North Carolina vs. Georgia Tech: Game Preview

The North Carolina Tar Heels football season kicks off on August 30th against the Liberty Flames at home in Kenan Stadium. To get you ready for the nationally ranked Tar Heel’s first game, Keeping It Heel will have an extensive football preview series previewing all of Carolina’s positions, games and reviewing 2013′s games. Check back to Keeping It Heel every afternoon for new preview posts. Today, let’s preview UNC Football and the game against Georgia Tech.

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On Saturday October 18th, the North Carolina Tar Heels will host the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in a game that could help decide the winner of the ACC Coastal Division.

Over the last few years the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets have been a thorn in the side of the Tar Heels to say the least. Tech has won five games in a row in this series (8 of the last 10), so when I say it’s time for UNC to beat the Yellow Jackets, that’s an understatement. This game is usually a high scoring, highly entertaining affair and it should be no different this season. Both offenses are expected to be among the best in the ACC and both defenses to be polite, have some work to do. Those factors and others should give us one heck of a match up when these Coastal Division foes collide.

The visiting Yellow Jackets are led by Head Coach Paul Johnson with his old school but very effective triple option offense. The big news on the offensive side of the ball for Georgia Tech is that quarterback Vad Lee has transferred to James Madison.

GT QB Vad Lee said he will transfer. "The triple option was never really my thing," Lee said.
— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) January 3, 2014

Lee’s coach at James Madison will be none other than Everett Withers, who is a familiar name to Tar Heel fans for sure.

However, the quarterback isn’t the only threat on the Yellow Jackets offense. Senior running back David Sims is a dangerous offensive option as well. In last seasons game Sims ran for 99 yards and a touchdowns on just 17 carries. His 5.8 yards per attempt keep the chains moving and the Carolina offense off the field. With that being said, UNC’s defensive game plan should be simple: Make the Yellow Jackets throw the ball!

The visitors from Atlanta won’t be the only high-powered offense on the field that day. UNC’s offense has a chance to be really explosive this season and they may have score plenty of points on October 18th in order to get a W. Head Coach Larry Fedora finally has the type of quarterbacks who can thrive in his system and that’s why it will be a little pressure on who ever the starter is (Marquise Williams or Mitch Trubisky) to produce immediately. By the time Georgia Tech rolls into Chapel Hill the Carolina offense should be hitting on all cylinders and with the weapons they have that’s a scary thought.

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I believe junior wide receiver Quinshad Davis will have a monster year, receiver/returner Ryan Switzer will be even more dangerous as the coaching staff finds more ways to use him and even the running game should be pretty solid. The Yellow Jackets defense will have its hands full trying to stop the Tar Heels versatile offense, so the home team must protect the ball. If Carolina can get a lead, avoid turnovers and more times than not make Tech drive the length of the field, it will make them have to throw more and that means more opportunity for Norkeithus Otis and company to make plays.

Coming into this game both offenses will get all the publicity and rightfully so. However, the winner of this contest will likely be the team whose defense will be able to get a stop or two.

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