North Carolina head coach Larry Fedora, noted Monday that he's a little bit secretive, to put it lightly.
“We’re pretty paranoid,” Fedora said. “I don’t like that our opponent knows as much as I do about our football team. I don’t like that, I don’t like that. So, I don’t see a reason why you should give your opponent any advantage whatsoever as they prepare for you."
That said, the Tar Heels did release a depth chart for their Saturday rumble in Berkeley, though there's a few points of contention in there to go through.
Offense
- Those suspended on the offensive depth included WR Beau Corrales and QB Chazz Surratt
- RB Michael Carter has a broken wrist, which will likely keep him out for the game
At running back, that leaves Jordon Brown and Ohio State transfer Antonio Williams at the spot, along true freshman Javonte Williams, who look to make up a three headed monster in the backfield for the Tar Heels
Biggest wide receiver threat is Anthony Ratliff-Williams, who's a dangerous kick returner in addition to catching 35 passes for 630 yards a year ago (6 TDs)
Returning starters from the Cal game a year ago on offense are Ratliff-Williams, Brown, William Sweet (who started at RT in the last matchup), WR Thomas Jackson, LG Nick Polino, and TE Carl Tucker.
Right tackle Charlie Heck closed out the final nine games of UNC's season a year ago at the position. He started two at left tackle as well.
New starters on the offensive line are Jay Jay McCargo and either one of William Barnes or Billy Ross at right guard
- Nathan Elliott is the guy at QB for UNC, as QB depth is a bit tenuous with Surratt out. Elliot started the final four games a year ago, playing in the final five. His stats: 75-146 51.4% completion, 925 yards, 6.3 yards per attempt, 10 TDs, 5 INTs; 47 carries, 134 yards while being sacked nine times. He's also left handed, like Surratt.
Main guys to watch: Both Williams at RB, especially Antonio Williams, who UNC got a waiver for to play immediately, Ratliff-Williams
Defense
- Those out on the depth chart include Crawford (Knee) and Ross (suspension)
- Jalen Dalton may also be out, as he's been limited throughout camp
- Guys who started a year ago against Cal who should be back starting are Fox, Carney, Holcomb, and Myles Dorn. Patrice Rene also started at the nickel corner spot for UNC a year ago.
Depth at defensive tackle includes Jason Strowbridge, who started nine games at the spot last fall, along with Jeremiah Clark, who will likely start for UNC in place of Crawford.
The defensive ends, Tomon Fox and Malik Carney, make up the rest of the defensive line for UNC. Both were implicated in the 'Shoegate' scandal that saw multiple players suspended, but their four game suspensions are staggered for after their matchup with Cal. They combined for 9.5 sacks and 16 TFLs a year ago. Beau Baldwin called the defensive line the position group the UNC defense hangs their hat on, so despite the losses to injury, it's still a big group, in the literal sense.
Biggest name to watch on the defense is probably Cole Holcomb. The senior made 93 tackles for the Tar Heels a year ago, and is one of the rangiest players on the defense. He'll be joined by Jonathan Smith (40 tackles, 4 TFLs in 2017) and Dominique Ross (who saw action in seven games in 2017, 7 total tackles)
In the defensive backfield, Myles Dorn (71 tackles, 2 INTs) is the biggest returning name starting again, but multiple DBs starting played last year. KJ Sails (13 PBUs in 2017) notably started every game at corner after the Cal game and played a bunch during last year's contest. JK Britt (53 tackles, 1 INT)has six games of starting experience. There's experience there, but Cal had arguably their best game through the air in the opener a year ago, so seeing how UNC adjusts will play a massive role.
Special Teams
- Ratliff-Williams took two kicks back for touchdowns a year ago, Charlie Ragle joked that the best way to stop him is to kick the ball out of the endzone, which the Bears will try to do.
- Freeman Jones will return as the kicker, having made 9-14 FGs in 2017 and 37-38 PATs (with a long of 51). He was 3-7 on FGs 40 yards or longer, and had touchbacks on just over half his kickoffs (30 out of 59)
- Hunter Lent is listed as the starting punter, having punted 25 times a year ago for an average of 44.9 yards, getting it inside the twenty 40% of the time.
- Dazz Newsome is the punt returner, he didn't do it a year ago, so it remains to be seen what they'll do there.