UNC Matches Up In opposition to Acquainted Faces in Highway Recreation at Charlotte

[ad_1] CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Coming off a season-opening beatdown suffered earlier within the week, North Carolina faces Charlotte on a brief turnaround Saturday evening at Richardson Stadium, with the matchup marking coach Invoice Belichick’s first faculty highway sport.

It shapes up as a possible get-right sport for UNC, and would be the second all-time assembly between the Tar Heels and 49ers after final season’s 38-20 victory for Carolina. Charlotte’s roster options 5 former Tar Heels who've grow to be switch portal additions — quarterback Conner Harrell, defensive finish Curtis Simpson, kicker Liam Boyd, defensive again Ja’Qurious Conley and receiver Justin Olson. However solely Harrell and Boyd performed for UNC towards the 49ers final season.

Final week, Charlotte misplaced 34-11 to Appalachian State in its season opener at Financial institution of America Stadium, the house of the Carolina Panthers. The 49ers led 3-0 into the second quarter on Boyd’s 42-yard area aim, earlier than falling behind 27-3 because the Mountaineers started to roll on offense. App State dwarfed Charlotte 586-218 in whole yards on the evening, whereas accumulating 6.7 yards per play.

This yr marks the thirteenth season of Charlotte’s soccer rebirth, following this system’s reinstatement in 2013 after the varsity discontinued the game in 1949 for a hiatus of almost 65 years. The 49ers competed as an FCS impartial for the primary two seasons after restarting this system, earlier than shifting as much as the FBS stage in 2015.

Charlotte is underneath new coach Tim Albin, after Biff Poggi was fired in November earlier than his second season was completed. Albin arrived at Charlotte after 20 seasons at Ohio, the final 4 of which he spent as head coach whereas main the Bobcats to a 33-19 report. The 49ers joined the American Athletic Convention in 2023, and have completed in twelfth and eighth within the league standings throughout the final two seasons. Charlotte went 5-7 general final season and solely has recorded one season (2019) with a profitable report since reinstating this system.

The Tar Heels are the fourth FBS program within the state to play a highway sport at Charlotte, becoming a member of App State, Duke and East Carolina. Duke’s solely go to to Richardson Stadium opened the 2021 season, and produced Charlotte’s solely defeat of an opponent from an influence convention in program historical past. Listed below are extra key areas of notice on the 49ers.

Former Tar Heel Faces Tar Heels

The twin-threat Harrell dedicated to Charlotte through the winter switch portal window, and makes for a very acquainted face at quarterback for the 49ers. He began two video games underneath middle for Carolina early final season, filling in for the injured Max Johnson, earlier than Jacolby Criswell claimed the beginning job for the rest of the season.

Final September, Harrell threw for a career-high 219 yards and two touchdowns, and ran for 39 yards and one other rating because the Tar Heels beat Charlotte at Kenan Stadium. He completed the season 21-of-37 passing for 282 yards in six appearances. He spent three seasons in UNC’s program, underneath former coach Mack Brown.

Harrell went 13-for-24 for 142 passing yards with a landing and interception towards App State within the season-opening loss final week. He left the sport for one sequence within the second half on account of cramping.

“Dynamic quarterback who can threaten us a number of methods and does job controlling the offense,” UNC defensive backs coach Brian Belichick mentioned of Harrell on Wednesday. “We’ve received our palms full. We have to deal with numerous various things they will do. I’ve leaned on and respect and respect the suggestions I get from the blokes who’ve been right here and know him.”

Given the uncertainty of Gio Lopez’s again damage from Monday evening’s season opener, a possible quarterback matchup between Johnson and Harrell could possibly be in retailer for Saturday. The 2 battled for the beginning spot through the 2024 preseason, with Johnson beating out Harrell for the job.

Charlotte Options Harmful Return Man

Throughout Invoice Belichick’s opening feedback to reporters on Wednesday afternoon, the primary distinction he made about Charlotte’s staff wasn’t on the offensive or defensive sides of the ball. As a substitute, he pointed to the 49ers’ particular groups.

“They've an actual explosive returner in (Henry) Rutledge,” Belichick mentioned. “He in all probability is likely one of the finest ones that we'll face this yr.”

The 5-foot-8 Rutledge, a fifth-year operating again, returns kickoffs and punts for Charlotte as one of many staff’s finest playmakers. In 2023, he led the 49ers with 803 all-purpose yards, whereas setting a handful of college information (longest punt return, punt return yards in a sport, punt return yards in a season, single-season punt and kick return yards). He topped the AAC in punt returns (11.9-yard common) and ranked No. 11 nationally within the FBS in mixed return yardage.

Final season, he led the AAC with 605 yards on kickoff returns for 25.2 yards per return, a median that ranked among the many high 25 returners nationally. He introduced a kickoff again 79 yards at Navy. He additionally hauled in a 28-yard landing cross out of the backfield towards UNC within the ultimate 5 minutes of that sport.

Neutralizing Rutledge within the kicking sport figures to type a key for the Tar Heels on Saturday evening. Within the season-opening loss to TCU, Carolina kicker Rece Verhoff was 3-for-3 on kickoff touchbacks. However punter Tom Maginness averaged a less-impressive 39 yards on six boots, with a protracted of 51 yards.

Getting Proper Again to Work

For the Tar Heels, a condensed sport week permits the staff to maneuver on from Monday evening’s disastrous efficiency quicker than a typical weeklong interval. The following two video games, towards a Group of 5 opponent in Charlotte and FCS opponent in Richmond, seemingly afford UNC a while to work on the deficiencies that have been uncovered towards TCU.

A get-right sport of types towards final season’s 122nd-ranked scoring protection within the FBS could possibly be what Carolina must iron out its personal offensive identification. The 49ers additionally completed 116th in yards allowed final season (433.2 per sport). They usually surrendered 586 whole yards, together with 404 yards by way of the air, to App State in final week’s season opener at Financial institution of America Stadium.

UNC’s defensive entrance additionally ought to have the possibility to begin to set up a profitable cross rush towards a weaker offensive line. The 49ers conceded 34 sacks over 12 video games final season, unhealthy sufficient to rank 112th in faculty soccer.

“I feel we’re all going to be troubled to play once more,” Belichick mentioned Wednesday. “It’s higher than sitting round two weeks, feeling like we felt after that sport (the loss to TCU). You’ve received to maneuver on anyway, proper? And we’ve moved on. We moved on yesterday. So right here we're, it’s Charlotte. However we've got to acknowledge what issues want to vary to ensure that the outcomes to vary.”