Malik Hornsby’s commitment to Carolina was the big focal point around Tar Heel football this week, along with the announcement of three game times for this upcoming 2019 season. With two storyline capturing your attention, here are some of the other storylines you may have missed.
Two Major Defensive End Targets Release Top Schools
The 2020 class has hit that point where many players are beginning to release their top schools as they close in on early decisions. Two major Tar Heel defensive end targets were amongst the group that did just that earlier this week. 4✮ SDE Myles Murphy narrowed his lengthy list down to five on Tuesday night. The Tar Heels are the only in-state team left in the battle for his services, but they will have to battle off four SEC teams to land the Dudley High School product. 3✮ SDE A.J. Beatty cut his list to seven on Friday afternoon and the Tar Heels join an interesting group of candidates that will battle down the stretch for his services. Carolina and rival NC State are the two ACC teams in the race, while four other Power 5 programs and non-Power 5 powerhouse Central Florida also are amongst the seven. The Heels are in solid standing with both players and should be in the races until the end.
Kyle Wright and Kayne Roberts Find Transfer Destinations
The two linebackers, who announced their transfer intentions the Monday following the spring game, have found their new teams. Wright, a former 3✮ ILB in the 2018 class, will head to Georgia State following a true freshman season where he held a special teams role a year ago for the Heels. Wright would have to sit out this season if he doesn’t apply for a waiver, but it seems likely he will and he would likely receive clearance due to the coaching change. Kayne Roberts, on the other hand, will be eligible immediately, as he announced he will be heading to Tennessee-Chattanooga on Monday. Roberts, a 2✮ ATH in the 2017 class, was never able to establish a role in Chapel Hill, bouncing between linebacker and running back in his time on campus. Both players are immediately expected to have bigger roles at their new locations.
2019 UR PRO Vincent Amendola Commits to Carolina as a PWO
Many Tar Heel fans know that the quarterback room for the 2020 season got stronger earlier this week, but what many may have missed was the Tar Heels adding reinforcement to the 2019 quarterback group. 2019 UR PRO Vincent Amendola announced his commitment to Carolina as a preferred walk-on on Friday afternoon. As a senior last year at Leesville Road High School in Raleigh, NC, Amendola completed 227 of 363 passes for 3,087 yards and finished with a 21-5 TD-INT ratio. Amendola missed his all but one game of his junior year because of injury, but got his career off to a solid start as a sophomore, completing 152 of his 234 for 1,698 yards and posted a 17-15 TD-INT ratio. Amendola will be the only walk-on on the roster at quarterback for this season and will sit behind the three freshmen who are battling for the starting job.