North Carolina is set to get a major piece back for Saturday afternoon’s matchup with Notre Dame, as pass rusher Melkart Abou Jaoude is expected to play in Chapel Hill.
That’s a significant development for the Tar Heels, who need every edge they can get as three-touchdown underdogs against the No. 3 Irish. It also hands Notre Dame’s offensive line a serious problem to sort through, even with the Irish having allowed only two sacks so far this season while still searching for their best combination up front.
Abou Jaoude’s availability matters because he’s one of the most disruptive defenders on the UNC roster. Last season, he put up 47 tackles, 10.5 sacks and one forced fumble, and his breakout has carried into this year. In North Carolina’s season-opening win over TCU in Ireland, he left the game with an injury but later returned, finishing with 4 tackles, 1 sack and his second career forced fumble.
The injury came in that opener against TCU, and two bye weeks - one before games against ETSU and Clemson, and another afterward - appear to have given him the time he needed to recover. Now he’s trending toward being back near full strength for a defense that will be asked to slow down a Notre Dame team that has overwhelmed every opponent it has seen this season.
For North Carolina, the timing is especially important because the offense has not exactly been carrying the load. The Tar Heels may need their defense to turn this into a lower-scoring game, and Abou Jaoude gives them a much better chance of doing that.
There was also some chatter earlier this week that starting quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. could be on the bench after he completed just 13 of 30 passes for 135 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception in the 28-20 loss to Clemson. North Carolina blew a 17-6 halftime lead and managed only a field goal in the second half, but Bill Belichick said Edwards remains his quarterback.
The biggest remaining question is how much Abou Jaoude can handle if he does play. Will he be able to stay on the field close to every snap, or will UNC manage his workload with the right rotation? That’s one of the key things Notre Dame will be watching as kickoff approaches.
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