The offensive side of the ball has a chance to be dynamite. The question may not be who is going to light the fuse, but will the fuse get lit? Another flip with the spatula says there is plenty of talent and athleticism, but there are holes that could effect the final measurement. Coaches will be working with nothing average. The off-season has played spin the bottle with much of the personnel. Just when you thought Darian Durant would be the future in Chapel Hill, with his great first year behind him that broke school freshman records for completions, TD passes, yards passing, and total offense while rotating with senior Ronald Curry, he announces in January that he is transferring. C.J. Stephens is handed the reigns, and then one month later Durant changes his mind and declares he is staying put, leaving the quarterback spot in great shape depth wise and talent wise. This might be one of the better one-two QB combinations out there. Then the drama heightens as starting tackle Greg Woofter does transfer. The best receiver Bosley Allen gets injured in the spring and then gets dismissed from the team. The roller coaster rides on. The receivers still have a steady mix with senior Sam Aiken leading the way as a sensational deep thread. Chesley Borders is another fine receiver outside the haystack to keep an eye one. Bosley Allen could have made this group one of the Top 10 units in the nation. His loss should sting. The top three rushers from last fall return led by Andre Williams. The armchair specialists are curious to see if one of them can step up and become the dip for the chip. Even with the loss of tackle Woofter, the front line just may be the strength of the team. One of our All-Name team players, Jupiter Wilson, has the size and gifts to take up the slack on the other side. It seems recruiting has put a premium on getting after blockers. That formula just might pay nice dividends for 2002 as some of the skill positions will need time to settle in.

Where should the analysis start? If preseason predictors were to look at the numbers on Carolina's defense, some might conclude on heckuva long season is in store for the Heels. Three starters back at best. The entire front has been dismantled from a year ago, which includes the best out there in Julius Peppers (see NFL draft) and Ryan Sims (see NFL draft). No way can that be reproduced. The only bonus may be that tackle Will Chapman should be ready for the start of the season following a knee injury. If he has trouble returning things could get ugly. Even more of a concern is the linebacking unit. Only one start between all the incumbents is available leaving an experience gap larger than a Kitty Hawk sand dune. Nailing down a starting lineup may prove difficult. Look for a hundred different experiments. A couple of defensive backs will need to find ways of handling the Elmer's. Cornerback Michael Waddell and free safety Dexter Reid will be called upon to be the glue. The other two backfield slots need new bodies. If Kevin Knight can elevate his game at corner, the results could be extremely positive. No buttering the corn, on paper the defensive backs are about the only positive aspect on the D. The front wall and middle grill are a definite project.