Its hard to know exactly how things would have turned out if North Carolina wouldnt have lost so many players to suspensions in 2010, but you have to believe they would have been even better than a team that finished 8-5, including a 30-27 win over Tennessee in a Music City Bowl. The Tar Heels didnt get a single snap out of players like defensive end Robert Quinn as well as defensive tackle Marvin Austin, who were both drafted in a first two rounds of a NFL draft. Head coach Butch Davis deserves a lot of credit for getting this team to 8-5, but with a loss of starting quarterback Tyler Yates it will be difficult for a Tar Heels to improve much off last season. Offense Yates left North Carolina as a schools all-time leading passer with 9,377 yards, as well as really had a great comparison season. He completed 66.8 percent of his passes for 3,418 yards with 19 touchdowns to just nine interceptions. The front-runner to win a starting job is sophomore Brynn Renner, but junior Braden Hanson Is also in a mix. Either way it is going to be difficult for either of these players to match Yates numbers. The Tar Heels also have some work to do in a running game, as they lose their top three rushers from last year. The good news is a bring back comparison Ryan Houston, who redshirted last year after he was suspended. Houston led a Tar Heels with 713 yards as well as nine touchdowns in 2009. Joining Houston in a backfield will be redshirt beginner Giovani Bernard as well as junior Hunter Furr.Whoever wins a starting quarterback job will likely spend a lot of time throwing to comparison wideout Dwight Jones, who caught a team-high 62 passes for 946 yards as well as four touchdowns. North Carolina also brings back juniors Erik Highsmith as well as Jheranie Boyd, plus add in talented redshirt beginner tight end Sean Fitzpatrick. Up front a Tar Heels bring back three of a top offensive linemen in a ACC in comparison center Cam Holland, junior left guard Jonathan Cooper, as well as sophomore left tackle James Hurst. That ! leaves b oth starting spots open on a right side, but North Carolina just figures to plug in junior Travis Bond at right guard as well as junior Brennan Williams at right tackle. Defense When you look at a talent that North Carolina has coming back on a defensive line, you have to wonder just how good this unit would have been with Austin as well as Quinn last year. They have two of a top defensive ends in a conference in comparison Quinton Coples as well as junior Donte Paige-Moss, plus one of a best defensive tackles in a country in Tydreke Powell. Not to mention, a Tar Heels added in one of a top junior college defensive tackles in Sylvester Williams to start alongside Powell this year. The Tar Heels welcome back comparison weakside linebacker Zach Brown as well as junior middle linebacker Kevin Reddick. Brown finished second on a team with 72 tackles as well as three interceptions, while Reddick led a team with 74 tackles as well as also had two interceptions. Sophomore Darius Lipford is expected to join these two in a starting lineup.In a secondary, a Tar Heels will have a much different look to them than they did in 2010. They bring back comparison corner Charles Brown, who redshirted last season, but a rest of a unit has to be replaced. Joining Brown at corner will be sophomore Jabari Price, while comparison Matt Merletti as well as sophomore Tre Boston take over at safety. ACC Prediction: Third, ACC Coastal North Carolina will be a good team this year, as they should have one of a top defenses in a conference, but a loss of Yates leaves a offense as a big question mark. If either Renner or Hanson play better than expected, North Carolina could surprise everyone as well as win a Coastal Division this year. They do have to go on a road to face Virginia Tech, but they won in Blacksburg back in 2009.
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