How does the 2022 football season compare to a previous year with similar results?

The Tar Heels are 6-1 through seven games for the first time since 2015. Here's how those teams compare.

Bob Donnan/USA Today Sports

Through the near collapses, late-game nail-biters and a struggling defense, UNC is 6-1 after seven games. 

The Tar Heels haven't started a season this successful since 2015.  That squad, led by quarterback Marquise Williams, ripped off 11 wins in a row following a season-opening loss to South Carolina.

When looking at what led to winning on both teams, there are some interesting comparisons between how they operated. 

Offense

The UNC offense in 2022 is electrifying and without a doubt one of the best units in the country. It runs a pass-heavy operation, looking for big-play opportunities down the field, and the connection between quarterback Drake Maye and his receivers has been the reason for so many wins early on. 

Maye has almost as many passing yards (2,283) and exactly as many passing touchdowns (24) in seven games, as Williams did in the entire 2015 season. 

Under Williams and co-offensive coordinators Chris Kapilovic and Seth Littrell, the offense relied more on its rushing attack. One running back, Elijah Hood, got the bulk of the carries, and he rushed for 1,463 yards with 17 touchdowns on the year. Williams made a significant contribution on the ground too, being the team's second leading rusher with 948 yards and 13 touchdowns. 

The interesting thing about the current offense is that it has an embarrassment of talent in the running back room, yet none of them are on pace to have a season like Hood did seven years ago. Touches are shared more often, and rushing production is not where it could be under Phil Longo's offense, but the success of the passing game is taking pressure off the running backs for the time being. 

Defense

Gene Chizik served as the defensive coordinator for both teams. 

In 2015, the UNC defense gave up a noticeably small number of points compared to this year with opponents scoring just over 20 per game during the regular season. Through seven games, Chizik's current unit has given up just over 32 points per game with Notre Dame and Appalachian State as the lone Tar Heel opponents to put up over 40.

Luckily, the Tar Heels' defense has a fast-paced offense that can correct those mistakes quickly, but the inability to get stops has nearly cost the 2002 team some wins. 

With multiple blowouts in 2015, it's clear that Chizik had a unit that was able to close opponents out and play complimentary football. This season, however, UNC has only handily won over Florida A&M and Virginia Tech. The rest of the games have come down to the final possession or were blowouts in the other direction, which is not the best look, considering the offense is scoring almost 42 points per game.