Before every game, I ask a reporter who covers the Gophers upcoming opponent to give us a view from the opponent’s perspective.
I asked Nick Delahanty from Keeping It Heel six questions about the North Carolina Tar Heels.
The Tar Heels travel to Minneapolis to take on the Gophers on August 29th. This will be a national televised game on FOX as both teams look to start their season on a good note.
Huge thanks to Nick for giving us his thoughts!
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1. The Tar Heels finished the 2023 season with an overall record of 8-5. It marked the third time in the last four years that North Carolina finished with eight or more wins. The Tar Heels are 17-10 over the last two years under Mack Brown. Now enter the 2024 season, where the schedule seems pretty favorable on paper. What are the expectations for this North Carolina team this season? How many wins does this team need for you to consider it a “successful season”?
You know, it’s kinda tricky to determine a “successful season” for this given team based on the current circumstances.
Uncertainty at the quarterback spot, a new offensive line that lacks experience, and a defense that has been suspect at best over the last few seasons are all reasons to be concerned heading into the new season.
To me, I would define a “successful season” as a more consistent one. If the Tar Heels can get out to a good start (which is possible given the favorable schedule early on, especially at home), I look for this team to continue building and improving as the season goes along.
Avoiding imploding in the second half of the season would be huge for the program, as many people have written them off because of this trend.
2. Entering spring ball, Keeping It Heel told GopherHole that the biggest question mark for the Tar Heels was who would be replacing star QB Drake Maye. It appears that question has yet to be answered at the end of fall camp. From the outside, it seems that the starting job has come down to Texas A&M transfer Max Johnson, Jacolby Criswell, or Conner Harrell. North Carolina won’t be releasing a depth chart before the Minnesota game. Can you give us a quick scouting report on these players? Who do you think will be the starter against the Gophers?
While three quarterbacks seem to be “in the mix,” this is a two-man competition between Max Johnson and Conner Harrell.
Johnson is the most experienced of the group. The son of former NFL Super Bowl Champion Brad Johnson has had some success at his past stops within the SEC and could benefit from the Tar Heels’ quarterback-friendly offense.
Harrell is the most athletic and dynamic of the group. In his limited action, Harrell has showcased his elite arm talent and ability to make plays with his legs, as he’s a guy that has the most long-run potential of any of the team’s quarterbacks.
Jacolby Criswell took a little break from North Carolina but returned to add depth to the quarterback room. He’s a guy who understands what the program is looking to do and will be ready if his number is called.
Personally, I expect Johnson to get the nod against Minnesota, but I wouldn’t be stunned to see Harrell at some point in that game. Mack Brown has stated that the team is willing to play multiple quarterbacks, as the success of the first man-up will dictate how the position plays out.
3. While star quarterback Drake Maye is off to the NFL, the Tar Heels have a preseason All-American running back returning in Omarion Hampton. What makes him so special? What is it a surprise that he returned back to school?
Considering the “free agent” offers Omarion Hampton received, it shows how loyal this kid is to the University of North Carolina.
Brown told reporters that Hampton had offers of over four times the amount of NIL money North Carolina was offering, as Hampton felt it was in his best interest to stay in Chapel Hill.
Needless to say, we’re certainly happy he did!
What makes Hampton special is his ability to see the field. He can beat you with his speed but just as easily can get physical and fight for yards when he needs to, as you have to give him a ton of credit for how he’s improved in his time at North Carolina.
Let’s remember: Hampton’s role was limited during his freshman year due to issues holding onto the football. As a sophomore, Hampton developed into one of the best running backs in the country, and now he’s being talked about as a potential early-round draft pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
He’s earned his role and embraces being a workhorse for the UNC football program’s backfield.
4. Having someone to hand the ball off to, like Omarion Hampton, is pretty comforting. What does the rest of the offense look like? What questions do you have entering the season on the offensive side of the ball?
Hampton is certainly a luxury to have, but this group possesses some great skill players to complement him.
The tight end room is arguably one of the best in the country, as the combination of John Copenhaver (more of a blocking tight end but can beat you in the passing game as well) and Bryson Nesbit (a tight end build with a wide receiver skillset) are a dynamic duo to work with.
Add transfer Jake Johnson (the brother of quarterback Max Johnson), and the Tar Heels have three steady and experienced tight ends to help the offense.
At wide receiver, this group doesn’t have that Tez Walker-like clear No. 1 option, but this group has plenty of depth. JJ Jones is a player who could be looked at as the “go-to” guy, while others such as Nate McCollum, Gavin Blackwell and Kobe Paysour all should impact the passing game. Jordan Shipp is a freshman to keep an eye on here, as he could work his way into the mix at some point this season.
5. The defense returns quite a bit of experienced players but has a new defensive coordinator in Geoff Collins. What players should Minnesota fans know about when the Gophers offense takes the field? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the Tar Heels defense?
With Geoff Collins taking over as the defensive coordinator, it feels like this group has a new purpose and is embracing the opportunity ahead of them.
Kaimon Rucker is the guy to keep an eye on, as his number changed (from 25 to 7) but his role on this defense remains heavily important. The Tar Heels need someone to step up opposite Rucker to provide some pass rush and keep the attention off the fifth-year senior.
After back-to-back seasons of 100+ tackles, Power Echols slides over to middle linebacker to replace Cedric Gray. Amare Campbell is poised to fill Echols’ old role, as he’s a guy who should be considered a breakout candidate.
In the secondary, Alijah Huzzie is the clear-cut standout of the group, but he’ll have some help. The hope is that the experienced transfers and returners can help solidify this group, as this has been a major weakness for the Tar Heels. The return of DeAndre Boykins (who missed the entire 2023 season due to injury) should also be a big boost for this unit.
The strengths of this unit are the fact that they return a good amount of key contributors. The potential weakness is that these returners were also part of the Tar Heel’s defense, which hasn’t been very good. Hopefully, Geoff Collins can help make this group at least serviceable this season.
6. North Carolina travels to Minneapolis on August 29th to face the Gophers on a national TV at 7:00 pm. It will be the season opener for both teams. These two programs met for the first-time last year in Chapel Hill, where North Carolina won convincingly, 31-13. Both teams enter the 2024 season with reasons to be optimistic and question marks to give pause. The Gophers are one point underdogs at home. What does North Carolina need to do to win on the road? What is your prediction for the game?
This is a tough game for me to predict, as I feel it will tell us a lot about this UNC football team.
Regardless of who starts at quarterback, the running game must get going early, as Omarion Hampton has to help pace the offensive attack. If the Tar Heels can control the time of possession and limit the amount of mistakes on both sides of the ball, I feel that they may be able to win this game on the road.
I don’t think it will be easy by any means, but I think the Tar Heels will pull this one out.
Prediction: UNC 24 Minnesota 21