North Carolina could be missing a notable chunk of its roster when it opens ACC play Saturday at Clemson, with the conference’s first availability report of the week listing seven Tar Heels as out and two more as questionable.
The most prominent names in the uncertain group are defensive lineman Melkart Abou Jaoude and linebacker Jordan Avinger. Abou Jaoude is working through a right hand injury he suffered in the season-opening win over TCU and sat out the ETSU game. Avinger has not played in the first two games.
UNC’s list of players ruled out includes wide receivers C.J. Sadler, Keeyun Chapman and Carnell Warren, plus tight end Jordan Washington.
Sadler and Chapman are also at the center of a Tuesday traffic stop in Chapel Hill, according to multiple reports, first from Inside Carolina. The report said the stop happened at 1050 Martin Luther King Jr.
Blvd., with Sadler charged with driving 60 mph in a 35 mph zone and Chapman facing a misdemeanor gun charge.
“We are aware of the incident involving UNC football student-athletes Tuesday night in Chapel Hill. We are cooperating fully with the University and local officials, and will have no further comment while gathering additional information,” UNC said in a statement sent to Tar Heel Tribune.
Sadler had been active in the first two games, playing 49 snaps, while Chapman, Warren and Washington had not appeared.
The defensive front is also shorthanded, with linemen Viliami Moala, Vodney Cleveland and Jimmy-Phrisco Alo-Suliafu all ruled out. None of those three played in UNC’s first two games either.
There is one bit of potential help on the way for the Tar Heels: offensive lineman Jonah Rodriguez is listed as probable after missing the first two games.
Clemson has its own availability note to watch. Quarterback Christopher Vizzina, who injured his non-throwing elbow, is listed as probable.
In Other News...
UNC Football Now Faces A Troubling Availability Question Before Saturday
Four North Carolina football players were involved in a traffic stop in Chapel Hill this week, a development that landed on top of an already important stretch for the Tar Heels. During the stop, one player was arrested on a misdemeanor gun charge, another was cited for speeding, and marijuana was seized, putting the program back in the spotlight for reasons it would rather avoid. The university said it is cooperating with officials and has not announced any disciplinary actions.
For a team trying to keep its focus on Saturday, the immediate football concern is availability. Two of the players involved are already listed as unavailable for the upcoming game, leaving UNC with more uncertainty to sort through before kickoff. Even without a formal disciplinary announcement, the situation adds another layer of distraction for a program that now has to balance the legal side, the schools response and a short week of preparation. [Read more 🡒]
Bill Belichicks UNC Staff Suddenly Faces A Serious Off-Field Shakeup
North Carolinas football program is dealing with an unexpected jolt off the field after defensive coordinator Steve Belichick resigned following a medical leave and an internal investigation into the program. The review found isolated actions that disregarded the universitys values, but it did not uncover systemic issues, leaving the Tar Heels to sort through the fallout as they try to keep the football side moving forward.
The staffing change lands at a delicate moment for Bill Belichicks first UNC setup, and it comes alongside another discipline matter involving wide receiver Keeyun Chapman, who was suspended indefinitely after an arrest related to carrying a concealed handgun. For a program already under a sharper-than-usual spotlight, the combination of personnel uncertainty and an off-field incident adds another layer of turbulence before the next stage of the season. [Read more 🡒]
Tar Heels Suddenly Face Tough Questions Around Promising Freshman WR
Keeyun Chapman arrived at North Carolina as a promising true freshman wide receiver, the kind of young talent programs hope can grow into a long-term piece on offense. Instead, his first major off-field headline has put the Tar Heels in the uncomfortable position of answering questions about a player before he has even had a chance to establish himself on the field.
Chapman was arrested and charged with carrying a concealed weapon during a traffic stop, and the university later confirmed he has been suspended indefinitely. In a brief statement, North Carolina stressed accountability and the well-being of student-athletes, leaving the team to sort through both the immediate roster impact and the broader concern that comes with losing track of a freshman so early in his college career. [Read more 🡒]