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Special teams play has played an important role in the past two meetings between UNC and Virginia Tech. Two years ago in Chapel Hill, North Carolina blocked a Hokies punt that set up an exciting finish in which the Tar Heels nearly sprang the upset.
Last season in Blacksburg, Virginia Tech blocked a UNC field goal attempt.
“Everybody is a little different on special teams,” Bunting said. “Right now, their kicker is kicking the ball out of the park, so that certainly helps their kickoff coverage. They’re also a team that has toyed around with a block, in bringing people off the edges and bringing what we call the jammers in off the gunners' head. They’re a team that makes you nervous, so you better to be prepared for anything that can possibly happen. That’s the whole plan: to be extremely alert to what they’re doing, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them do something new.”
Bunting said he intends to keep the same starting corps at linebacker this Saturday, with Larry Edwards at SAM, Mark Paschal at MIKE and Chase Rice at WILL. But that could change between now and game time, especially if Durell Mapp and Victor Worsley continue to perform well this week in practice.
“We will certainly see Victor Worsley play; and we will see Durell Mapp play more, because he’s practicing more. He hasn’t practiced all summer and he’s now practicing. Hopefully we’ll get him more involved in our defensive arrangement,” Bunting said.
Finally, for the obligatory Terry Hunter update; and to dispel rumors that the former UNC defensive tackle may already be practicing with the team, Bunting said. “He is not practicing with us. To my knowledge, he is enrolled in school and going to class.”
“I’m excited about him being in school. I really am.”