Week 7 marks the halfway point of the college football season, and the North Carolina Tar Heels have an important game on tap against the Duke Blue Devils.
Both teams enter Saturday's contest with an above-.500 record, as the Tar Heels are 3-2, while the Blue Devils are 4-1. These teams are also evenly matched, with both sides possessing clear strengths and weaknesses. It will make for a compelling game, as North Carolina and Duke are each striving for postseason play. A win for the Tar Heels would be monumental in achieving that goal that escaped them last season. With that in mind, here are three North Carolina players to watch.
Billy Edwards Jr.
The veteran quarterback has been underwhelming in his first five starts, compiling 1,069 passing yards, eight touchdowns, and five interceptions, while completing 59.8 percent of his attempts. That's discouraging production for a six-year quarterback.
Additionally, Edwards Jr. has thrown two interceptions in each of the last two games. Luckily for the Wisconsin transfer, Duke's defense can be exposed in the passing game. On the other hand, Edwards Jr. was in a plus matchup against Pittsburgh's leaky pass defense. It's been five games, and Tar Heel fans are still waiting for Edwards Jr. to play a full four quarters. Saturday is his chance to flip the narrative.
Benjamin Hall
Suspect play from Edwards Jr. amplifies the importance of the run game. Over the last two weeks - against Notre Dame and Pittsburgh - Hall has been bottled up for 61 rushing yards on 22 carries. His lack of production and efficiency has been reflected in the offensive struggles.
For Edwards Jr. to operate at a higher level, he needs a serviceable run game, which hasn't been the case in recent outings. Hall isn't entirely at fault for his struggles, as he's faced two of the best run defenses. Also, due to Edwards Jr.'s struggles, defenses have been loading the box, suffocating any avenues for Hall and the rest of the backfield to exploit.
Xavier Lewis
Nate Sheppard, who is nursing an ankle injury, has established himself as one of the best running backs in the country and is the catalyst for Duke's offense. The Tar Heels have been abysmal at stopping the run this season, allowing 152 yards per game on the ground.
North Carolina is also dealing with injuries across the defensive line, which is problematic when it already struggles against the Run. Lewis has been utterly dominant through the first five games, recording 28 tackles and 6.5 sacks. His impact along the interior of the defensive line will be something to watch for in Saturday's contest against the Blue Devils.
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