5 Things To Watch From Catamounts-Tar Heels

Instead out weekly “5 Keys To Beating …” piece, this week we’re taking a bit of a different approach, as there is no reason to expect North Carolina might lose to Western Carolina on Saturday at Kenan Stadium.

The FCS Catamounts are 0-2 in an abbreviated season and the losses are to FCS member Eastern Kentucky, 49-17, and at then-ranked Liberty, 58-14. UNC won't to lose this game, so what can the Tar Heels get out of playing this game at this juncture in the season?

That’s the subject of this week’s 5 Things piece:

Great coaches never take any opponent for granted. Good coaches never take any opponent for granted. And most coaches never take any opponent for granted. UNC’s program is run by a Hall of Famer who didn’t get there taking any opponents for granted, so it’s highly doubtful the Tar Heels will do that this week.

But, human nature being what it is, the staff has spent all week guarding against that. So a great week of preparation, not only for what the Catamounts do, but to simply use every drill and rep to get better themselves, is paramount this week. Do that and the Heels will roll and a lot of guys will play.

Even high-octane offenses struggle sometimes, which was the case for UNC in last week’s loss to Notre Dame. Carolina managed just three points over its final nine possessions, so the best tonic in getting their mojo back is to blow up the scoreboard in a game like this, especially with a trip to Miami looming the following week.

You don’t want to stub your toe against a poor FCS team the week after what happened versus the Irish and then rely on finding a groove versus the Hurricanes. That just isn’t a recipe for success. So, start fast, start strong, get that feeling back and move forward.

Keeping Sam Howell clean was one of the 5 Keys to beating Virginia on Halloween, and the Tar Heels didn’t do that and eventually lost. They aren’t likely to lose this game, but they do still need to keep Howell clean. He was sacked seven times by the Irish, and in UNC’s three losses has been sacked 15 times.

Pass protection is occasionally a big problem for the Tar Heels, and in prepping to take on a top-10 Miami team, this game is important for the o-line to execute, for the running backs to pick up blitzes, and for Howell to not get hit for however long he's in the game.

The depth discussion this season has largely centered on the defense with very little discussion about building it on offense. Most of UNC’s starters will be back next season, but there are a few players that must be replaced, including running back Michael Carter, and it’s conceivable Javonte Williams heads to the NFL, too. So, who might be the go-to backs next season if he does leave, or what about the second back if he returns? That may not be determined Saturday, but it could offer a glimpse into the future.

Consider that in 2018, Williams entered the Western Carolina game, which was the 11th contest of the season, with just 48 yards and a touchdown on 10 rushing attempts. But in Carolina’s 49-26 win over the Catamounts, Williams ran 17 times for 93 yards and three touchdowns. He showed the staff something and got a chance to play a lot the following week in UNC’s loss to NC State, in which he ran 16 times for 83 yards and a score.

The WCU game in 2018 was Williams’ coming out party, so maybe Elijah Green, Josh Henderson, or JJ Jones will have a similar showing this weekend. If nothing else, UNC fans would certainly like to see what they can do.

The revolving door of players Jay Bateman has talked about on defense has finally become a reality the last few weeks, and it’s not only helped the unit but invigorated things. Plus, fans get to see into the future, and it’s rather promising.

Missing from the heavy rotations has been the middle linebacker position, where Chazz Surratt and Jeremiah Gemmel continue to essentially play every snap. Surratt will be off to the NFL after the season, so Gemmel needs a sidekick to emerge. And, the need for added depth here is very real, so expect Eugene Asante and Khadry Jackson to get plenty of reps. That will happen. But how will they perform?

A year ago versus Mercer, Asante played 44 snaps and graded out at 73.9, according to PFF, and Jackson played 31 snaps and graded out at 64.1. The staff can take snaps shots of that game and juxtapose it with this weekend’s performances and perhaps to help gauge some of their improvements. And, if nothing else, it gets them on the field to get needed reps and gain some confidence.

Act now while supplies last. CLICK HERE for our promo.