North Carolina Football is Face Down in Tobacco Road. Is Butch Davis the Answer?

Davis has already made an impact and that is on the recruiting trail, where Davis inked the greatest gridiron recruiting class in Tar Heels history, a school used to such hauls in basketball, but not football.

Who will be the starting North Carolina quarterback in '07? T.J. Yates appears to be the guy with Cameron Sexton and B.J. Phillips in hot pursuit. Toting the football for the Tar Heels will likely be a trio of talented backs who have created somewhat of a logjam at the position. Richie Rich, Johnny White, and Anthony Elzy appear to be the leading candidates for UNC. North Carolina must get some production from this group to help ease the transition of a new signal-caller.

North Carolina's best player may indeed by wide receiver, Hakeem Nicks, who returns after catching 39 passes for almost 700 yards for UNC in 2006. Brandon Tate and Joe Dailey are fighting it out to see who mans the other wideout spot opposite of Nicks.

Up front the Tar Heels are in great shape along the right side of their line with Garrett Reynolds and Calvin Darity at tackle and guard respectively for UNC. Scott Lenahan returns at center, so things appear set for North Carolina on the right. It's the left side of the line where there is concern as Ben Lemming appears to be the leader for the left guard spot with Kyle Jolly at tackle.

Only four starters return for UNC on defense. Things do look promising up front where Hilee Taylor and Kentwan Balmer return to cause havoc. Both run well to the football. Look for true freshman Marvin Austin, one of the top 5 recruits in the country, to play a factor in the 2007 season for the Tar Heels.

UNC has some work to do in their linebacker corps as only Durrell Mall returns. He will likely be joined by Chase Rice and Wesley Flagg. There is also much work that needs to be done in the secondary where Jermaine Strong returns to man one CB spot with Kendric Burney aiming for the opposite post. Shaun Draughn and Trimane Goddard are the likely new safeties for North Carolina.