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UNC Football: Tar Heels without Beau Corrales for season-opener

By Blake Cockrum

ANNAPOLIS, MD - DECEMBER 27: Beau Corrales #15 of the North Carolina Tar Heels runs with the ball against the Temple Owls in the Military Bowl Presented by Northrop Grumman at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on December 27, 2019 in Annapolis, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
ANNAPOLIS, MD - DECEMBER 27: Beau Corrales #15 of the North Carolina Tar Heels runs with the ball against the Temple Owls in the Military Bowl Presented by Northrop Grumman at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on December 27, 2019 in Annapolis, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) /
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UNC football wide receiver Beau Corrales has been ruled OUT for the Tar Heels’ season-opener at Virginia Tech.

When the Tar Heels travel to Blacksburg this weekend to take on the Virginia Tech Hokies in the teams’ season-openers, it’ll be without starting wide receiver Beau Corrales. The news of Corrales’ absence from the lineup was announced early Monday morning, and while it’s a bit of a blow to the Tar Heels in their first road test of the season, it was less than surprising.

Corrales had sports hernia surgery earlier this year following an injury that cost him a handful of games last season. And although he’s been working hard to get healthy, Corrales is yet to fully participate in any of his team’s practices this summer. It’s still unclear at this point if it’s the same injury currently keeping Corrales out of the lineup, or a different one.

Although the Tar Heels are now down a receiver against ACC foe Virginia Tech — and likely some games beyond that — they still have a talented core of young wide-outs led by sophomore standouts Josh Downs and Khafre Brown. The two combined for 22 receptions, 556 yards and five touchdowns in minor roles behind now-NFL players Dyami Brown and Dazz Newsome last season. With Heisman Trophy candidate Sam Howell under center this season, the hope is that Downs and Brown can turn their additional snaps into production similar to that of their predecessors.

As for Corrales, UNC head coach Mack Brown stated that he’s hoping to have him back before the end of the season. It would certainly help the Tar Heels, as he’s a capable and productive receiver when healthy and on the gridiron. He’s accumulated 80 receptions for 1,176 yards and 12 touchdowns since 2017, despite playing double-digit games just once during that span.

Next. Tar Heels open as favorites on the road. dark

Check back with Keeping It Heel for all the latest on Beau Corrales, and the UNC football program.

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