UNC Football Preview: 3 Brutally Honest Storylines For Tar Heels In 2024 Season

North Carolina football is wrapping up its preseason as it gears up for a Week 1 nationally televised game against Minnesota.

The Tar Heels will kick off the season on August 29 against the Golden Gophers at 8 p.m. on FOX, taking place in Minneapolis.

In the ACC preseason poll, UNC is projected to finish eighth in its sixth season under head coach Mack Brown. Last year, they finished with an 8-5 overall record, including 4-4 in conference play.

Here are three key storylines for the Tar Heels as they approach the 2024 season.

How will UNC football manage its quarterback situation?
For the first time since Mack Brown returned in 2019, UNC will start a season without Sam Howell or Drake Maye at quarterback. Howell and Maye started 63 of 65 games over that span, with Jacolby Criswell and Conner Harrell starting just one game each. This season, Criswell, Harrell, and Texas A&M transfer Max Johnson are competing for the starting role. The Tar Heels haven’t had two quarterbacks each attempt over 100 passes in a season since 2017, a year they finished 3-9. During Brown’s earlier tenure at UNC from 1988-97, seven different quarterbacks led the team statistically. Given Brown’s prior success with dual quarterbacks, it will be intriguing to see how he approaches this position.

Will Omarion Hampton and Geoff Collins’ defense be crucial to UNC’s success?
This season, the Tar Heels’ standout is running back Omarion Hampton, rather than a quarterback. Despite uncertainty at QB, UNC’s rushing attack looks promising with Hampton, who played a key role in last year’s 19th-ranked rushing offense. USC transfer Darwin Barlow and Caleb Hood will also contribute. Brown is optimistic about the depth of the offensive line, even with four new starters. On the defensive side, first-year coordinator Geoff Collins aims to improve a unit that finished 94th in total defense. Key players like linebacker Power Echols, pass rusher Kaimon Rucker, and defensive backs Marcus Allen and Alijah Huzzie will be integral to creating disruption. If Collins can maintain his record of fielding top 25 defenses, UNC could achieve at least eight wins for a third consecutive year.

Late-season struggles remain a concern for UNC
Despite securing at least eight wins in three of the last five seasons, the Tar Heels have faced disappointing late-season performances. After a 6-0 start in 2023, they lost five of their last seven games, and in 2022, they dropped their final four after starting 9-1. Brown cites the strength of opponents and a lack of depth as significant factors in these struggles. This year, he anticipates improved depth across the roster with only two ranked teams—No. 10 Florida State on November 2 and No. 24 N.C. State on November 30—on the schedule. This season presents a prime opportunity to change the trend.