North Carolina took care of business on Saturday, rolling past East Tennessee State 35-3 to move to 2-0 before conference play begins. The matchup was one the Tar Heels were supposed to win, but a few of Bill Belichick’s choices still stood out because they say something about where this team is headed.
One of the clearest takeaways came at slot receiver. Trech Kekahuna opened the season as North Carolina’s starter in that role, and that still might be the plan. But after he coughed up the ball late in the first half against TCU, the workload shifted toward freshman receiver Sadler, who saw heavy action in the second half.
That trend carried into Saturday. Sadler started with the first-team offense and was even targeted on the opening play.
The 5-foot-9, 190-pound wideout made the most of it, finishing with three catches for 66 yards. His snap count looks set to keep climbing.
The backfield also looked a lot different than it did in Week 0. Instead of leaning mostly on Benjamin Hall, North Carolina spread the carries around against East Tennessee State. Demon June led the way with seven carries, while Jaylen McGill had five and Hall got four.
June finished with 33 yards and three touchdowns. Hall added 49 rushing yards and also scored on a 25-yard touchdown catch.
McGill chipped in 40 yards on the ground. All three backs showed they can run the ball and contribute as pass catchers, giving North Carolina a true three-man rotation that should fit well with offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino’s offense.
On defense, Belichick also made a cautious call with Abou Jaoude. The veteran pass rusher left North Carolina’s opener briefly after suffering a hand injury, then returned, but his status was still uncertain all week. Rather than push it, the coaching staff kept him out against ETSU.
It was the kind of decision that made sense in a game North Carolina controlled from the start. The extent of the injury is still unknown, and Jaoude’s availability will be something to watch next week and beyond. For now, it looks like a move made with the bigger picture in mind.
In Other News...
UNCs ACC Opener Just Took A Sudden Turn At Quarterback
Clemsons quarterback picture changed quickly this week after Christopher Vizzina suffered an elbow injury against Georgia Southern and was labeled week-to-week. For North Carolina, that means the ACC opener has picked up an extra layer of uncertainty before the Tar Heels even take the field, with freshman Tait Reynolds now expected to make his first career start.
Dabo Swinney said Reynolds showed promise in relief, but he also made it clear Clemson plans to lean on both quarterbacks moving forward. For UNC, the adjustment is less about the name on the depth chart than the timing of the change, because preparing for a first-time starter in a conference game can alter everything from pressure plans to coverage looks. [Read more 🡒]
UNC May Have A New Passing Weapon Before Clemson
UNC has spent the first two weeks grinding through ugly weather and finding out a lot about itself in the process. The Tar Heels have won both games in rain-soaked conditions, given up only 13 points across eight quarters and shown a defense that has looked sharper on third downs, while the offense has had to make the most of limited possessions and has still managed to stay efficient.
One of the quieter developments has been the emergence of freshman CJ Sadler in the passing game. He has already started to carve out a real role, sharing targets with the rest of the receiver group and giving the Tar Heels another option to feature as the schedule stiffens. With Clemson next, UNC may be looking at a new kind of threat to keep defenses honest, even if the full extent of that role is still unfolding. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Just Got An Opening It Cannot Waste Against Clemson
Clemsons offense is headed into its next meeting with North Carolina with a different face under center, after starting quarterback Christopher Vizzina suffered an elbow injury and is expected to miss the game. Freshman Tait Reynolds is projected to make the start in his place, giving the Tar Heels a chance to line up against a much less familiar look than the one Clemson had planned to feature.
For UNC, the timing matters because Clemson has already spent much of the early season looking out of sync, and a quarterback switch only adds to the uncertainty. The Tar Heels do not need to solve every issue for the Tigers to gain an edge here, but they do need to treat this as an opportunity to pressure a young passer and make Clemson play from behind the curve. [Read more 🡒]