South Carolina Football: Getting to know the opponent—North Carolina Tar Heels

This week, Kevin Miller from Garnet and Cocky took some time to chat with Nick Delahanty from Keeping It Heel about this Saturday’s season opener between South Carolina football and their rivals to the north, the North Carolina Tar Heels.

KM: It makes sense to start with North Carolina’s stud quarterback. Is the Drake Maye hype real? Will he be a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate and top of the 1st round NFL Draft pick? What will his level of play mean for the Tar Heels in 2023?

ND: I really do believe that the Drake Maye hype is real. Last year at this time, there were questions as to who was going to be the Tar Heels’ starter, as it seemed like a big task to replace Sam Howell. However, Maye came in and secured the job right away, as his dominant first season as the team’s starting quarterback was quite an impressive debut!

Maye’s Heisman Trophy candidacy depends on how the Tar Heels fare in 2023. If they are able to live up to expectations, I believe he’ll be right in the mix for the award. As for the NFL Draft, many saw Howell as a potential first-rounder before his stock dipped drastically, but in Maye’s case, I do think that he has NFL teams salivating over his talent and potential, as I expect him to be off the board early in next year’s draft.

The UNC football program will go as Drake Maye goes. He is critical to their success, as they are going to need him to be as good (or even better, if possible) as he was last year in order for this year’s squad to be successful. Especially with some questions surrounding the defense, you could make the case that no player in college football has more pressure on their shoulders than Maye heading into the new season.

KM: The Tez Walker situation is really unfortunate. Even South Carolina football coach Shane Beamer has said the kid should be able to play for the UNC on Saturday. Word is that the Tar Heels are pretty optimistic about his chances to play. Does that seem to be real optimism, or are Mack Brown and company just trying to pressure the NCAA into doing the right thing?

ND: What’s happening with Tez Walker is disappointing for sure, as you look around college football and see guys playing a sixth (and even seventh!) season and wonder, “How is Walker not eligible?!” It’s actually a shame that the NCAA is letting this linger, as it is unfair to both Walker and the UNC football program.

I truly think that there is real optimism that Walker will be allowed to play. The UNC football program is working towards convincing the NCAA to rule Walker as a one-time transfer, given that he didn’t see the field at Kent State.

I personally think that the Tar Heels will be without arguably their top playmaker (at least on Saturday night against Shane Beamer’s South Carolina football program), but I truly hope I’m wrong about that!

KM: Clemson is still good but not quite what they have been. Florida State is on the rise back to prominence. NC State is consistently pretty good. What is North Carolina’s place in the ACC in 2023 and beyond, assuming that the conference avoids the conference realignment bug?

ND: If you’re Mack Brown and the Tar Heels, you have to be thinking that this is the year to make a push for an ACC title. With Maye under-center, North Carolina likely will possess a high-powered offense that could keep up with just about anyone, and with Clemson being somewhat “down” (even though they are still very good for college football standards!), you’d have to think that the Tar Heels could be among the top three in the standings before it’s all said and done.

North Carolina has to avoid the “ugly conference loss” that has hurt them in the past. Their battle against Clemson on November 18 and the following week’s matchup against NC State is a two-game stretch that could ultimately determine whether or not the Tar Heels earn another crack at the ACC title this season.

Beyond this year, it’s going to be interesting to see where the UNC football program stands. With Maye likely departing to the NFL, the Tar Heels will hope to find a long-term option at the quarterback position to lead the program.

KM: Phil Longo is gone, Chip Lindsey is in. What should college football fans expect from UNC’s new offensive coordinator and his unit in 2023 (other than Drake Maye will be good)?

ND: This is a big storyline that UNC football fans should be following heading into the 2023 season. Under Phil Longo’s direction, the Tar Heels did have success on the offensive side of the ball, but they did have major issues, especially in the red zone.

With Chip Lindsey taking over, expect the Tar Heels to focus on two areas: better efficiency in the red zone and in the run game.

Last season, the Tar Heels scored 55 times in 70 red-zone appearances. Of those 55 scores, only 44 were touchdowns. This is an area that North Carolina NEEDS to be better in, especially in games that turn out to be offensive slugfests (which we saw a lot of in 2022!)

In regard to the running game, the challenge should be simple: Drake Maye should not be the team’s leading rusher!

The running back group is a talented one, as you could make the case for five guys seeing playing time. However, they don’t possess a “featured back,” as the hope is that one will develop throughout the season. British Brooks returns from injury, and his presence should be very valuable if he can stay healthy, but a guy like Omarion Hampton is someone who really could make a strong impact on this offensive unit.

KM: Again, other than Maye, what player or position group of players sticks out most as the hinge points of success this season?

ND: Would it be wrong to simply say the entire defensive unit?!

The Tar Heels defense was one of the worst in the country last season. They did lose a few key contributors but didn’t necessarily make any “splash moves” to replace the lost talent.

Essentially, the Tar Heels are banking on their returning talent (and the pieces added to the mix) to help improve this group this year.

It can’t get worse…. right?

If the Tar Heels want to make a strong run this season, the defense needs to be better overall. The pass rush was non-existent last year, as some quarterback and backfield pressure could go a long way in helping re-write the narrative.

KM: The North Carolina defense has a reputation of really struggling against good competition. Last season’s group lost a fair amount of personnel, as well. What realistic expectations exist in Chapel Hill for that side of the football?

ND: To be fair, the UNC football program’s defense struggled against essentially everyone last season…

It was brutal to watch as the Tar Heels let up 20 or more points in 13 of their 14 contests. Although they did lose some big names to the transfer portal (such as Tony Grimes and Storm Duck), you could make the argument that the players they lost were major factors in the defense’s overall struggles.

Maybe some new faces and some valuable game experience that was earned by some of the team’s younger talent will help this group improve this season.

My expectations are low for this group, but I’m hopeful that they can at least be a little bit better than a season ago. In year two under Gene Chizik, the hope is that this group can find ways to come up with some big stops to take some of the pressure off the team’s offense.

KM: If you had to pick one, what would you say is the most entertaining matchup for fans to watch on Saturday in the Battle of the Carolinas?

ND: This game is the perfect showcase for both Drake Maye and Spencer Rattler, as I think that the two quarterbacks are going to put on a show for the fans.

With all the talk surrounding quarterbacks, I feel like Rattler doesn’t draw as much attention as he deserves for South Carolina football. Just like Maye, Rattler is a true game-changer, as I really wouldn’t be surprised to see the two battle it out in a high-scoring affair in Charlotte.

KM: How will the game go on Saturday between South Carolina football and the North Carolina Tar Heels? Predict the final score and the key to winning for the victor.

ND: As much as I want to pick the Tar Heels, I think that they lose this one. It will be a very close, back-and-forth high-scoring game, but I think the Gamecocks will head home with a 45-42 victory.

This isn’t the end of the world for North Carolina though, as this will be a great test for them early on in the season.

Be sure to check out Keeping It Heel for more information on South Carolina football’s Week 1 opponent.

Also, check out the other side of this interview where Kevin Miller answers questions about South Carolina football ahead of this weekend’s contest. You can find that interview here.

The full South Carolina football schedule can be found here.