UNC Football: Who has big play ability for Tar Heels?

Who on offense has the big play ability for the UNC Football program? We take a look at three candidates for the 2018 season.

The North Carolina Tar Heels have officially opened up training camp in preparation for the upcoming 2018 season. The program is coming off a difficult season in which they went 3-9 overall and 1-7 in Atlantic Coast Conference play.

Entering 2018, UNC is hoping to turn things around and get back on track in a key rebuilding year.

There’s plenty of storylines surrounding this team with the quarterback competition, loaded backfield and the losses on defense. But one key factor for the Tar Heels will be the big-play ability.

We don’t exactly know who the starter will be at quarterback this year with both Chazz Surratt and Nathan Elliott expected to battle it out throughout training camp. Last season Fedora waited until Week 1 to reveal his starter and even then he didn’t stay consistent as he played both Surratt and Brandon Harris.

Even with the rotation at quarterback, there were a few UNC players that stood out on offense and made big plays. We expect those players to have a big role again in 2018.

Anthony Ratliff-Williams

Let’s start with UNC’s most explosive playmaker not only on offense but in the return game as well.

Ratliff-Williams enrolled at UNC as a quarterback but being stuck behind both Marquise Williams and Mitchell Trubisky, the program decided it was best to use his talents elsewhere. He made the switch over to wide receiver and got his first big chance to shine in 2017.

The receiver took advantage of that opportunity, producing in the pass-catching game and in returns. Ratliff-Williams finished the 2017 season with 35 receptions for 630 yards and six touchdowns. He was no doubt UNC’s best wide receiver last season, doing it with three different quarterbacks.

Ratliff-Williams had five receptions of 40-plus yards that season, including a long of 51 yards in the season-ending loss to N.C. State. The receiver had a knack for making those big plays and was a big downfield target for the Tar Heels.

In the return game, Ratliff-Williams had 34 kick returns for 895 yards and two touchdowns. He averaged 26.3 yards per return, good for 12th in the nation and best in the ACC. Ratliff-Williams made his first big impact with a 94-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Louisville early in the season.

He was also UNC’s go-to guy for trick plays as he even threw two touchdown passes on the season.

Ratliff-Williams’ role shouldn’t change in 2018 and he gives the Tar Heels a valuable weapon on an offense that will need all it can get.

Michael Carter

The running back introduced himself to UNC fans right away in Week 1.

Carter finished the Week 1 loss to Cal with 94 rushing yards on 11 carries and had two touchdowns. He broke off a long 47-yard run early in the game and gave the offense some life.

Entering 2018, Carter will be a  part of a crowded backfield that includes Jordon Brown and transfer Antonio Williams. All three will get a lot of looks out of the backfield, splitting time and it will be interesting to see how Fedora manages the rotation.

One option for Carter is to use him more in the receiving game.

Carter only caught 11 passes for 100 yards and a touchdown in 2017 but if he improves his hands, he can be a dual-back threat. Allowing Carter to work in the receiving game could help UNC’s offense in the long run as the defense would have to account for him while being on the field.

With Carter’s speed, the Tar Heels are going to have to find ways to get him the ball and space and let him make plays. If they do that, it could go a long way in their hopes to rebuild the program.

Dazz Newsome

Unlike Carter, Newsome didn’t play in the first game of the year last season as a freshman but still had a big impact throughout the year. The speedy receiver entered UNC looking to carve out a role for himself last year and going into 2018, he just may have one.

Newsome can be used in the slot and on the outside, giving the Tar Heels some flexibility with his speed.

In 2017 Newsome finished the year with 18 receptions for 227 yards but was unable to find the end zone. That will have to change in 2018 as Newsome could be a key factor in the Tar Heels’ offense.

With training camp underway, Newsome will be battling for a starting spot at wide receiver in this offense. Adding his speed to this offense could be a big difference-maker and his above average hands make him an ideal starter on the outside or in the slot.

Newsome was not only used as a wide receiver last year but also had some carries as well. He finished 2017 with 52 yards on 8 rushing attempts, showing that he can make an impact no matter how he gets the ball.

Against Louisville, Newsome showed off that speed on a pitch from Surratt:

Having Newsome in this offense with Ratliff-Williams and Carter could be beneficial for whoever is playing quarterback.

While the Tar Heels do have some explosive players, there’s still some big steps to be taken by this offense. I don’t expect things to be fixed right away but there still should be some progress made at some point this season.

If anything, it will be fun to watch some of these playmakers take the next steps in their game and improve.

For more on the Tar Heels football program, please check back with Keeping It Heel.