Know Your Foe: Tar Heels Ready to Take on Richmond

Well, this week should be a total breeze for North Carolina — just an FCS opponent on the schedule, so they’ll stroll in, toss a few touchdowns around, build a cushy lead and then let the backups take over.

On paper, it looks like the Tar Heels should handle business with little to no trouble whatsoever, but games like these often reveal more than the final score. For North Carolina, the matchup isn’t about the opponent as much as it is about sharpening execution, maintaining focus and making sure bad habits don’t sneak in during what’s supposed to be a routine win.

It’s about finding chemistry in a struggling offense, continuing to improve on defense and finding out who your best players are. That should be easy, right?

Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. The Tar Heels will face a solid FCS opponent in Richmond, which is coming off a 10-3 season and its third consecutive trip to the FCS playoffs.

The Spiders are led by coach Russ Huesman, who has a 53-37 record in his seventh season and has won two conference titles.

Richmond is 1-1 this year and on its third straight road trip. The Spiders lost 21-14 to No. 10 Lehigh and beat Wofford 14-10. They will be entering their first season in the Patriot League as a football-only member after being a member of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) since 2007.

A Brief History

Richmond has an all-time record of 594-674-53, a winning percentage of 47.0%. Yeah, it’s not good, but it’s also misleading.

Since 2005, the Spiders have a 154-88 record with six quarterfinal appearances, three semifinal appearances and won the FCS National Championship in 2008 with a 24-7 win over perennial powerhouse Montana.

The head coach of that team was Mike London, who eventually became the head coach of Virginia from 2010 to 2015.

London isn’t the only former Richmond coach to make the jump to the ACC. His predecessor, Dave Clawson, led the Spiders from 2004 to 2007 before coaching at Bowling Green from 2009 to 2013. He later became the longtime head coach at Wake Forest, where he served from 2014 to 2024.

History Against FBS Programs …

Over the last 20 years, Richmond has defeated:

2016: Virginia 37-20

2011: Duke 23-21

2009: Duke 24-16

2006: Duke 13-0

UNC — Sep 3, 2016; Charlottesville, VA, USA; Richmond Spiders ans cheer from the stands after the Spiders defeat the Virginia Cavaliers 37-20 at Scott Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Here are the Spiders' recent results against FBS opponents:

2024: Lost 34-13 at Virginia

2023: Lost 45-14 at Michigan State

2022: Lost 34-17 at Virginia

2021: Lost 21-10 at Virginia Tech

2019: Lost at BC 45-13

2018: Lost 42-13 at Virginia

UNC vs. Richmond

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

North Carolina has a 12-2 all-time record over Richmond. However, the Spiders defeated the Tar Heels in their last matchup 27-18 in 1978. UNC fans hope that history doesn't repeat itself. Richmond's only other victory came in 1940.

The last time Carolina lost to an FCS/D-1AA member was in 1999 when Furman manhandled the Tar Heels 28-3 at Kenan Stadium.

Into the Spider Trap: Richmond’s Stifling Defense

Like North Carolina, Richmond runs a 4-2-5 defense. The Spiders have one of the best defenses in the FCS.

The Spiders are ninth in total yards allowed (228.0 yards per game), 10th in passing defense (123.5 yards allowed per game), 17th in scoring defense (15.5 points allowed per game) and 19th in rushing defense (104.5 yards allowed per game).

The Spiders are also the seventh-best defense on third down (24% conversion rate) and 18th in sacks (2.5 sacks per game).

The defensive line is one of the best at the FCS level and it is led by All-COnference dfensive end Camden Byrd. So far, he has sox tackles, two sacks and a pass broken up in two games. He recorded 45 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks and a forced fumble last year.

The linebackers are Peyton Seelman (team-high 17 tackles, sack and a pass breakup) and Carter Glassmeyer (12 tackles).

The defensive backfield has five defensive backs on the field at the same time and all are solid.

Cornerbacks CJ Fraser (3 tackles, interception and pass breakup) and D'Angelo Stocker (11 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss and a pass breakup) are ball hawks.

Nickelback Tayshaun Burney has nine tackles on the year along with an interception and a team-high three pass breakups.

Strong safety Jordan Allen and free safety Lee Bruner IV are the last line of defense.

Richmond Has "Ben Roethlisberger" At Quarterback

Aug 31, 2024; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Richmond Spiders quarterback Kyle Wickersham (16) runs with the ball to score a touchdown against the Virginia Cavaliers during the first half at Scott Stadium. | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Like Carolina, Richmond's offense is struggling. The Spiders are averaging 226.5 yards per game - 133.0 yards per game through the air (92nd nationally) and 93.5 rushing yards per game (87th nationally). It's also averaging exactly 14 points per game, which is 85th nationally.

A major factor in the decline is the departure of star running back Zach Palmer-Smith, who rushed for 1,433 yards and 11 touchdowns last season. He transferred to UL-Monroe, an FBS program, in search of a new challenge.

However, the Spiders return 6-foot-4, 260-pound quarterback Kyle Wickersham. The New Orleans area native has completed 69.4% for 266 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. He also leads the team in rushing with 103 yards and a touchdown.

Belichick, who has prepared game plans against some of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play in the National Football League, compared him to a familiar quarterback he often went up against when he was the head coach of the New England Patriots.

Yeah, I mean, he's kind of like a Ben Roethlisberger-looking guy," Belichick said. "I mean, he's really big, and, you know, he's strong, he's a physical runner. He's got, you know, stiff arm, long arms, tough guy to tackle. And he's a good downhill runner, so he doesn't shy away from contact. You gotta bring him down."

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