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UNC Football Defensive Star Out for Multiple Weeks With Injury

Injuries are starting to pile up in the early going of the 2024 UNC football campaign.

Matt Giles

UNC football edge rusher Kaimon Rucker
UNC football edge rusher Kaimon Rucker / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
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Graduate edge rusher Kaimon Rucker is out of commission with a lower body injury, UNC football announced in the press box roughly 30 minutes before the team's home opener against Charlotte in Kenan Stadium on Saturday afternoon. He'll undergo a procedure and is expected to be sidelined "for a couple of weeks."

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Last week, Rucker recorded four tackles and one sack for the Tar Heels in their season-opening 19-16 road win over Minnesota.

As a junior, the 6-foot-2, 265-pound standout started all 13 games for a 2023 UNC football squad that finished 8-5 overall. He tallied 61 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 15 tackles for a loss, 12 quarterback pressures, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and a pass breakup en route to becoming an All-ACC Second Team selection.

In addition to Kaimon Rucker and graduate quarterback Max Johnson, who was the team's first-string signal caller before suffering a season-ending broken leg in the Week 1 victory over the Golden Gophers, Mack Brown's Tar Heels are without the services of second-string graduate running back Darwin Barlow (lower body) and sophomore edge rusher Malaki Hamrick (illness) against the 49ers.

Perhaps Rucker will be back on the field in time for UNC football's rivalry bout at Duke on Sept. 28.

The Tar Heels host NC Central at 6 p.m. ET next Saturday.

At the time this article was published, UNC led Charlotte, 14-6, early in the second quarter.

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, Duke Blue Devils on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining UNC on SI in 2023, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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