North Carolina 2005 Season | Team Page	Select Conference ACC Big East Big Ten Big 12 Conference USA Independents MAC Mountain West Pac-10 SEC Sun Belt WAC Select Team

Special Athlon offer for SI.com readers

The Lowdown 2006 Schedule Coach: John Bunting (6th season, 24-36) 2005 record: 5-6 ACC finish: 4-4 (4th Coastal) 2005 I-A offensive rankings: Rushing: 106th (101.5 ypg) Passing: 72nd (214.3 ypg) 2005 I-A defensive rankings: Rushing: 42nd (138.2 ypg) Passing: 49th (211.0 ypg) Date Opponent Sept. 2 Rutgers Sept. 9 Virginia Tech Sept. 16 Furman Sept. 23 at Clemson Oct. 7 at Miami Oct. 14 South Florida Oct. 19 at Virginia Oct. 28 Wake Forest Nov. 4 at Notre Dame Nov. 11 Georgia Tech Nov. 18 NC State Nov. 25 at Duke Depth Chart: Offense 5 returning starters in red Ps. No. Player Yr. No. Player Yr. WR 9 Jesse Holley Sr. 88 Brooks Foster So. WR 87 Brandon Tate So. 3 Kenton Thornton Fr. LT 65 Brian Chacos Sr. 67 Andre Barbour Fr. LG 77 Charlston Gray Jr. 79 Calvin Darity So. C 63 Ben Lemming So. 64 Scott Lenahan Jr. RG 72 Kyle Jolly Fr. 76 Bryon Bishop So. RT 73 Garrett Reynolds So. 71 Kendall High Sr. TE 86 Jon Hamlett Sr. 89 Richard Quinn So. QB 12 Joe Dailey Jr. 11 Cam Sexton Fr. FB 43 Nick Starcevic So. 36 Kennedy Tinsley Fr. TB 25 Ronnie McGill Sr. 32 Barrington Edwards Jr. Depth Chart: Defense 7 returning starters in red Ps. No. Player Yr. No. Player Yr. DE 42 Brian Rackley Sr. 33 Hilee Taylor Jr. DT 74 Kyndraus Guy Jr. 93 Cam Thomas Fr. DT 75 Shelton Bynum Sr. 94 Khalif Mitchell Jr. DE 90 Kentwan Balmer Jr. 58 Melik Brown Sr. SLB 32 Larry Edwards Sr. 56 Garrett White So. MLB 48 Durell Mapp Jr. 54 Victor Worsley Sr. WLB 44 Chase Rice So. 21 Martel Thatch Jr. CB 3 Quinton Person Jr. 35 Bryan Bethea Jr. CB 16 Jacoby Watkins Sr. 23 Jordan Hemby Fr. SS 31 Trimane Goddard Jr. 28 D.J. Walker Sr. FS 27 Kareen Taylor Sr. 20 Cooter Arnold So. Special Teams Ps. No. Player Yr. Ps. No. Player Yr. K 10 Connor Barth Jr. P 45 David Wooldridge Sr. PR 87 Brandon Tate So. PR 87 Brandon Tate So.

To order your 2006 Athlon Sports annual and receive $1 off plus free shipping courtesy of SI.com, click here.

John Bunting often likes to discuss North Carolina's place in what he calls "this new ACC." So it's fitting that in 2006, UNC's head coach will have three new faces on his coaching staff.

The Tar Heels played their first five years under Bunting with Gary Tranquill as their offensive coordinator. When Tranquill retired, Bunting hired Frank Cignetti from Fresno State to replace him. Bunting went back to Fresno State to hire Mark Weber as offensive line coach when Hal Hunter left for the NFL, and he tapped former Virginia Tech assistant Danny Pearman to be the defensive ends coach when Brad Lawing took a job at South Carolina.

UNC lost at least one key player from all three levels of its defense -- Tommy Davis and Chase Page up front, Tommy Richardson at linebacker and Cedrick Holt at cornerback -- but continues to add depth and speed each year.

That kind of progression is what Bunting needs if the Tar Heels are to continue their ascent in the expanded ACC. The Tar Heels are 9-7 against ACC opponents in the last two years, tied for the fourth-best record in league play since expansion.

OFFENSE

North Carolina will have a new offense and a new quarterback in 2006. The Tar Heels, who finished outside the nation's top 100 in yards and points per game last season, hope the new combination produces better results.

New coordinator Cignetti cites Tranquill as one of his mentors, so the offense won't be unrecognizable to UNC fans. But players during spring practice expressed excitement about more downfield passing and a more physical running game. The team also showed more formations than in years past.

Nebraska transfer Joe Dailey and redshirt freshman Cam Sexton are competing to be the team's starting quarterback. Dailey has the edge in running ability and experience, having started for one season at Nebraska, but Sexton is a better pure passer.

The Tar Heels lack experience and depth at wide receiver, having lost four of their top five targets on the outside from a year ago, but they have the potential for a strong running game with senior tailback Ronnie McGill and an experienced left side of the offensive line.

DEFENSE

The Tar Heels lack depth up front, but they have capable players in tackles Shelton Bynum and Kyndraus Guy and ends Brian Rackley and Kentwan Balmer.

Depth isn't as big an issue at linebacker, but experience is. Senior Larry Edwards, who tied for the team lead with 91 tackles last season, returns as the lone standout of the group.

The defense's best unit will likely be the secondary. Senior Jacoby Watkins enters his third year as a starter at cornerback after coming back from a broken right leg last season, while juniors Quinton Person and Bryan Bethea have starting experience at the other corner.

Those players flank a pair of playmaking safeties -- senior Kareen Taylor and junior Trimane Goddard. Taylor is the best blitzer on the Tar Heels' roster with 3.5 sacks last season. Goddard registered a team-high three interceptions despite starting only six games last year.

SPECIALISTS

UNC's kicking game is in good hands -- or on good feet -- this season. Junior Connor Barth, who made 14-of-18 field goals as a freshman, will look to bounce back from his 11-of-21 performance last season. Senior David Wooldridge is back for his third season as UNC's primary punter.

Sophomore Brandon Tate was the ACC's No. 2 kickoff returner and No. 3 punt returner last season.

FINAL ANALYSIS

With three new assistant coaches players say they sense a buzz and positive aura around the program. Whether that feeling turns into victories remains to be seen.

At least the Tar Heels finally have a manageable schedule. After enduring one of the nation's toughest schedules each of the last two seasons, UNC opens 2006 with three consecutive home games and plays seven of 12 games at Kenan Stadium.

The team isn't in position to contend for the ACC title, but six or seven victories and a bowl trip are realistic possibilities.