Carolina won, but at what cost?
The Tar Heels have only played two games, but the list of the injured – regardless of severity – reads like a starting lineup. Edge rusher Kaimon Rucker, running back Omarion Hampton, tight end Bryson Nesbit and center Austin Blaske all missed time during Saturday’s win against Charlotte with injuries. That’s to say nothing of former starting quarterback Max Johnson, who is out for the rest of the season with a broken leg suffered in Week 1.
For those first four names at least, head coach Mack Brown expressed optimism their time missed would be either negligible or non-existent. Rucker is the only player among that quartet guaranteed to miss time, as he felt discomfort during a weight-room session during the week and will undergo a procedure which will keep him out for at least the next two weeks.
The good news is the Tar Heels were able to beat Charlotte with one hand tied behind their back, and next weekend’s contest against North Carolina Central could play out in the same fashion. It’s given Brown a sense of confidence that the head coach perhaps didn’t have in seasons where depth was a constant concern.
“It’s been two weeks to start the season with a lot of sudden change, let’s just put it that way,” he said on Saturday. “And the guys and coaches seem to be just handling it and moving on. Next man up.”
The next men up teased Tar Heel fans with visions of a bright future against the 49ers. In his first career home start, former back-up quarterback Conner Harrell accounted for three total touchdowns. True freshman Davion “Bullet” Gause surpassed 100 rushing yards while filling in for Hampton, and a rotating cast of promising young receivers achieved milestones as well. As concerning as the injuries to the stars may be, Brown said the contributions of the next generation will end up paying off.
“What I’ve learned is when those young guys play in a game, they practice so much harder the next week,” he said. “Because they think they have a chance to play again. And if you’re not playing, then you don’t practice well. I was excited to see [receiver] Alex Taylor out there and [receiver] Vari Green out there. It’s the first time they’ve been in Kenan Stadium in a game, so it has to be a great thrill for them.”
When compared to those teammates, the redshirt sophomore Harrell is practically an elder statesman. Drake Maye’s former protégé, who got his first career start because the future first-round pick opted out of last season’s bowl game, could easily see the positives from the new kids on the block seeing extended playing time.
“Some of these things are a blessing in disguise,” Harrell said. “Obviously you never want anybody to get injured. But a lot of that stuff is little stuff, and they’ll be back extremely soon. Some guys got more experience than they would have. Bullet got a lot more carries. [Tight end] Jake [Johnson] got in more because Bryson was out. [Offensive lineman] Zach [Rice] got some experience. It helps building depth.”
Other unexpected contributors include redshirt freshman and Cary native Tyler Thompson, who filled in for Rucker along the defensive line. At center, Zach Greenberg filled in for the injured Blaske. And while Greenberg is far removed from being a freshman, his only other college football experience came with Muhlenberg College in Pennsylvania at the Division III level. Whatever works, right?
It’s anyone’s guess as to what the Carolina depth chart will look like as the Tar Heels trot out to face NC Central next weekend. It’s fair to assume Hampton will be back, though whether or not the All-American is on a snap count with Gause waiting in the wings is yet to be determined.
It hasn’t always been the case that the staples and glue holding the UNC roster together have been so forged by early-season experience. And while the real-time results may be up-and-down (recall Harrell’s across-the-body heave from his own end zone early in the game), the building blocks of future success are there to be seen. Fortunately, the modern-day college football fan is nothing if not patient.
Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications
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