Mack Brown inherited a UNC team that won 5 games the last two years, and just 2 ACC wins. Fast forward to the 2019 season, and the Tar Heels doubled their ACC win total, and finished the season with 3 straight wins.
The final record was a modest 7-6 (4-4) record, but the the Heels program is oozing potential going into the 2020 season.
All six of their losses were by single digits, including being the only team this season to play a full 4 quarter game with the Clemson Tigers.
Friday was dominant 55-13 win over a decent 8-4 Temple team. UNC showed all the signs of a team poised to be one of the Coastal favorites next season.
QB Sam Howell was 25/34 for 294 yards and 3 TD. He’s been one of the best freshman quarterbacks the ACC has ever had. There isn’t any reason to think his best football has been played already. He’s already very good, and he’s going to get better. Only Clemson’s QB Trevor Lawrence will go into next season ahead of him at the QB position.
At the most important position on the field, that’s a big advantage the Tar Heels are going to have against much of their schedule.
On defense is where UNC struggled this season, but they finished the season giving up 7, 10, and 13 points in their final 3 games. That’s at least trending in the right direction, but UNC had to improve the defensive talent base. That is done through recruiting, and Mack Brown can still recruit.
The Tar Heels are looking at top 25 class for 2019, with some studs on defense including 4 star DE Desmond Evans, 4 star DE Myles Murphy, and 4 star DT Kedrick Bingley-Jones. That’s a lot of defensive talent on the way.
North Carolina will be a threat to win the Coastal next year, but I’m looking at 2021 when Howell will be junior, and the above defensive talent has a year under their belt that the Tar Heels could have a really special season.
That said I think the Heels in 2020 even with a non-conference schedule of UCF and Auburn could win 8 or 9 games next year. The pieces are there, and the Heels are definitely a team to watch over the next 2 years.
