Tailback

Johnathan Bug Howard, Wide receiver Dominique Green, Safety

T.J. Logan, Tailback Mitch Trubisky, Quarterback

Jon Heck*, Right tackle Caleb Peterson*, Left guard

*Redshirt freshman

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UNC Football Preview, 2013-2014

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