Can UNC bounce back from dismal Opener?**
*by Sharon Thorsland*
Well, Bill Belichick’s much-ballyhooed debut at North Carolina was a big dud. The Tar Heels (0-1, 0-0 ACC) got thoroughly embarrassed by TCU on Monday night. Now they’ll try to regroup and bounce back when they take on the Charlotte 49ers on Saturday night. The 49ers are coming off their own beat-down last week under new coach Tim Albin, they fell to App State 34-11. The game marks the first time UNC has ever played at Jerry Richardson Stadium, and it will no doubt be a packed house. Kick-off is set for 7:00 on WBT.
UNC will see plenty of familiar faces on the opposite sideline, as seven former Tar Heels now dot the roster for the 49ers, headlined by starting quarterback Conner Harrell. The junior was mostly at backup in Chapel Hill, starting only five games. One of those was last season’s win over the 49ers, when he combined for three touchdowns. Harrell didn’t have the best outing last week, he threw for just 142 yards with one touchdown and an interception in the loss to the Mountaineers. He can be dangerous though, and the Tar Heels will need to keep him in check, something they certainly weren’t able to do with TCU quarterback Josh Hoover.
The 49ers are still trying to sort out who will be their go-to receiver. Transfer Jayden McGowan was expected to be the top guy but he had just one reception for seven yards against App. Senior Justin Olson, E. Jai Mason and Miles Burris all had two catches, with Olson picking up 55 yards on his grabs. Mason had the team’s lone touchdown. Charlotte’s top three rushers from 2024 all transferred elsewhere leaving senior Henry Rutledge as the guy to step up as the lead back. Rutledge averaged 7.7 yards per carry in his limited touches and is also a star kick returner. But he’s dealing with a leg injury so CJ Stokes was the feature back last week, picking up 49 yards on 15 attempts. Harrell added another 22 rushing yards, and Rod Gainey is also in the mix. UNC’s defense was absolutely atrocious against TCU, allowing 542 total yards. This has been a theme for years now, regardless of players or coaching staff. Defensive coordinator Steven Belichick needs to get this figured out quickly or it’s going to be a really long year for the Tar Heels.
The 49ers defense was even worse last week, allowing 586 yards. Linebacker Kadin Schmitz had a team high nine tackles, with three others making at least seven including playmaking safety Ja’Qurious Conley, who also forced a goal line fumble in the game. Conley is another former Tar Heel and is the star of this 49ers secondary. He’ll no doubt be looking to make a statement against his former team, who could be making a switch at quarterback. Other than the opening drive, Gio Lopez couldn’t get UNC’s offense moving. Max Johnson replaced him when he was hurt late and generated a touchdown drive.
This is the just the second meeting ever between these schools, UNC beat the 49ers in Kenan Stadium last September. The Tar Heels are big favorites in this one but a win is no sure thing, especially after the awful performance they had on Monday night. Richardson Stadium will be rocking with a sold-out crowd, and the seven former Heels on the 49ers roster will be eager to pull off the upset. But Belichick is one of the greatest coaches of all time for a reason, and surely he’s found a way to turn things around for UNC. I’m keeping the faith – GO Tar Heels!
