Next up on the Triple Option Attack is #18 North Carolina
Music to listen to: Bitches Ain’t Sh*t by Ben Folds
I’ve been a fan of Ben for a long time. I could have gone with James Taylor or Petey Pablo but Ben gets the choice because he’s an excellent musician and my former neighbor back in Nashville. Good people.
The Story: This offseason has gone from the optimism of possibly winning its first ACC title since 1980 to maybe finishing with up to four losses for the Tar Heels. The disconnect has come with the possibility of losing the eligibility of their two best players, defensive lineman Marvin Austin and wide receiver Greg Little because of their potential involvement with an agent. The situation has become a national story that has even seen programs such as Alabama, South Carolina and Florida address the issue of agents on college campuses. For now, the Tar Heels must prepare for the season, especially the opener against LSU in Atlanta.
Last Season: Finished with a record of 8-4 including a loss in the Meineke Car Care Bowl to Pittsburgh, 19-17.
Offense: The fortunes of the offensive unit will come down to senior quarterback T.J. Yates. His inconsistency last season, especially his 15 interceptions with only 14 touchdown passes, stalled UNC from taking advantage of an excellent defense. If Yates can cut down on the turnovers, things can work well for the Tar Heels.
Having the option to throw to Little would help because the rest of the receiving corp, led by Erik Highsmith, lacks experience and productivity. The top returning running back is Shaun Draughn and the offensive line returns four starters.
Defense: The strength of UNC is without question the defense. The squad may contain up to nine NFL draft picks, the same number of returning starters as well. The two defensive ends, Austin and Robert Quinn may be finest duo in the entire nation. The entire set of linebackers and defensive backs are back from last season.
Of course the potential of losing Austin is a major concern. Not only will his loss affect the play of the entire defensive unit, it would be one less body on a defensive line that already lacks depth.
The Schedule
09/04/10 vs. LSU
09/18/10 vs. Georgia Tech
09/25/10 at Rutgers
10/02/10 vs. East Carolina
10/09/10 vs. Clemson
10/16/10 at Virginia
10/23/10 at Miami
10/30/10 vs. William & Mary
11/06/10 at Florida State
11/13/10 vs. Virginia Tech
11/20/10 vs. NC State
11/27/10 at Duke
The schedule has gone from rough to extremely difficult. The Tar Heels will probably beat Virginia, William & Mary, NC State and Duke. Outside of that, who knows. The tone of the entire season will be set in the first game against LSU. A victory can help the team move forward with or without the suspended players. A loss can cause problems.
Most Famous Sports Alum: Michael Jordan is way too easy to choose. I’m going to take Lawrence Taylor, my favorite football player ever.
Celebrity Crush Alum: I’m going to step outside of the box and take Sharon Lawrence. Please save your “cougar” jokes, you’re better than that. She’s very attractive, a talented actress, seen her in person (very good looking) and is an alum of UNC. That sounds like perfect crush material to me.
Prediction: 8-4
When I made my initial preseason poll, I did it on the assumption that Little and Austin would be available for the entire season. Now, I have no clue how to predict what’s going to happen. Those games at Florida State and Miami are looking more like losses now. There’s no way they go into Virginia Tech to get a victory. Even that non-conference East Carolina game is tricky. They may end up with a losing season before everything is done and that would be a major disappointment for Tar Heel fans.
Sports Inquirer Top-25 Preseason College Football Poll:
The Sports Inquirer 
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