Miami Hurricanes 2015 Opponent Preview
Week 11
At North Carolina (November 14th)
The 2015 Miami Hurricanes Opponent Preview continues
with the preview of the North Carolina Tar Heels, who hosts the U on November
14th up in Chapel Hill.
This is going to be a critical year for Larry Fedora up in Carolina as he
starts his 4th season up in Chapel Hill. The talent is there to win
big, and the expectations to win big are very high. As much as he wins in the
ACC (13), he’s also lost 11 games in the conference. For that reason alone, he hasn’t
gotten the Heels up to the next level. Like the U, they are expecting a big
year up there (i.e., win the Coastal and get to Charlotte). In each of his four
years up there, Fedora's win total has dropped. They have Marquise
Williams back running their offense. They added a National Championship coach
in former Auburn coach Gene Chizik, who’s now their new Defensive Coordinator.
Chizik will have a task of repairing a defense that was just downright terrible
in 2014.
Let’s talk about North Carolina’s Defense.
To emphasize how bad
Carolina’s D was last year, consider this, and why Fedora brought Chizik in to
run the D. They finished dead last in the ACC in every major category, and add
this fact: Their D set an ACC record
(not a good one either) for points and yards allowed. Chizik brings in a base
4-3, and out goes the 4-2-5 scheme that they’ve used the last three years. The
players there like it because it’s easy to understand how it works and
executing it. Starting with the D-Line, they don’t have a dominant player up
front. However, there is talent there, but young. Players to watch here are sophomores
Nazair Jones and Dajaun Drennon, as well as freshmen Jeremiah Clarke and Jalen
Dalton. The leader that is assuming control of the defense is Senior middle
linebacker Jeff Schoettmer. He comes off a season in which he finished second
on the team in tackles. They’ll also have back seven of their top eight
defensive backs from 2014, which includes a star in the making in CB Brian
Walker. However, for Chizik’s scheme to work properly, everyone on that D must step
up and make plays, when you consider that they allowed an ACC-record 31 TD
passes in 2014.
Let’s talk about North Carolina’s Offense
They have back 10 starters and several key
reserves from last year. They’ll have some unusual continuity. Their top
rushers in the backfield return, as well as their top receivers. The leader of
their offense is Quarterback Marquise Williams. In 2014, he broke the
single-season school record for total offense. He can beat you passing, but
where he really can hurt you is with his legs (running). Their staff doesn’t
want him to run as much in 2015. For this to work, their running backs and the
improvement of a developing offensive line must come up big. They have backs
who can hurt you in many ways.
If they want to go both ways, they have T.J.
Logan. If they want to go to the power game, they can go to Elijah Hood. If
they want to go on the outside and break some big runs down the sidelines, they
can use Romar Morris.
As for their offensive line, the leader of that group is
Senior RG Landon Turner. He’ll be joined by fellow third-year starter Jon Heck
at RT. They are very strong on that side of the line. On the left side, they
have back Sophomore Bentley Spain, who has really improved and has assumed the
starting role at LT, and they expect big things out of him.
Their receiving
corps is very good and talented. Quinshad Davis, Mack Hollins, and Bug Howard
all stand at least 6'4" and are very tall targets that can create
mismatches for opposing corners. They have a big play threat in 5'10" Ryan
Switzer. This kid is not only a deep threat, but one that can turn a short
reception into huge yardage.
Highlights of Ryan Switzer 2014 season
Let’s talk about North Carolina’s Special Teams
If Switzer can return to 2013
form, when he led the nation in punt return average and tied an NCAA record
with five punt returns for touchdowns, this will be a player that no punter
wants to go his way on. Outside of that, there are much bigger issues here for
the Heels. They will break in a new kicker and punter in 2015. The kicker’s job
will be between Kickoff specialist Nick Weiler and redshirt freshman Freeman
Jones. Whoever wins that job, will have to do better than last year when they
missed all seven of their field-goal tries from beyond 30 yards. Did I mention
that Carolina is also breaking in a new punter?
What to expect from North Carolina
Looking at them on tape, Williams
is the real deal. The fan base in Chapel
Hill wants to start seeing results this year. They don’t have FSU, Clemson, or
Louisville on the schedule. If Williams stays healthy and Chizik improves that
defense, this will be a team that no one will want to face late in the year
like The U does here.
Their 2015 Spring Game (Williams did not play in this game)
They talk about Carolina upcoming season. Some highlights of last year's game at Sun Life is in here.
This is from Carolina's Bowl Game last year vs Rutgers in Detroit.
Our last trip up there two years ago when we were highly ranked (#10)
Highlights of last year's game where Duke went nuts on the Carolina D.
In this game, it’s in Chapel
Hill, the last visit we made there, it was a White Knuckle type of game, when
we were highly ranked. Expect another tough ball game up there. However, I feel
in the end, I believe The U will make enough plays to pull this one out and
leave Chapel Hill with a hard fought win over the Tar Heels.
Up Next: GT in the Home Finale
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