North Carolina walked out of Dublin with a 15-10 win over TCU on Saturday, and the opener gave the Tar Heels a little bit of everything: real reasons for optimism, a few obvious concerns, and plenty of early evidence about where this team is headed.
The clearest takeaway from Week 0 was that a few players already look like difference-makers. Others, meanwhile, left more questions than answers.
DT Xavier Lewis
Lewis was the headliner on defense, and not by a little. He finished with seven tackles, 4.5 for loss and two sacks, while posting an 88.2 PFF grade - the highest of any defender in the country in Week 0.
He was active right away, stacking two tackles for loss and a quarterback hurry in the first half. Then he ramped it up after halftime, adding two more sacks, two more tackles for loss and two tackles that came just one yard beyond the line of scrimmage.
It’s one game, sure. But if Lewis can stay on the field and give UNC steady, every-down production, that defense gets a whole lot better.
TE Jelani Thurman
Thurman didn’t take long to make his presence felt. On the first play from scrimmage, he hauled in a 20-yard screen. Two plays later, he was back at it, catching a pass from Billy Edwards Jr. up the seam for 35 more yards.
He kept showing up when UNC needed him, too. Late in the fourth quarter, his 25-yard catch moved the Tar Heels to within a yard of the first down.
Thurman ended with four catches for 94 yards, and the usage tells the story: he’s going to be a major part of this offense. That matters even more with Jordan Washington and Jaxxon Warren still dealing with injuries.
LB Derek McDonald
Linebacker was the biggest question mark coming out of fall camp, and McDonald answered it in a big way. Despite spending four years at Syracuse, he still had to prove he could handle the Mike spot.
He looked like a veteran who already knew the assignment. Even as conditions got worse, he stayed composed, moved to the ball quickly and filled gaps without hesitation.
McDonald finished with a game-high 11 tackles, and there’s reason to think he could be near the top of that category again and again this season. Health and consistency will matter, but Saturday was a strong start.
LB Peyton Seelmann
Seelmann entered the game looking like a fast, explosive linebacker after what we saw in preseason camp. On Saturday, though, he didn’t quite carry that same edge into the game.
Jonathan Agumadu rotated in frequently at WILL and was the more effective player. Seelmann was fine when it came to wrapping up ball carriers, but coverage was the problem. He allowed three catches on three targets for 67 yards.
Maybe it was just a rough night. Maybe it’s something more. The next few games should tell us which.
K Aeron Burrell
Burrell deserves credit first, because handling punting, place kicking and kickoffs in the same game is no small ask. That’s a lot on one player.
He opened with a 20-yard field goal on UNC’s first possession and later added a 28-yarder in the third quarter. But the punting and the missed kick showed up in the column that matters most. His first punt went only 35 yards, and he missed a 42-yard field goal that would have pushed UNC ahead by eight.
Weather was ugly, and it was his first game. Those things matter. Still, if the Tar Heels are going to keep winning tight games like this one, they need more stability there.
The rushing attack
UNC spent all spring and fall hearing about the importance of the run game, especially with Bobby Petrino pushing that message. Against TCU, though, the ground attack never really got going.
The matchup wasn’t ideal. TCU’s defensive line was a strength, and the rain made it easier for the Horned Frogs to sell out against the run. Even so, North Carolina spent most of the game struggling badly to create anything on the ground.
Ben Hall led the backfield with 11 carries for 36 yards and a fumble. Jaylen McGill was the most efficient with five carries for 33 yards, while Demon June didn’t enter until the fourth quarter and helped UNC drain clock late.
As a team, the Tar Heels ran 29 times for 90 yards, with a long of just 11 yards, for a 3.1 yards-per-carry average. That won’t be enough moving forward.
The line also had trouble creating movement. According to PFF, right guard Aidan Banfield and center Christo Kelly were the only offensive linemen above a 60.0 run-blocking grade, at 60.7 and 60.4 respectively. Left tackle Jordan Hall checked in at 58.6, left guard Andrew Threatt was at 54.5, and right tackle Jacqawn McRoy was second-worst on the team at 48.9.
UNC has to win at the point of attack if it wants its backs to find space and turn carries into something bigger.
In Other News...
UNC Investigation Just Became A Bigger Staff Crisis Than Fans Feared
Michael Lombardis resignation as general manager added another jolt to an already unsettled stretch for UNC football, turning what had been a simmering internal issue into a broader staff problem. The Tar Heels are dealing with an ongoing investigation into alleged sexual misconduct and drug use involving staff members, and Lombardis departure only deepens the sense that this is now about more than one person or one role.
Steve Belichick and members of the recruiting staff have reportedly been part of the questions surrounding the inquiry, though no conclusive findings have been reported. For UNC, the unresolved nature of the case is what makes it so disruptive: the program is left trying to move forward while the investigation continues and the staff picture remains in flux. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Legend Tyler Hansbrough Rips NCAA As Tar Heels Wait On Crucial Decision
As North Carolina waits for clarity on Cameron Fens, Tyler Hansbrough made it plain he has little patience for the way the NCAA has handled eligibility disputes across college sports. The Tar Heels legend called the situation disgusting, taking aim at the governing body for rules that remain murky and for the slow pace of decision-making that keeps programs and players stuck in limbo.
For UNC, the issue is more than a philosophical gripe. Fens is currently ineligible and his case is still tied up in legal proceedings, leaving the Tar Heels without a final answer on a player they may need in the middle of their lineup. Until that ruling arrives, the uncertainty hangs over both the roster and the larger frustration Hansbrough voiced so sharply. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Football Faces Disturbing Questions As Staff Probe Deepens
North Carolina football is dealing with a widening internal probe that has put the program under an uncomfortable spotlight. The allegations at issue include improper sexual relationships and drug use, and the review has already reached some of the sports most visible staffers, with Michael Lombardi stepping down as general manager while the school continues to sort through what happened and who was involved.
Steve Belichick remains on medical leave as the investigation continues, leaving the Tar Heels to navigate a serious off-field situation with questions still hanging over the staff structure. For a program trying to move forward, the deeper concern now is not just the names attached to the inquiry, but how many people connected to the team may ultimately be swept into it. [Read more 🡒]