Who Will Be the Starting QB for the Tar Heels? A Look Ahead at UNC's 2024 Football Season
Chapel Hill, NC - As the 2024 season approaches, the North Carolina Tar Heels football team, led by head coach Mack Brown, is poised for another exciting campaign in the ACC. Entering his sixth season in his second stint with the program, Brown has reinvigorated the Tar Heels, turning them into perennial contenders. The biggest question, going into the season, is who is going to start at quarterback with Drake Maye in the NFL. The Tar Heels face a challenging schedule but are determined to make a significant push for the ACC Championship. Fans are buzzing with anticipation as UNC looks to solidify its place among the elite programs in college football.
Offense Preview:
It’s no secret that the UNC offense is going to have to replace a lot of production. With Drake Maye and Tez Walker headed to the NFL, they will have to find suitable replacements. The QB situation is confusing. Conner Harrell started in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl and flashed some potential. Max Johnson has also entered the room, transferring from the SEC, and has a ton of experience. Jacolby Criswell returns back to UNC after spending his first three years in the program after transferring from Arkansas. Omarion Hampton will be relied on early as they figure out who will be the starter. Hampton could be argued as the best running back in the country.
Defense Preview:
North Carolina welcomes Geoff Collins in as the new defensive coordinator after parting ways with Gene Chizik. Last year, the defense ranked 75th in FBS for total defense and ninth in the ACC. With only 19 other power five teams ranked lower, the defense needs to improve from last season. The defense has lots of athletic talent but struggle with keeping their assignments and executing the simple details of their game plan. Collins will be sure to bring his fiery attitude to the team, and his defense will be sure to match it.
Top Returning Players:
Omarion Hampton RB - Had a huge breakout sophomore season with 1,504 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns. He was awarded first-team ALL-ACC honor and was a finalist for the Doak Walker Award. Expect him to keep up the same production as Drake Maye, who is no longer the fallback guy.
Power Echols LB - After coming off back-to-back 100+ tackle seasons, he will be asked to do even more with Cedric Gray going to the NFL. He will be the leader of this defense, and I expect him to be a real difference-maker for this Tar Heels defense.
J.J. Jones WR - He struggled to be explosive last year, but with Tez Walker in the NFL, Jones should become the down-the-field threat. The 6’2, 210 lb wide receiver should be the number one target this season and could go for 1,000+ yards.
Bryson Nesbit TE - Nesbit is an absolute mismatch against opposing linebackers and safeties. The 6’6 245 pound tight end is a vertical threat and can bring down 50-50 balls with the best of them. He has yet to excel for over 600+ receiving yards in a season, but I believe this is going to be his best year yet.
Top Incoming Transfers:
Max Johnson QB - Having to replace the production from Drake Maye is not going to be an easy task, but Johnson has shown potential in his time at LSU and Texas A&M. He will have to compete against Connor Harrell and Jacolby Criswell but Johnson should win the job.
Jakeen Harris S - He surprised a lot of people transferring to UNC from NC State. He comes into Chapel Hill with 45 games of experience but does have injury concerns. When healthy, he will become an instant impact player.
Joshua Harris DL - Harris committed to UNC in April after playing at NC State and then Ole Miss. Being 6’4 and 325 pounds, he will be able to fill up space at the nose tackle. He should be a key part of stopping the run.
Top Incoming Freshman:
Jordan Shipp WR - Shipp is the highest ranked signee in the incoming freshman class for UNC, according to 247 sports. In high school, he caught 173 passes for 2,934 yards and 37 touchdowns. He is also a 3-time state champion so he will come in wanting to win and prove himself worthy of early playing time.
Jaiden Patterson ATH - Will most likely play in the secondary at either Safety or Corner but has the athleticism to play anywhere on the field. In the spring of 2023, he posted times of 11.02 in the 100, 22.18 in the 200, and 48.31 in the 400. He has elite speed, to say the least.
Top Departures:
Drake Maye QB - Maye has now set his eyes on the next level as the quarterback for the New England Patriots. The redshirt sophomore combined for 7,929 passing yards and 62 touchdowns in two years as a starter. That production is going to be difficult to replace, as Maye had one of the greatest two-year spurts in UNC history.
Tez Walker WR - After missing the first four games of the season due to NCAA regulations, he averaged 93.7 receiving yards per game and averaged 18.7 yards a catch. UNC will need J.J. Jones to replace Walker’s deep-threat ability.
Cedric Gray LB - Gray was first-team All-ACC, first-team AP All-ACC, and a Butkus Award Semifinalist in his final season at North Carolina. Without question, he was the defensive anchor of this team.
Under-the-Radar Players:
Kaimon Rucker DE - Nicknamed “the Butcher” for being an elite pass rusher, Rucker will be asked to step up even more this season. He posted 61 tackles last season, but he should be tasked with more responsibility as the season starts. I’m convinced he will post double-digit sacks in the 2024 season.
Tyrane Stewart DB - Transfer from East Mississippi Community College is ranked as the 6th ranked corner by 247sports. Slightly undersized at 5’11 190, but should improve the UNC secondary.
Win Total Prediction:
The North Carolina Tar Heels' win total is listed as 7.5. I am predicting that the Tar Heels will find their quarterback and get over the 7.5-win mark. Phil Steele has ranked the Tar Heels with the third easiest strength of schedule in the ACC. They open up the season in a tough road game at Minnesota, and will be a true test of whether the Tar Heels are for real this season. If they can beat the Golden Gophers in the opener, they should thrive to eight wins. The remaining schedule should see wins against Charlotte, NC Central, at Duke, Pittsburgh, at Virginia, Wake Forest, and at Boston College. Their game against James Madison puts me on edge as an unlikely result could occur in favor of the Dukes. Similarly, their game against Georgia Tech scares me as well due to their sneaky level of talent. All in all, if they can find the answer at quarterback and the defense takes a step up from last season, they should be in store for a minimum of eight wins.
