Heel Tough Blog: Stanford Preview
- Anthony Pagnotta
- 2 days ago
- 7 min read
Momentum is on the Tar Heels side following their first win over a power conference team under the direction of Bill Belichick and the team will look to build upon that on Saturday in Kenan Stadium against the Stanford Cardinal. Here’s everything you need to know for this important matchup that could keep the Tar Heels bowl game hopes alive.
Team Breakdowns
Tar Heels
The team has found its footing after a rough start to the season on both sides of the ball. Offensively, the team has started to move the ball more consistently in between the 20s, but still has its moments in the red zone where it leaves you disappointed. Quarterback Gio Lopez has settled into a decent groove over the last two weeks in the short and intermediate passing games and is making enough plays to win the team games if they don’t turn it over. He’s found his top two targets in the form of Jordan Shipp and Kobe Paysour, who have both done a better job in the last few weeks at creating separation, something you need to get for Lopez. If they could get another target to emerge from this duo, that would help take this offense to another, but that is far from a guarantee right now. The good news is that the team has a running game it can rely on if they utilize it the right way. True freshman Demon June is the guy that should be taking the bulk of the carries for the team after the big performances that he has put together at times this year. Davion Gause has shown he is a capable backup that feels like the perfect spell to June and should see the second most carries, but the staff is determined to use Benjamin Hall and will probably do so again in this game. The offensive line will have to do some shifting after the news that Chad Lindberg is likely to miss the rest of the season with an arm injury, but the group showed plenty of promise in the last 41 snaps of the game. UAB transfer Jordan Hall and Alabama transfer Miles McVay will be counted on along with the team’s normal group of starters down the stretch to continue providing the push that they have up front in recent games that has allowed this team to succeed the way it has.
On the other side of the ball, Stephen Belichick’s unit has been outstanding in the last few weeks. The run defense has been really solid for most of the year, but it has gone to a different level in the last few weeks. It all starts with the interior of the defensive line where the four-man rotation of Leroy Jackson, Isaiah Johnson, C.J. Mims and D’Antre Robinson are making life difficult for those opposing run games. The edge rush group is doing a good job of sealing the edge in the run game, as well, but where they have really taken a step is as a pass rush group. Melkart Abou-Jaoude has 5.0 sacks in the last two games and Tyler Thompson has a sack in each of the last three games, leading the way for a group that is teeing off because of the success that the team is having on 1st and 2nd down. At linebacker, life has been made easier for guys like Andrew Simpson, Khmori House and Mikai Gbayor, but they are still making plays when they have to in the run game and have held their own in pass coverage. The defensive backfield weakness has benefited from the increased production up front and has more than held their own without Thaddeus Dixon, who’s been out since suffering an upper body injury against Clemson. Sophomores Jaiden Patterson and Jalon Thompson have stepped into the lineup and played well and safety Will Hardy has been better after getting picked on early in the season.
The special teams unit has been steadily improving since the season began. Punter Tom Maginness is having a career year and kicker Rece Verhoff has been serviceable so far. The return games may not be ripping off huge gains but they aren’t hurting the team either.
Stanford
The Cardinal come into Chapel Hill in a similar spot to where Syracuse was entering last week. Because of turnover issues from starting quarterback Ben Gulbranson the team has decided to turn to backup Elijah Brown to see if they can find more consistency and ball security from the position. He will have a pretty solid pass catching group to throw to with three players that have over 400 receiving yards, including tight end Sam Roush, who will test the middle of the field for the Tar Heel defense. As for the run game, they have struggled to find any sort of consistent success, but Micah Ford and Cole Tabb have picked up a decent amount of yards after first contact. The Stanford offensive line might just be the worst in the conference with how bad they have been in both run and pass blocking scenarios. The Tar Heels should be able to tee off once again against this unit unless something drastic changes.
Defensively, the Cardinal aren’t in the best spot either. While they might not be terrible in run defense, the team has been picked on all season long by opposing pass games. It starts up front where there have been inconsistencies rushing, including from Clay Patterson who anchors the unit. In the secondary, the safeties have been attacked all season long and even the corners have had their ups and downs. The linebacker spot is the strength of this unit, led by Matt Rose, who is one of the more underrated players at the position in the conference.
Special teams is in pretty good shape for the Cardinal heading into this game. Kicker Emmet Kenney is one of the most accurate field goal kickers in college football this year, while punter Aidan Flintoft is having a good year punting. The return game hasn’t produced any explosive returns, but it doesn’t appear to be hurting them either.
