The number of healthy bodies available to the North Carolina secondary continued to dwindle Monday, when it announced that redshirt freshman cornerback Terry Shankle tore his left ACL against William & Mary and will miss the remainder of the season.
Shankle’s absence this Saturday against Florida State will make him the 30th scholarship player to miss a game this year due to injury or the NCAA and University’s investigations.
The ACL tear comes on the heels of injuries sustained by fellow cornerbacks Tre Boston and Mywan Jackson that kept the pair out against William & Mary.
UNC coach Butch Davis said he did not know whether Jackson or Boston would be available to play in Tallahassee.
“I think that Terry represents, I believe (team spokesman) Kevin (Best) said, the fifth corner that we’re without this season,” Davis said. “There’s not very many schools in the country where you start getting into your sixth, seventh and eighth corner in a very good position.”
The lack of depth in the defensive backfield means the Tar Heels might not be able to run certain nickel and dime packages, which use five and six defensive backs, respectively.
Davis said he has considered moving players to cornerback or employing players he was planning to redshirt, but that it was most important for the players he’s been using to perform to the best of their abilities.
“Guys need to be more consistent,” Davis said. “It’s not good enough to just be good sporadically within a game, or within one game, have two games where you’re a pretty solid player, disappear for a game. Some guys are going to have to step up and take ownership and responsibility for performing well and playing well.”
This will be especially true against a Florida State team that boasts the third-most prolific offense in the ACC.
