Sep 26, 2015; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Mitch Trubisky (10) celebrates in the end zone with wide receiver Jordan Fieulleteau (88) and offensive tackle Jon Heck (71) after throwing a touchdown pass to wide receiver Ryan Switzer (3) (not pictured) in the fourth quarter. The Tar Heels defeated the Delaware Fightin Blue Hens 41-14 at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Photo Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
If North Carolina was hoping to get some indication of how much its run defense may have improved since the late-season collapse a year ago, the Tar Heels couldn’t have asked for any better measure than what they figure to get when they take on Georgia Saturday in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff game in the Georgia Dome.
Coach Kirby Smart has pronounced the 18th-ranked Bulldogs’ star running back, Nick Chubb, recovered from the knee injury that sidelined him at midseason last year and ready for the opener against the No. 22 Tar Heels (ESPN, 5:30 p.m. ET).
“We feel good about Nick,” Smart said. “He feels great is ready to go. He won’t be on a pitch count by any means.”
Chubb has rushed for nearly 2,300 yards in just 14 career starts over the last two seasons and will be an immediate challenge for North Carolina. The Tar Heels defense gave up 319 yards on the ground in their loss to Clemson in the ACC title game and a whopping 645 to Baylor in their bowl loss.
“I definitely think that’s something that teams are going to test us on, because of how we played in the Baylor game, and some of the games we had last year where running backs were able to get leaky yardage,” junior linebacker Cayson Collins said, “leaky yardage” being defensive coordinator Gene Chizik’s term for yards after contact. “We had that a lot last year, so that’s something we want to cut back on.”
North Carolina will be starting a new quarterback when junior Mitch Trubisky takes over for Marquise Williams after serving as Williams’ backup the last two years, but Georgia’s Kirby Smart is playing it coy when it comes to who will start for the Bulldogs at the position.
Senior Greyson Lambert, who started off-and-on last season, and highly-touted freshman quarterback Jacob Eason are the two leading candidates. Media reports indicate Eason is the favorite, but Smart said no decision has been made.
“No starter has been named,” Smart told reporters. “We’ll continue to practice guys and get those guys ready and when it does, we’ll let you guys know.”
Lambert threw 12 interceptions with two interceptions last season, but struggled against quality competition. The Georgia faithful are eager to see Eason, who was one of the top pro-style quarterback recruits in the 2016 recruiting class. But at least early in the week, Smart is playing it close to the vest.
“We’re going to see how it goes,” Smart said. “First thing we have to do is figure out who’s taking the first snap before we worry about the next guy coming in.
“I think it’ll reveal itself the next couple of days. Continue getting those guys reps and get both of them ready to play — that’s the plan.”
