Previewing UNC's Matchup vs. California Golden Bears

On this episode of the Tar Heels Insider Podcast, beat writer Grant Chachere discusses the upcoming matchup vs. Cal.

How would you assess where the offense is through five games?

Quarterback Gio Lopez; Sept. 13, 2025 | Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

"I think, you know, some of the progress we've made haven't showed up on the school board, but I think we have made progress from, if you go back into TCU, you know, moving on to Charlotte, moving on to Richmond, UCF, Clemson. I think we've made progress."

"Doesn't always show up on the scoreboard, but we've made progress in different areas, and we just need to continue to stay where our feet are and get better each and every day, and eventually we'll get the results that we want."

Sep 13, 2019; Winston-Salem, NC, USA; A North Carolina Tar Heels helmet lays on the sidelines during the fourth quarter against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at BB&T Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-Imagn Images | Jeremy Brevard-Imagn Images

Specifically, what are some of those areas you've seen progress over the last few weeks?

North Carolina running back Davion Gause hurdles over a Clemson defender; Oct. 4, 2025 | UNC Athletic Communications

You know, I think communication has gotten better, from the standpoint of the quarterback to the line, the line to the backs, the receivers for the quarterback.

You know, there's communication all over the field that happens every play. I think that communication has gotten better, definitely, which increases your chance to be successful in the individual play.

Oct 30, 2021; South Bend, Indiana, USA; A detail view of a North Carolina Tar Heels football helmet during warmups before the game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images | Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

Then you string up those together, and you get success. And it really can, you know, you can cut this thing down into drives or plays or whatever, but each and every play is its own entity and has a different set of problems or a different set of communication rules and things like that.

And you get that going, but if you have a misstep along the way, that's how you get sometimes bogged down and don't have the results that you want.

North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick during UNC's 38-10 loss to Clemson; Oct. 4, 2025 | Jackson McCurdy, Tar Heels On SI

Yeah, I think you know, both those guys offer leadership abilities, capabilities. They both made plays in different parts and and all that sort of thing. You know, I like being around both those guys. They bring different, a little bit different aspects to the game, from their perspective and but both of them kind of stayed the course and understand that they're trying to get better each and every day, and they've done a really good job of that on their place, specifically on the field.

On talks inside the building of potential staff changes …

UNC — North Carolina running back Demon June breaking off a run vs. Richmond (Sept. 13, 2025 | Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

That's never been brought up, never been discussed. But you know, I think we always look to see how we get better each and every, every day that we come go out to practice, and each day that each game day and all that kind of stuff, we come out and reevaluate things, and, you know, go from there.

So there's, of course, things I've done better. I think we can say that all the way down the line and but sometimes you just gotta keep your head down and go work and. And try to get from her on the right here.

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