Team Stats
Tar Heels
Off. PPG: 19.4 (T-121st)
Off. PYPG: 174.9 (116th)
Off. RYPG: 123.3 (110th)
Off. TYPG: 298.1 (128th)
Off. 3rd Down %: 32.4% (126th)
Off. 4th Down %: 76.9% (T-5th)
Off. Red Zone TD%: 50.0% (115th)
Tackles For A Loss Allowed: 42.0 (T-57th)
Sacks Allowed: 11.0 (T-26th)
Def. PPG: 22.1 (T-49th)
Def. PYPG: 210.5 (55th)
Def. RYPG: 110.9 (25th)
Def. TYPG: 321.4 (30th)
Def. 3rd Down %: 39.3% (77th)
Def. 4th Down %: 66.7% (T-117th)
Def. Red Zone TD%: 37.0% (3rd)
Tackles for A Loss: 43.0 (T-89th)
Sacks: 18.0 (T-53rd)
Interceptions: 5 (T-80th)
Turnover Margin: -4 (T-107th)
Penalties Per Game: 5.1 (T-30th)
Penalty Yards Per Game: 50.1 (T-47th)
Stanford
Off. PPG: 17.8 (127th)
Off. PYPG: 225.7 (77th)
Off. RYPG: 81.4 (133rd)
Off. TYPG: 307.1 (125th)
Off. 3rd Down %: 34.4% (116th)
Off. 4th Down %: 55.6% (T-68th)
Off. Red Zone TD%: 46.4% (124th)
Tackles For A Loss Allowed: 54.0 (T-113th)
Sacks Allowed: 29.0 (T-128th)
Def. PPG: 30.1 (T-107th)
Def. PYPG: 293.6 (134th)
Def. RYPG: 131.3 (46th)
Def. TYPG: 424.9 (119th)
Def. 3rd Down %: 40.0% (T-83rd)
Def. 4th Down %: 55.6% (T-76th)
Def. Red Zone TD%: 47.9% (14th)
Tackles for A Loss: 37.0 (T-115th)
Sacks: 16.0 (T-78th)
Interceptions: 3 (T-118th)
Turnover Margin: -5 (T-112th)
Penalties Per Game: 6.1 (T-59th)
Penalty Yards Per Game: 56.2 (77th)
Keys to the Game
-Get Pressure on the Quarterback
-Take Care of the Football
-Set the Table with the Run
Injury Report
Tar Heels
OUT- Aidan Banfield (undisclosed), Evan Bennett (undisclosed), Thaddeus Dixon (upper body), Cort Halsey (undisclosed), Tyler Houser (undisclosed), Chad Lindberg (arm), Deems May (undisclosed), Chinedu Onyeagoro (undisclosed), Kamarion Thomas (undisclosed), Laderion Williams (undisclosed)
QUEST- Christo Kelly (undisclosed)
PROB- Connor Cox (undisclosed), Benjamin Hall (undisclosed)
Stanford
OUT- Tuna Altahir (undisclosed), Wilfredo Aybar (undisclosed), Nick Fattig (undisclosed), R.J. Gaskins (undisclosed), JonAnthony Hall (undisclosed), Jack Leyer (undisclosed), Nathan Mejia (undisclosed), Jordan Onovughe (undisclosed), Simione Pale (undisclosed), David Pantelis (undisclosed), Javion Randall (undisclosed), Cam Richardson (undisclosed)
Projected Starting Lineup
Tar Heels
Offense
QB# 7 Gio Lopez, So.
RB#12 Demon June, Fr.
WR-X# 1 Jordan Shipp, So.
WR-Z# 3 Chris Culliver, Jr.
TE#19 Jake Johnson, Jr.
LT#66 Jordan Hall, So.
LG#73 Will O’Steen, Sr.
C#58 Austin Blaske, Sr., Sr.
RG#52 Daniel King, Sr.
RT#55 Jakai Moore, Sr.
Defense
DE# 8 Smith Vilbert, Sr.
DT# 6 D’Antre Robinson, So.
DT#92 CJ Mims, Jr.
DE# 9 Melkart Abu-Jaoude, Jr.
WLB# 7 Khmori House, So.
MLB# 2 Andrew Simpson, Sr.
CB#18 Jaiden Patterson, So.
SS# 5 Gavin Gibson, Sr.
FS#31 Will Hardy, Sr.
CB#29 Marcus Allen, Sr.
NB#21 Kaleb Cost, Jr.
Special Teams
PK#90 Rece Verhoff, Sr.
P#96 Tom Maginness, Sr.
KOS#90 Rece Verhoff, Sr.
LS#42 Spencer Triplett, Sr.
H#96 Tom Maginness, Jr.
KR#27 Jaylen McGill, Fr.
PR#31 Will Hardy, Sr.
Stanford
Offense
QB# 2 Elijah Brown, RFr.
RB#20 Micah Ford, So.
WR-X# 3 CJ Williams, Sr.
WR-Z#11 Bryce Farrell, Sr.
WR-SL# 0 Caden High, Jr.
TE#86 Sam Roush, Sr.
LT#66 Nick Prongos, Jr.
LG#62 Josh Williams, Fr.
C#74 Fisher Anderson, Jr.
RG#71 Emeka Ugorji, Fr.
RT#58 Kahlil House, So.
Defense
LDE#94 Anthony Franklin, Sr.
NT#97 Zach Rowell, Jr.
RDE#91 Clay Patterson, Gr.
LOLB#11 Tevarua Tafiti, Jr.
LILB#35 Matt Rose, Jr.
RILB# 0 Jahsiah Galvan, Jr.
ROLB#44 Ernest Cooper, Jr.
LCB#22 Che Ojarikre, So.
SS# 5 Jay Green, Jr.
FS#32 Mitch Leigber, Sr.
RCB# 6 Collin Wright, Jr.
Special Teams
PK#13 Emmet Kenney, Sr.
P#37 Aidan Flintoft, Jr.
KOS#13 Emmet Kenney, Sr.
LS#93 Peyton Warford, Sr.
H#37 Aidan Flintoft, Jr.
KR# 0 Caden High, Jr.
PR#13 Liam Thorpe, Fr.
Game Information
Kickoff Time: 4:30 PM ET
TV: The CW
Radio: Tar Heel Sports Network