It’s no secret that Carolina’s defense couldn’t keep up with the offense last season. When the Tar Heels were still undefeated, they won five of their games by four points or less. Drake Maye had to score to keep UNC’s noses in front of App State, Miami, Duke, Virginia, and Wake Forest.
A lot of those defensive problems lay at the feet of the linebackers. Missed tackles and not enough pressure on opposing quarterbacks are the scourges of Gene Chizik’s charges. How many third and longs did you watch with your hands over your head, knowing in your heart that a first down was on the way?