North Carolina's defense is searching for answers after a pair of losses to open the season that included record-setting performances by the opposition. The Tar Heels will try to secure their first win of the campaign when they visit a dangerous Old Dominion squad on Saturday.
Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson racked up 514 yards of total offense - the most ever against a North Carolina defense - in a 47-35 setback, and the Tar Heels are surrendering an average of 41 points after losses to California and the Cardinals.
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TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, Stadium. LINE: North Carolina -7
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"Based on a formation, you've got to communicate the coverage that you're going to run with each other," Tar Heels coach Larry Fedora told reporters while referencing communication breakdowns on defense. "If you're dropping a guy to pick someone else up and a crosser is coming, you've got to let the guy know next to you so he's picking the guy up. So there's communication on quite a bit of it that we didn't get done."
Conference USA’s Monarchs are coming off a road win at Massachusetts and are looking forward to a step up in competition.
“We know this is going to be a major challenge, we know we are going to be underdogs in this game at home, and we are going to need a loud and proud group of 12th Monarchs there Saturday at 3:30,” Old Dominion coach Bobby Wilder told reporters.
ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA (0-2)
While the defense has been an issue, the Tar Heels don’t have many complaints about the offense while using two different quarterbacks - freshman Chazz Surratt and senior transfer Brandon Harris. Surratt went 12-of-14 for 168 yards and a pair of touchdowns against Louisville before getting dinged up last week, and Harris finished up by completing 17-of-23 passes for 216 yards and a score. Austin Proehl is headlining the receiving corps with 12 catches for 175 yards but still is looking for his first TD.
ABOUT OLD DOMINION (2-0)
The Monarchs are trying to sort out their quarterback situation as well and will play both Blake LaRussa and Jordan Hoy on Saturday. “The plan is that they’re both still going to play and we’re still trying to figure them both out within the system, what makes them both work,” Wilder told reporters. “At this point, we haven’t settled on one or the other, and this could be a process going through.” LaRussa is 24-of-42 for 290 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions while Hoy has yet to throw a TD pass but did run for a score in last week’s 17-7 win at UMass.
EXTRA POINTS
1. North Carolina P Tom Sheldon was named the Ray Guy Award Punter of the Week after posting a net average of 51.5 yards on four punts against Louisville.
2. Monarchs leading WR Jonathan Duhart (broken foot) is likely to miss the rest of the season.
3. Tar Heels KR Anthony Ratliff-Williams set a school single-game record with 199 return yards last week, including a 94-yard TD return.
PREDICTION: North Carolina 38, Old Dominion 24