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UNC Football: Will Andre Smith receive redshirt for Tar Heels?

By Zack Pearson

TALLAHASSEE, FL - OCTOBER 01: North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Larry Fedora yells during the game agaisnt the Florida State Seminoles at Doak Campbell Stadium on October 1, 2016 in Tallahassee, Florida. (Photo by Jeff Gammons/Getty Images)
TALLAHASSEE, FL - OCTOBER 01: North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Larry Fedora yells during the game agaisnt the Florida State Seminoles at Doak Campbell Stadium on October 1, 2016 in Tallahassee, Florida. (Photo by Jeff Gammons/Getty Images) /
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Andre Smith could receive an extra year of eligibility for UNC with a redshirt

The North Carolina Tar Heels dropped their fifth game of the season on Saturday, losing to Notre Dame in Chapel Hill.

It’s been a year the team wants to forget with a 1-5 start and their only win coming against Old Dominion.

There have been a few bright spots on the season but the biggest focal point has been the disappointment and injuries.

UNC has seen 13 players lost for the season due to injuries and it seems like every week at least one player is going down. But there might be some good news on that note.

Two key defensive players could receive a medical redshirt, giving them one more year of eligibility.

ACCSports.com wrote on the possibility that linebacker Andre Smith and defensive end Tyler Powell could receive a medical hardship waiver.

Andrew Powell mentions that both Smith and Powell are top candidates to receive the redshirt, granting them that extra year.

Smith is the biggest name as the standout linebacker was lost early in the season. He didn’t receive a redshirt during his freshman year last season and is eligible to take on now in his sophomore year.

If he’s granted one, Smith would return next year as a sophomore. That would be a big boost to a Tar Heels defense that is still trying to rebuild and has a talented 2018 class coming in.

Powell made his debut against Duke after being suspended the first two games, so the three-game rule doesn’t apply. He can also return to UNC with a redshirt next season due to him not taking one as a freshman in 2014.

Then there is William Sweet, Rontavious Groves and Carl Tucker. Those three players would have to petition the NCAA for an extra season since all of them have taken a redshirt in their career. It’s likely they will but the odds of it getting overturned are not in their favor.

In what is a disappointing season for the Tar Heels, this big news of Smith being eligible for a redshirt might be one of the lone bright spots.

Next: Tyler Shough decommits from UNC

The Tar Heels will take on Virginia this Saturday in Chapel Hill, seeking their first conference win of the year.

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