Tar Heels’ offensive line struggles with injuries

Greg Elleby wasn’t supposed to be here.

The junior spent two years playing defensive line for North Carolina but switched this offseason to the offensive line. The plan was for Elleby to learn the position and earn playing time as the season progressed.

But now, five games into the season, Elleby already has three starts under his belt at a position he first played last spring.

“I think he’s done very well in a short amount of time,” coach Butch Davis said. “You’d love for him to not have to have gotten the baptism of fire of going out there and having to start. You’d like to be able to put him in some comfortable situations and let him grow and develop.”

Elleby’s story is indicative of the struggles of North Carolina’s offensive line.

The unit returned three of five starters to open the season, and North Carolina started training camp with 16 offensive linemen.

But injuries have taken a heavy toll on the unit, and UNC’s protection and running game have both suffered. The Tar Heels rank 10th in the ACC in rushing offense, eighth in passing offense and dead last in scoring offense.

First, Aaron Stahl, who at the time was a redshirt senior, graduated and elected to forego his final year of eligibility.

Then sophomore Kevin Bryant left the team after he was charged with misdemeanor assault.

Add to that the injuries to Carl Gaskins (out for the season with a torn MCL), Lowell Dyer (out the last four games with a strained shoulder) and Jonathan Cooper (out the last two games with a sprained ankle).

When Kyle Jolly left the field during the fourth quarter of UNC’s 16-3 loss to Virginia with a sprained ankle, the situation started to look downright precarious.

The current North Carolina roster features 14 offensive linemen, of whom four are freshmen, and only 11 were available for action last week.

Only four of UNC’s active linemen had seen game action before this season.

All that adds up to make the UNC coaching staff look foresighted for switching Elleby to the offensive line.

“I think a lot of the time that you do switch people, it’s born out of necessity, that there’s a need,” Davis said. “And clearly, obviously, the need has manifested itself throughout the course of this entire season that we were going to need some help on the offensive line.

“It was very fortuitous, or we were very lucky.”


Contact the Sports editor at sports@unc.edu.