Tar Heels get 3 back on defense

Posted Sep 30, 2011
North Carolina may be missing starting safety Jonathan Smith (doubtful because of an ankle injury) and starting linebacker Ebele Okakpu (questionable because of an ankle injury) for Saturday's game at East Carolina. But it will have three other defenders back to help try to slow the Pirates' big-play passing game. (Raleigh News & Observer)

Related: Football, Football Recruiting

UNC Playing Running Back Rotation ‘Off Feel’
UNC's season opener against TCU showed how its three running backs were used at different points in the game. Benjamin Hall started and led the...
Wed Sep 9, 2026

Video: The Process, 2026 UNC Football Game 1 - "DUBlin"
UNC Football's Week 1 documentary "DUBlin," highlights the Tar Heels' preparation, travel, and eventual upset victory in their 2026 season-opening game against the TCU Horned...
Wed Sep 9, 2026

Michael Lombardi’s UNC Resignation — Looking Back, To The Future
Here are three things to know about the resignation of Michael Lombardi, who was college football's highest-paid GM, at $1.5 million dollars per year: No...
Wed Sep 9, 2026

How UNC's Offensive Line Took A Step Forward in Game 1
UNC had the same five offensive linemen play every snap in just two games during Bill Belichick's first season. There was little cohesion up front...
Wed Sep 9, 2026