Q&A Mailbag: North Carolina

Late last week, we asked for subscriber questions for this week's mailbag, and here's what we got

Would be curious to hear your expectations for our pass rush this year. We've heard Goode is able to get after the QB, but about guys up the middle or the dline?

Admittedly, a lot of pressure comes from the linebacker position in the 3-4 defense, because linemen in the 3-4 are moreso space occupiers. Cam Goode has been the best pass rusher of the group throughout fall camp, but there’s other ways to get pressure obviously.

My expectation is that they should be better, just from an understanding and physicality standpoint. With the defensive line being physically bigger in general, that usually means they can take up more blockers, which should hypothetically make the group a more effective pass rush unit.

Jordan Kunaszyk and Evan Weaver can be effective blitzers up the middle with that, and Alex Funches led the Bears’ in tackles for loss a season ago. Along with that, the return of Zeandae Johnson should help. It’s admittedly hard to tell how much the solid performances in practice will translate though.

Expectation of run/pass balance and plays per game this year? Will be a little more up tempo or will we slow it down a bit more, like the Furd game where each team only had a few possessions per half.

At the end of the day, you want to be able to do both fast and slow tempos, and I guarantee that’s the answer you’d get from Beau Baldwin if you were to ask.

On the whole? I think tempo will be faster, just because that makes defenses simpler and easier to deal with. One thing about being ‘multiple’ for Baldwin and company is that they can use different pieces in different formations, like giving a five-wide look with tight ends and running backs split out. That can allow them to play a bit faster.

As for run pass balance, it’s not going to be a Wisconsin or Stanford style running attack. They’re going to pass more than they run, but with Pat Laird playing a big role, they’re going to look to utilize his ability, to the point where I’d think it’ll be around a 55/45 run pass split. It was around that last year.

What facet of the UNC team (O, D or ST) will challenge our Bears most and the same in reverse - where will we give UNC the most trouble…

For UNC to Cal, I think there’s always going to be the area of a running quarterback. I thought Surratt was the better runner of the two, but Nathan Elliot’s still capable of it, and the QB run is a big part of their offense. Cal struggled corralling running QBs a year ago to a certain extent.

For Cal to UNC, it’d be the inside run game. UNC is for sure missing one of their top defensive tackles in Aaron Crawford and has another one injured in Jaylen Dalton (the guy who got called for targeting on a 3rd and long that arguably changed the game). The Bears bring back their experience on the line, and Laird’s surprisingly bulky between the tackles. Establishing that opens up holes in a lot of different places for the Bears, especially with their tight ends on the seams

Going off of that, i know there’s some controversy about how UNC has been able to stagger suspensions for some reason. So who is going to be missing the game in Berkeley?

Out for the Game

QB Chazz Surratt (Suspension)

RB Michael Carter (broken wrist)

DT Aaron Crawford (knee) (1st string DT)

DB Greg Ross (Suspension)

Suspended, but don't know how much they'll play

DB Tre Shaw

WR Beau Corrales

DE Tyrone Hopper

OL Quiron Johnson

LB Malik Robinson

OL Jordan Tucker

QB Jack Davidson

OL Jonah Melton

Battling Injury:

DT Jaylen Dalton (1st string DT)

Why is Chicago Deep Dish the best pie?

Best casserole really. I’ve said best lasagna before, but it really is more of a casserole.

Any forecasts/goals for Offense's Points scored per game and Defense's Points allowed per game. compared to how last years numbers looked

I hadn't actually looked at the numbers from last year until writing this, I didn't realize how close the numbers were, as Cal gave up 8 more points than they scored(27.8 ppg vs. 28.4 ppg allowed). If they were even, Cal could have had seven wins, having lost two games by 3 points each (Stanford and UCLA). But I digress.

If this team is as good as I think they can be, which I've gone on record as saying that this is an 8-win team, then I think they score a touchdown more, have one less field goal, and cut four or five points off their points allowed, putting them at around 32 ppg and 24 ppg allowed.

How far off is Garbers from McIlwain? Does he look like he's on track to compete for the starting job in 2 years?

This question was asked before the new depth chart came out, which has Garbers listed at second string QB along with McIlwain. I do think Garbers has some of the best arm talent of the QBs on the roster. He's also been excellent on play action and throwing on the run, and he's faster on the ground than you'd initially assume, as he broke a 50 yard TD run during a scrimmage. I think he's easily in contention after Bowers, depending on how the year goes. It's likely he'll play in the Idaho State game, so we'll get to see some of his first in-game action then.