"If the pocket breaks down, he's going to direct his wide receivers to a certain place, and he'll put the ball there," said UNC linebacker Doug Justice. "And he's not afraid to run around and get hit and then throw the ball or afraid to run.
"He's a great quarterback. He's got a great arm, and he's got great vision for where his receivers are going to be."
UNC's secondary has been much-maligned during the past several years but soon will be facing even more pressure due in large part to an inexperienced front seven.
No matter how well Michael Waddell, Dexter Reid & Co. play, they will get torched if the defensive line can't get to the mobile Roesthlisberger.
Regardless, they still are charged with the responsibility of shutting down a Miami offense that racked up 265.4 passing yards per game a season ago.
"We'll find out a heckuva lot about our secondary, if they can hold up against 'The Three Amigos,'" said UNC coach John Bunting, referring to the RedHawks' three wideouts.
But Roesthlisberger earned Bunting's highest praise. "I don't know if we face a better one on our schedule," he said. "I haven't thought about that yet, but he's pretty doggone good."
Final analysis/prediction: Regardless of how good Roesthlisberger is -- and how shaky the unproven UNC defense is -- this game will be about Darian Durant.
Now is the time for Durant to prove himself to fans, to his teammates and to his coaches in a game situation.
And don't think Miami's secondary, which returns two starters from a unit that is considered the team's biggest question mark, is going to stop Durant from putting up big numbers in his first game as the full-time starter.
Sure, UNC will give up a bunch of points on its own. But Durant and friends will make Tar Heel fans forget about the last time the RedHawks flew into Chapel Hill -- a 13-10 Miami win in the 1998 season opener.
UNC 31, Miami 28.
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-- Compiled by Ian Gordon
