Behind Enemy Lines: Q&A with UNC Football Writer
Bryant Baucom, the editor and publisher of All Tar Heels, a fellow Fan Nation site on the SI network, answered our questions in preparation for Saturday's game between Wake Forest and North Carolina. All Tar Heels' website can be found here. Baucom and the site can be followed on Twitter @Bryant_Baucom02 and @AllTarHeelsSI. Read Baucom's answers below:
Who is UNC’s best offensive weapon (other than Drake Maye and Josh Downs)?
"Antoine Green is certainly the most impactful weapon outside of the duo of Maye and Downs. His deep-threat ability can hurt defenses in the blink of an eye, and he has turned into a consistent option on the outside. He is not eligible to be on the leaderboards for NCAA statistical categories due to missing the season’s first three games, but his 23.0 YPC would rank third in the FBS. In six games, he has caught 26 passes for 597 yards and six touchdowns."
Is UNC a “healthy” team right now?
"North Carolina is far from healthy, which can be expected to a certain extent at this point of the season. Running back Caleb Hood is the only significant loss on offense, but the Tar Heel defense has been riddled with injuries. Nose tackle Ray Vohasek, who had been the most impactful defensive lineman for North Carolina, is out for the season. Along with Vohasek, jack (DE, LB hybrid) Noah Taylor and defensive end Des Evans are also out for the season. All three were starters for Gene Chizik’s group and losing them has certainly hurt."
READ: Wake Forest vs UNC - Line, Preview and Predictions
How much of an emphasis is there to buck the trend of letting Wake Forest take big leads?
"In his press conference this week, Mack Brown discussed the last two meetings in Chapel Hill and how North Carolina had to orchestrate rather miraculous comebacks to come out on top. Being on the road, I think it is certainly a point of emphasis, especially with the dynamic offense that Wake Forest has.
The biggest emphasis seems to be on not allowing the Demon Deacons to make explosive plays. Deep balls to A.T. Perry or using the RPO to score quickly are what UNC wants to avoid, as many teams have scored on them that way throughout the season."
Was UNC’s one running back approach against Virginia something we should expect to continue?
"With Mack Brown at the helm, there are a few things I have learned not to do, and one of those is to carry an approach over from game to game. Elijah Green will likely be the starter this week and receive a majority of the snaps, but Omarion Hampton has proven his talent and could be a part of the game plan on Saturday. Oftentimes, UNC will ride the hot hand, so even if the plan is to stick with Green, significant performances from Hampton or George Pettaway could cause a shift in the backfield."
Do you expect the Tar Heels to use a similar defensive strategy to Louisville and NC State to disrupt the Deacs’ offensive flow?
"The North Carolina defense, if it follows recent trends, will look entirely different from the first half to the second. With their injuries on the defensive end of the ball, they seem to be grasping a bend but don’t break mentality. The talent that has been shown does not quite match that of NC State or Louisville, so I think Hartman will not receive as much pressure or be forced out of the pocket as often.
READ: Wake Forest vs UNC Series History
Since the loss to Notre Dame, North Carolina has made halftime adjustments and looked like an entirely different team. I expect the defensive strategy to be completely different in the third and fourth quarters depending on how the first 30 minutes go.
Ideally, they want to force Wake into third-and-long situations and make Hartman beat them with his arm when it matters. That may sound silly, but when making teams one-dimensional, the Tar Heels have seen tremendous success, especially on third down."
Who is the best player in the Tar Heel secondary?
"This question could truly bring a different answer after every game. I don’t think I can give you a concrete answer. But. Storm Duck, DeAndre Boykins and Giovanni Biggers are the three to watch out for. Biggers leads the secondary in tackles, Boykins is as consistent as they come and has stepped up in the biggest moments, while Duck has shown throughout his career how game-changing he can be when healthy."
What do Tar Heel fans hope Drake Maye can accomplish in his collegiate career?
"This question could yield thousands of different answers, especially when you bring up the collegiate success of brothers Luke and Cole. Realistic or not, UNC fans hope and expect Maye to at least receive an invitation to New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony if he continues his record-breaking season.
READ: North Carolina HC Mack Brown on upcoming matchup with Wake Forest
Assuming next year will be his final season in Chapel Hill, Tar Heels fans want him to clinch the Coastal and win an ACC Championship, which the former seems likely for this season. The realistic fan wants Maye to break a few school records and hopefully solidify himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the ACC in recent memory."
Score Prediction?
"I think we all know who I am going to have winning here, but I do think it is going to be a close contest. UNC’s defense is certainly a question mark, but I trust their second half adjustments as of late, giving up just 42 second-half points over their last five games.
That may seem like a lot, but two-thirds of those points came against Duke and UVA, meaning in wins over Virginia Tech, Miami and Pittsburgh, they gave up a combined 14 second-half points.
Wake Forest will jump out to an early lead, but Drake Maye will continue his Heisman Trophy campaign."
North Carolina 42, Wake Forest 38
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