Landing Zach Rice proves November is still very important.

A year ago, the 6-foot-6 offensive tackle was narrowing his college choice from among more than 30 scholarship offers he received as the No. 13 prep player in America while hearing a lot from Mack Brown.

One of UNC’s biggest sales pitches was about regaining its preeminence in the state of North Carolina, where Brown had the Tar Heels’ program the first time he was here in the 1990s.

The Heels claimed that last year by beating Wake Forest, Duke and NC State, scoring a combined 163 points. Rice, who is from Lynchburg, Virginia, joins Greensboro behemoth defensive tackle Travis Shaw and two other four-stars from the Commonwealth, running back George Pettway and wide receiver Tychaun Chapman.

These four commitments have vaulted UNC’s recruiting class of 2022 into the top 10 in the nation, and Brown has his eyes on others to solidify his third full freshman class since returning to Chapel Hill.

Despite a disappointing start against massive expectations, Carolina has a lot to play for in November after the trip to Notre Dame next Saturday. There is a home game against undefeated Wake Forest and the regular season finale at N.C. State which is 5-1 and fighting Wake to win the Atlantic Division and advance to the ACC title game.

Brown is a master at adjusting his goals as the seasons progress. Sure, the 2021 team opened as No. 10 in the country and favored to win the Coastal Division. With a 4-3 record going to South Bend, those ACC and national hopes are off the table. But the Tar Heels want to win the mythical “North Carolina championship” by beating Duke, State and Wake for the second straight year.

After the 38-7 win over the Blue Devils on October 2, the other two games present a daunting challenge. The Demon Deacons, who come to Kenan Stadium on November 6, are playing like the best team in the ACC. State is vastly improved over the Wolfpack entities that Carolina crushed the last two years.

If the Tar Heels can repeat that trifecta, they will continue to pad perhaps the best recruiting class in Brown’s two UNC stints. Winning the state remains as important of a goal for recruiting as winning ACC or national championships.

 

Photo via Jim Hawkins/Inside Carolina

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees. You can support local journalism and our mission to serve the community. Contribute today – every single dollar matters.

 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Related Stories
‹
Chansky's Notebook: Doing It Again
Mack Brown has become Mr. Inside/Mr. Outside, just as he said. When Brown returned to Chapel Hill as football coach in December of 2018, he said his recruiting philosophy would be the same as when he first arrived here 30 years earlier. Despite his 1988 and ’89 Tar Heel teams going 1-10, Brown’s goal was […]
On Air Today: Ross Martin of Inside Carolina
News-breaker Ross Martin of Inside Carolina joins 97.9 The Hill's Brighton McConnell to discuss a new recruiting period underway around Carolina Athletics. What names of high school prospects are being heard around the UNC football and men's basketball programs? Plus: how the COVID-19 pandemic presented challenges to teams and reporters alike.
Chansky's Notebook: Pro Atmosphere
Seven months into the Bill Belichick era at UNC, the Tar Heels are certainly acting like the NFL's "33rd team."
Chansky's Notebook: Finally!
Tuesday’s UNC football media availability, featuring four players, broke a bizarre dry spell for the program.
'An Exciting Place to Be': Bill Belichick Talks Roster Building, the House Settlement and More.
UNC football head coach Bill Belichick spoke with the media Tuesday morning at the Kenan Football Center. Now in his sixth month on the job, Belichick addressed his team’s improvement during spring practice, the House v. NCAA settlement, new additions along the roster and more. Read through Belichick’s full comments, which have been lightly edited […]
Bill Belichick at UNC: The Full Timeline
Bill Belichick’s tenure as the UNC head football coach has been full of twists and turns since his shocking hiring to lead the program in Dec. 2024. Since arriving in Chapel Hill, the six-time Super Bowl winning head coach has attracted national attention — for both Carolina’s on-field prospects and headlines around his book tour […]
Record-Breaking Season Earns UNC's David Ford Spot on PGA Tour — And Special Video Message
David Ford has reached several milestones in the last month, culminating in an entry to the PGA Tour and a video message from UNC legends.
Kickoff Times, TV Networks Announced for Five UNC Football Games
With UNC football season a few months away, we're getting new details about their 2025 schedule - including kickoff times for several games.
Chansky's Notebook: They've Got Mail
The angle that won’t die is when Bill Belichick is seen with Jordon Hudson, close enough for their pictures to wind up all over social media.
UNC Football 2025 Spring Transfer Portal Window Tracker: Arrivals
The spring window of the college football transfer portal opened Wednesday, April 16 and closed Friday, April 25. Players who intend to transfer must enter their names into the portal before the window closes, but do not need to have selected their next school by then. Here is a summary of which players have committed […]
›