UNC Football: Previewing Tar Heels game against Illinois
UNC heads to Champaign in search of their first win of the season, will they get it?
Our beloved North Carolina Tar Heels left Georgia with one blemish on their record. They gave Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs a good fight, but ultimately made too many mistakes.
“It’s not like we’re deficient here, we’re not going to be able to hold up, now what do we have to do scheme-wise to cover that hole, those kinds of things,” Larry Fedora said. “I felt like everything that happened in that game was correctable.”
Supporters in Chapel Hill certainly hope issues are correctable, because Lovie Smith’s Fighting Illini are eager to show how much their program has progressed.
Three Impact Fighting Illini Players
Wes Lunt
Last week against Murray State, quarterback Wes Lunt impressed, moving the offense downfield with ease. He completed 15 of 21 passes, throwing for 226 yards and three touchdowns.
Lunt has thrown 31 touchdowns and 9 interceptions during his two-plus years in Champaign. After recording a 209.0 passing efficiency against Murray State, Lunt ranks eighth in the nation after week one.
Malik Turner
Junior wide receiver Malik Turner is a huge threat on the Fightin Illini’s offense. Last season, Turner pulled in 39 passes for 510 yards and three touchdowns.
Entering this year, Athlon Sports listed him on the preseason All-Big Ten fourth team. Just one Saturday ago, Turner caught three passes for 83 yards and two touchdowns. Carolina must keep an eye on Turner if they aim to slow down Illinois passing threat.
Ke’Shawn Vaughan
Illinois tandem out of the backfield is explosive, and it could be the difference between an Illinois win or loss. Running back Ke’Shawn Vaughan is the primary rusher out if Illinois backfield. Last year, Vaughan ran for 723 yards on 157 carries.
Against Murray State in Illinois first game this season, he ran for about 50 yards on 17 carries, scoring one touchdown.
Three Keys To The Game
Stop The Run!!
Last week, Georgia ran rampant on North Carolina. Star running back Nick Chubb had quite a night, rushing for about 230 and two touchdowns on 32 carries. In total, Georgia rushed the ball 52 times. They averaged about 6 yards per carry, gaining a total of 319 yards on the ground.
North Carolina can not expect to play such poor rush defense and leave Champaign victorious. Especially since Illinois rushes the ball very well.
Against Murray State, the Fighting Illini rushed the ball 40 times for an average of seven yards per carry. North Carolina must figure out how to stop Illinois rushers, or else they could be in for a long night.
Feed Elijah Hood
Highly touted Tar Heel running back, Elijah Hood needs to become the focal point on offense. Against Georgia, Hood only touched the ball 10 times, rushing for 72 total yards.
Just one year ago, Hood rushed 219 times for 1,463 yards and 17 touchdowns. Giving him 10 touches in a season opener was flat out perplexing. This trend can not continue, North Carolina must use Hood as much as possible, exploit the asset they have. If they fail to get Hood involved, North Carolina may loss at Illinois.
Act Like The Superior Team
Coming into this season, North Carolina was ranked, they were supposed to be a contender in the ACC. Illinois is coming fresh off a losing season, and entering right into a new regime under Lovie Smith.
North Carolina needs to act like the superior team on Saturday.
The Tar Heels must limit mistakes, win battles in the trenches, and move the ball with ease. That is what a good team does, that is how a favored team must act.
Prediction
Illinois is hungry in its first real test to display the progression of their program. Head coach Lovie Smith will have his boys ready to fight. Ultimately, North Carolina should secure their first win in Champaign.
31-17, Heels!
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