Stewart Mandel thinks UNC will be ready to make some noise in the ACC Coastal Division:
3) North Carolina (4-8). Like Jones, Butch Davis is another coach with a track record for rebuilding, and there’s plenty of reason to think the Tar Heels will make a significant leap in Year 2 of Davis’ tenure. After throwing freshmen like QB T.J. Yates, RB Greg Little and DT Marvin Austin into the fire a year ago, UNC returns 18 starters from a team that was highly competitive down the stretch. The Tar Heels’ division is also ripe for the taking with Virginia Tech, Virginia and Georgia Tech all expected to be down and Miami still rebuilding.
I still think the Heels are operating with a narrow margin of error but considering how many games the Heels were in last season at the end only to fall short they should be in bowl contention. The Coastal Division of the ACC is weak. Heck even Virginia Tech is not as strong as they could be, especially since they will have close to nothing in their passing game due to rampant attrition in the receiving corps. The larger concern for UNC is playing UConn, Rutgers and Notre Dame on the non-conference slate. After whipping McNeese State the Heels need to take at least one of these games and then snag five ACC wins for a 7-5 mark.
![[Bloglines]](http://www.tarheelfanblog.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/bloglines.png)
![[del.icio.us]](http://www.tarheelfanblog.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/delicious.png)
![[Digg]](http://www.tarheelfanblog.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/digg.png)
![[Facebook]](http://www.tarheelfanblog.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/facebook.png)
![[MySpace]](http://www.tarheelfanblog.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/myspace.png)
![[Technorati]](http://www.tarheelfanblog.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/technorati.png)
![[Windows Live]](http://www.tarheelfanblog.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/windowslive.png)
![[Yahoo!]](http://www.tarheelfanblog.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/yahoo.png)
![[Email]](http://www.tarheelfanblog.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/email.png)
I think 7-5 is very reasonable. One would think odds would be in our favor to win some of those close ones. Of course we dodged a huge bullet last year in the form of the Duke game.
Our QB play should be much improved due tothe running game with Little and Womble as legit tailbacks. Recievers and H-backs are going to be a strong point.
We still need some newcomers to step up on defense but out speed at LB and the secondary will be something we’ve not seen in many years.
Tar Heel fans should be very excited about the season!
I think this will be a frustrating year for the gridiron Tar Heels, if only because of the youth of this team and the inconsistency of the conference. yes, 7-5 is reasonable, and I’ll even say, looking at the schedule, that 8-4 is not outside the realm of possibility. The problem is that 5-7 is not outside the realm of possibility. Who knows what we’ll see from Notre Dame? NC State and Dook are still unknown variables. We have to play in Charlottesville, and we all know how much of a pain that is. Ga. Tech now has an option offense, which has been known to give us fits. And Miami, even when rebuilding is no pushover.
That said, I’ll be rooting hard for Butch and his boys and regardless of this year, I think we’re going to take HUGE steps forward in the 2009 season.
I hope you’re wrong Dshwind!
The basis for my comments were that this staff has said repeatedly that last year was a year of evaluating the available talent. There have been several players to change positions to make us a stronger team. I do think we’ll make HUGE steps this season. There has been a big influx of speed.
However, as I’m typing I think a big question is, Can we replace Connor at PK?
Tis the life of a Tar Heel football fan.
Believe me, I hope I’m wrong too. After all, I chose this year to start getting season tickets because I figure it might not be much longer before Butch has this team doing so well that season tickets wouldn’t be available.
In all honesty, if I had to pick a record to go with, I’d say we finish 7-5, including breaking the streak in Charlottesville.