Amid scandal, UNC plays on

Scandal or no scandal, one thing’s for sure—this year’s No. 18 North Carolina Tar Heels are talented.

Scouts Inc.’s top 32 NFL Draft prospects for next year features three Tar Heels, including junior defensive end Robert Quinn, the No. 2 overall prospect. The defensive unit is expected to start seven seniors, three juniors and a lone underclassman in sophomore linebacker Kevin Reddick. And all this talent returns from a defense that ranked 13th out of all Division I teams in points per game allowed last season.

Intimidating, to be sure. But one crucial factor could throw a wrench in North Carolina’s ACC title hopes, and it’s not the threat of NCAA sanctions stemming from alleged agent tampering. It’s actually the other side of the ball—the Tar Heel offense.

As dominating as the Tar Heel defense was last season, the offense was that underwhelming. North Carolina ranked 83rd in the nation in scoring offense in 2009 and just 102nd in passing yards per game.

And as much as Tar Heel faithful might wish, one can’t win a scoreless football game.

But there is hope for the North Carolina attack, as the Tar Heels are experienced on that side of the ball as well. Quarterback T.J. Yates, wide receiver Greg Little and running backs Shaun Draughn and Ryan Houston are all seniors, while the offensive line is also anchored by a group of upperclassmen including junior Carl Gaskins and seniors Mike Ingersoll and Alan Pelc.

And the men in the trenches will be crucial for North Carolina, which is expected to rely on its two senior backs to anchor the offense. Draughn was averaging 4.6 yards a carry before an injury against Duke ended his junior campaign, while Houston accounted for nine touchdowns on the ground last season.

For the Tar Heels, defense might indeed win a championship this season—but only if the offense does its part.