Lessons Learned from a UNC football fumble-fueled loss at California

Kobe Paysour Resurgence

When Bill Belichick took over the UNC football program and stripped all the players of numbers, it should have been seen as a sign of confidence that Kobe Paysour kept his familiar #8. It is a prized single-digit number, a sign of a top player. But you'd never know it based on the first five games of the season when he totaled just two catches.

Compare that to his previous three seasons when he was a valued contributor, totaling 21, 22, and 29 catches. Not Josh Downs numbers by any stretch, but a weapon nonetheless.

Last night, he caught six passes for 101 yards, more than quintupling his season total in one game. Since Gio Lopez has not shown the type of downfield acumen UNC is used to with Drake Maye or Sam Howell, getting the ball into the hands of Paysour in the slot is something that should be targeted aggressively moving forward.