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CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina has a similar problem heading into the 2023 football season it had throughout the 2022 campaign, and it could prove problematic if either Cedric Gray or Power Echols cannot perform.

The Tar Heels have no experience behind their starting inside linebackers, just like a year ago, and if either get hurt, the team could be in trouble.

There is one difference, however, as the current roster has more bodies in that group than a year ago. Last season, 205-pound RaRa Dillworth and true freshman Deuce Caldwell, who arrived in the summer and was trying to catch up most of the season, were the only backups once true freshman Sebastian Cheeks was injured and lost for the season in September.

Now, UNC has several players there, it’s just that none have any experience aside from the 15 snaps by Caldwell and three by Cheeks. That’s it, and it concerns Carolina Coach Mack Brown.

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“We can’t ask Ced and Power to play every play,” UNC Coach Mack Brown said. “I was so afraid as a head coach every game if they get a targeting call or get hurt, we just didn’t have much experience behind them. So, we’ve got to get that fixed.”

Fortunately for UNC, Gray and Echols remained healthy all year, and they racked up the snaps. Gray played 985 and led the team with 145 tackles. Echols played 871 snaps and was second in tackles with 103 tackles.

Cheeks remained limited in spring practice, but should be a full-go when fall camp starts in August, and it’s expected he will be the first guy off the bench if something happens for Gray or Echols, both of whom are clear NFL prospects.

Caldwell had a good spring, perhaps taking a few more steps forward than the staff initially anticipated. The others, however, are true freshmen. Michael Short and Amare Campbell enrolled early and Caleb Lavalee arrived in June.

If looking for someone to break out from their performance level a year ago, perhaps Caldwell is a good bet. His field time was limited, but the players saw him every day in practice then and in the spring. Echols said there was a major difference.

“He’s picking it up, he’s understanding the scheme and things,” he said. “He’s just flying around. He’s a dude, man. He’s got a long way to go, but he continues to get better every day.”

The effect of not having any depth there also hurts special teams, Brown says. NFL-potential players like playing special teams because it can help them make rosters at the next level and stay there, as former Tar Heels receiver Mack Hollins can attest to. Plus, Brown wants to elevate special teams to among the best in the nation. Starters simply make for more effective special teams units.

UNC made considerable progress there in most units last fall, but has room to grow. Having players like Gray and Echols on some units will help the Heels elevate a full notch across the board.

“We didn’t have any depth, and that made it really hard for special teams,” Brown said. “So, we’ve got to get a bigger room there.”

Cheeks, however, is the X-factor.

A 4-star prospect from Evanston, IL, he arrived in Chapel Hill ready to contribute. Without the injury, he could have been a huge third piece in that room by last August, and he still could develop into that guy.

Cheeks got in plenty of physical and mental reps this spring, but no contact. That will come later this summer in fall camp. That said. he has caught the eye of Echols.

“Sebastian is going a great job,” Echols said, also agreeing he has made significant progress.

As long as Gray and Echols remain healthy, UNC will have one of the better linebacker corps in the ACC. But if either goes down, the Heels will have a giant question mark at the position.