Elon
N/A0-0
North Carolina
2nd ACC8-4
Elon @ North Carolina preview
Kenan Memorial Stadium
North Carolina begins the Larry Fedora era by playing nearby Elon for
the first time. Fedora, who went 34-19 in four seasons at Southern
Mississippi, took the Golden Eagles to four straight Bowl games and won
two. The Tar Heels have some talented skill-position players to help
Fedora’s fast-paced spread offense click. Quarterback Bryn Renner
completed 68.3 percent of his passes in 2011 and running back Giovani
Bernard rushed for 1,253 yards and 13 touchdowns as a freshman. The Tar
Heels' defense, with six starters back, will have to contend with Elon’s
high-octane passing attack led by quarterback Thomas Wilson and FCS
All-American wide receiver Aaron Mellette. The Phoenix did lose four of
their last five games last season. The schools are less than 40 miles
apart.
TV: 12:30 p.m. ET, ACC Network, ESPN3. LINE: None
ELON (2011: 5-6, 3-5 Southern): The biggest reasons why the Phoenix could not build on a 4-2 start in coach Jason Swepson’s first season were a defense that allowed 32 points per game and a turnover margin of minus-2. Elon also allowed more than 190 yards rushing per game in 2011. Without any experienced running backs, the Phoenix will depend on Wilson and Mellette again. Wilson passed for 3,057 yards while Mellette averaged 10.27 catches and 149 yards receiving per contest, finishing fifth in the voting for the Walter Payton Award as the top FCS player.
NORTH CAROLINA (2011: 7-6, 3-5 ACC): Renner was ranked 10th in the nation in passing efficiency last season, throwing for 3,086 yards and 26 touchdowns. That fits nicely with Fedora’s offense, which produced almost 37 points and 461.4 yards per game in 2011. The Tar Heels will have to protect him better after allowing more than two sacks per game. Bernard rushed for less than 50 yards in four of his last six games as a freshman, but averaged 5.2 yards per carry overall and had 45 receptions. Erik Highsmith is expected to be the top target after catching 51 passes for 726 yards. The defense, switching to a 4-2-5 system, lost some key performers to the NFL, including end Quinton Coples.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Casey Barth, who missed almost all of 2011 with a leg injury, is back to handle the place-kicking duties for Carolina.
2. Swepson was a former running backs coach at North Carolina State and Boston College.
3. The Tar Heels face a one-year postseason ban for improper benefits and academic misconduct.
PREDICTION: North Carolina 34, Elon 10
TV: 12:30 p.m. ET, ACC Network, ESPN3. LINE: None
ELON (2011: 5-6, 3-5 Southern): The biggest reasons why the Phoenix could not build on a 4-2 start in coach Jason Swepson’s first season were a defense that allowed 32 points per game and a turnover margin of minus-2. Elon also allowed more than 190 yards rushing per game in 2011. Without any experienced running backs, the Phoenix will depend on Wilson and Mellette again. Wilson passed for 3,057 yards while Mellette averaged 10.27 catches and 149 yards receiving per contest, finishing fifth in the voting for the Walter Payton Award as the top FCS player.
NORTH CAROLINA (2011: 7-6, 3-5 ACC): Renner was ranked 10th in the nation in passing efficiency last season, throwing for 3,086 yards and 26 touchdowns. That fits nicely with Fedora’s offense, which produced almost 37 points and 461.4 yards per game in 2011. The Tar Heels will have to protect him better after allowing more than two sacks per game. Bernard rushed for less than 50 yards in four of his last six games as a freshman, but averaged 5.2 yards per carry overall and had 45 receptions. Erik Highsmith is expected to be the top target after catching 51 passes for 726 yards. The defense, switching to a 4-2-5 system, lost some key performers to the NFL, including end Quinton Coples.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Casey Barth, who missed almost all of 2011 with a leg injury, is back to handle the place-kicking duties for Carolina.
2. Swepson was a former running backs coach at North Carolina State and Boston College.
3. The Tar Heels face a one-year postseason ban for improper benefits and academic misconduct.
PREDICTION: North Carolina 34, Elon 10