CHAPEL HILL - If there is one word to describe North Carolina’s defense during the 2023 football season, it would be inconsistent.

The Tar Heels opened the campaign with a strong performance against South Carolina, allowing just 17 points, while tallying 16 tackles for loss, including nine sacks. Both marks were season-highs.

Under Gene Chizik, the Carolina defense only held Minnesota and Syracuse to under 14 points en route to a 6-0 start before a disastrous back half of the schedule. The Tar Heels surrendered 30 or more points in five of their final six contests, including a season-high 46 in a loss to Georgia Tech.

With the departure of Chizik and implementation of new defensive coordinator Geoff Collins’ system, UNC is expecting improvement on that side of the ball, particularly up front.

The defensive line combined for 17 TFLs and 10 sacks last season, as the team total of 28 sacks ranked tied for 46th in the country.

Anchored by end Des Evans, the defensive front brings back a plethora of familiar faces, many of whom have taken great strides since the loss in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl against West Virginia.

Evans finished his fourth campaign with 33 tackles, including five TFLs and three sacks. The 6-foot-6.5, 270-pound lineman added in 17 hurries, batted three passes, and finished with a PFF grade of 65.3.

“One of the guys I think is emerging is Des Evans,” said UNC Coach Mack Brown. “As a presence, as a leader, he’s playing really hard. He had a tremendous offseason. He’s liked and respected by all the guys.”

As Evans has carved a consistent role up front, he’s expected to be joined by multiple Tar Heels who have seen their games evolve this offseason.

That includes Travis Shaw, a former 5-star recruit, who has appeared in 25 games over his first two seasons in Chapel Hill.

Shaw saw a decline in production as a sophomore, while playing just 133 snaps and seeing no more than 10 snaps in North Carolina’s last six games against FBS opponents. He finished with a PFF grade of 52, which ranked 43rd among defensive performers under Chizik.

However, Shaw appears to be molding into the heralded player heading into his third season with the Tar Heels.

“He’s dialed-in, he’s a great young man, he’s a great player,” said Collins. “But he’s actually playing the game the right way right now. Preparing at a high level, studying the schematics that we’re doing, and I’m really proud of him.”

His performance has not gone unnoticed, as his fellow defensive linemen have witnessed his growth behind the scenes.

“His work ethic has really taken off. I’m really proud of Travis because coming in as a young guy, we all know we’re gonna have our ups and downs, but he’s been taking off,” said senior lineman Jahvaree Ritzie. “He’s about to blow up this year and I truly believe it.”

Playing alongside Shaw at end is redshirt sophomore Beau Atkinson, who appeared in all 13 last fall. He recorded 19 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and a forced fumble, but most importantly had a PFF grade of 73.8, which ranked fourth among Tar Heels who played 100 or more snaps.

With Atkinson’s expected continued growth, Ritzie and Kevin Hester will provide much needed support on the defensive line.

“I think Jahvaree Ritzie’s playing at a really high level. Kevin Hester is playing at a really high level, too,” said Collins. “He’s a very strong physical human, and he’s doing a really good job for us in the middle.”

Starting and playing in 12 games, Hester saw action on 411 snaps last season for Carolina, tallying 30 tackles and a fumble recovery as a senior. He secured a 62.3 PFF grade, but was important for the Tar Heels in the run game, where he earned a 69.5 grade, which ranked second among the defensive line.

For Ritzie, the 2023 campaign was statistically the most underwhelming of his three seasons in Chapel Hill, recording a PFF grade of 49.1, which fell 12.8 points from the 2022 season.

But, with Collins taking over, he has a more defined and understood role.

As the five aforementioned Tar Heels will see the most time up front on the defensive line, a big question mark remains about their depth.

To help mitigate any potential concerns, Brown and the UNC football staff hit the transfer portal following spring practice, where they landed former NC State and Ole Miss defensive tackle Joshua Harris.

Harris spent four seasons with the Wolfpack and last season with the Rebels, where he appeared in all 13 contests and played 136 snaps. For his career, Harris has appeared in 51 games, where he has tallied 522 snaps and 60 tackles.

As the sixth-year defender looks to bring experience up front, it may be the youth that the Tar Heels turn to on the defensive line.

According to Evans, one redshirt freshman has entered his name into the conversation.

“Joel (Starlings), he’s made a quantum leap from last year,” said Evans. “I ain’t gonna lie, I really didn’t think he was going to be able to play this season. But what he showed in spring ball, he can really do it.”

Starlings played just one snap as a true freshman, which came in a blowout win over Campbell.

Fellow redshirt freshman Rodney Lora has impressed entering his second season. Like Starlings, Lora’s lone appearance came against Campbell, where he recorded a respectable PFF grade of 67.7.

Replacing Myles Murphy, who signed with the Arizona Cardinals following the 2024 NFL Draft, will require a collaborative effort, but North Carolina is confident with where its unit currently stands.

As their experience will look to guide an improved defense in Collins’ first season, the Tar Heels will be tested right away in their season opener at Minnesota on Aug. 29.