UNC Football Preview: Tight ends
Our UNC Football previews for the 2019 season continue with the tight end position
The North Carolina Tar Heels have a few positions of great depth this season; wide receivers being one, and offensive line another. North Carolina’s depth at the tight end position, however, is another story, and one that doesn’t take long to tell.
A position that currently lists just two players on its depth chart, the Tar Heels’ tight end unit took a hit when Brandon Fritts’ availability for the 2019 season came into question. Fritts announced he’d transfer from the school following the 2018 season, a campaign that he red-shirted due to an ACL injury. Shortly after, though, Fritts said he would indeed return to the Tar Heels, only to tear his ACL for a second time in spring practice the next month.
Fritts has been rehabbing in the subsequent months, and hopes to make a return to the field this fall. He’ll undergo future evaluation from the UNC medical staff, but his future with the team is unknown at this point. It’s unfortunate, too, both for Fritts and the team, as the now-senior tight end was expected to be a big part of the North Carolina offense each of the last two seasons.
Now, Mack Brown and the Tar Heels will prepare to be without the player that recorded 25 catches for 177 yards and four touchdowns in his last full season with the team. Instead, they’ll lean on a pair of senior tight ends in Carl Tucker and Jake Bargas, both of whom will need to perform well this season in the Tar Heels’ new Air Raid offense.
What we know / Key players
Both Tucker and Bargas are viable options at tight end, and the Tar Heels will need contributions from each this season in order to perform at an optimal level on offense. Tucker will be the starter, with Bargas coming off the bench to spell him, or in situations where the offensive game plan calls for two tight ends.
Tucker hauled in just 16 receptions in nine games last year, but managed better than 16 yards per catch. He also saw the end zone just twice, used sparingly as a receiver in a UNC offense that had trouble scoring touchdowns all season long. Bargas had similar production to Tucker, grabbing just eight balls for 80 yards and a touchdown. His ability to catch passes was secondary to his value as a blocker, evidenced by his stat line in 2018.
Neither will be the focal point of the North Carolina offense this season, but both will be expected to play their part in the Tar Heels’ revamped Air Raid offense. Expect each of the senior tight ends to put up bigger numbers in Phil Longo’s offense than they did a season ago.
Outlook
Tucker and Bargas are both looking to finish their college careers with a bang. So, too, are the Tar Heels, as they’ll have to find adequate — or any — replacements for both of the senior tight ends after they use up their final year of eligibility this season. It shouldn’t be a problem for Brown and the UNC coaching staff, who’ve had a terrific run in their first recruiting cycle since joining the Tar Heels. They’ve already got seven 4-star recruits from the 2021 class committed, with plenty of time and talent still available.
dark. Next. Is this 4-star UNC target favoring another Carolina school?
Depth chart
TE – Carl Tucker
TE – Jake Bargas