Mack Brown addressed the media on Monday as the team gets prepared for Pittsburgh this weekend in hopes of turning this season around. The return of a couple of players to the lineup could help that cause.
Prior to Brown’s presser, a UNC spokesperson revealed that running back Darwin Barlow and edge rusher Kaimon Rucker are working their way back this week after missing each of the last four weeks with lower body injuries. The hope is that both will be available on Saturday, which would bolster both of those rooms.
Rucker’s return would be a massive boost for the Tar Heel defense which could use one after the last two weeks. The unit is in need of leadership and as we saw against James Madison, he is capable of being the vocal leader that can help rally the troops when adversity hits. He will also provide some needed pass rush opposite Des Evans, something this defense sorely needs after that group produced just three total pressures in the last two weeks.
Barlow’s return will be important for a backfield that is trying to limit the number of touches that Omarion Hampton takes in games moving forward after he was banged up again on Saturday. Barlow will provide a little more of a home run threat than current second-stringer Davion Gause and provides a reliable veteran option that can help this team be more run-heavy while limiting the workload on Hampton.
While those guys may return this week, it’ll be at least one more week before Christian Hamilton makes his return from a lower body injury. This likely means that we will see more rotation at that outside receiver spot opposite of J.J. Jones. Gavin Blackwell was the starter and played 57 snaps while true freshman Alex Taylor played a career-high 20 snaps.
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