CHAPEL HILL — Center Lowell Dyer was in shorts and tight end Zack Pianalto was on crutches Tuesday as No. 24 North Carolina prepared for East Carolina.
Dyer missed UNC's 12-10 win over UConn with an injured right shoulder and Pianalto injured his right foot in the fourth quarter. If Tuesday's practice participation is any indication, neither will play against the Pirates on Saturday.
The status of Pianalto, who injured his foot after scoring the game-tying touchdown with 2:36 left in the game, remains unclear. Tar Heels coach Butch Davis said Monday that further tests showed that Pianalto did not suffer a break, rather a subtalar dislocation. The swelling of his foot has hindered a prognosis for Pianalto's return. There was no update on Pianalto's status on Tuesday.
Left guard Jonathan Cooper, who also missed the UConn win, did practice on Tuesday. UNC offensive line coach Sam Pittman said he's trying to get center Cam Holland and guard Greg Elleby ready for their second college starts.
"We're going to prepare like they can't play," Pittman said Tuesday, referring to Dyer and Cooper.
Comments
Hopefully Cooper will play...
Tue, 09/15/2009 - 19:13 — UNC1998They were down 3 linemen vs. UConn, and it showed sorely. Pianalto was a long shot to play, but miracles happen. It's sounding like Sat.'s game will not have either team at full strength. I've read ECU's tailback is questionable, also. I'm quite sure UNC's defense will be ready Saturday. I'm looking forward to seeing them in action. The offensive line hopefully will be able gel enough to give Yates time. WVU showed ECU secondary is susceptible. In any event, should be an exciting day of football. I look forward to seeing it. I just hope it doesn't rain on my tailgate.
poor assessment
Tue, 09/15/2009 - 22:52 — chrisefawECU's secondary was susceptible because two of our starters were out due to injury. Both are practicing this week and should play making our secondary much better. During the WVU game ECU's defensive front got to WVU's quarterback many times but was unable to bring him down due to his mobility. UNC's offensive line will not be able to withhold the pressure from ECU's front and Yates is not mobile enough to get away from that same pressure. I expect ECU's defense to make it tough for UNC to do anything offensively. The big question is will ECU's offense show up because it has only made brief appearances during the first two games. Should be a great game.
all good points
Wed, 09/16/2009 - 07:13 — izzykareemECU has an excellent front four on defense, just as good as UNCCH's according to most scouts. Linebacker is a different story though. I think ECU's problem has simply been to not develop the killer instinct. No one is gonna roll over for you guys. You were destroying App and were hanging with WVU for a good while.
I think you will beat UNCCH though. This is by far the best offense they will have seen to date and ECU's defense is just as good, if not better, than UCONN's. UNCCH's problems from last week (QB, OLine, WR) will not get corrected by this week. What will also help you guys is that where UCONN could not sustain drives and keep their D off the field (which killed them on the the TD drive), you guys should be able to sustain drives and tire out UNCCH's linebackers. I also don't see the Heels rushing on you guys and if you can cover those little underneath routes they run, you should be able to rush them with your d-line like UCONN did and force Yates into bad decisions.
I'm thinking... 20-13 ECU. That's conservative, i think if anything, you'd beat them by more. But i don't see the current incarnation of UNCCH's offense scoring more than a TD and a few FG's.
Huh? x 2
Wed, 09/16/2009 - 10:59 — SurferHow or why is, "ECU's defense is just as good, if not better, than UCONN's"? Please explain/justify.
and
Why will, "UNCCH's problems from last week (QB, OLine, WR) will not get corrected by this week." Seems like UNC turned things around quite nicely in the fourth quarter.
(shaking head)
Wed, 09/16/2009 - 15:10 — izzykareemyou know i try to be objective every now and then and not blow smoke up your skirts.
just read some of the scouting comments on ECU's defense. Your own coach said it at his press conference. ECU was a preseason top 20. They have (arguably) as much speed on their defensive front four as you guys and their secondary is faster than UCONN's. I didn't see the WVU game, but if you look at ECU's offensive production against decent teams, they already outshine you guys. Its also entirely possible, like UNCCH, they were overhyped a bit coming into this season. I'm basing my prediction on what ive read, heard and seen.
UNCCH turned it around in the 4th quarter? Do you understand that your D won that game, not your offense. UCONN was essentially not even on the field on the TD drive, it was unfair (credit to the D). So i say again, what changed from last week to this week on your offense against a significantly better team (ECU) all around than UCONN? You're without Pianalto, Dwyer's gone again. Does Pittman have some eligibility left?
Top 20
Thu, 09/17/2009 - 13:08 — SurferA preseason Top 20? Just curious, what poll. I guess you could be referring to JPG's?
defense kept us in the game
Wed, 09/16/2009 - 19:47 — gvillegatrBUT when your offense goes 78 yds and 76 yds respectively, for scores, the offense had something to do with it as well ... ultimately.
coach speak
Wed, 09/16/2009 - 19:41 — gvillegatrhow many times have you and others said coaches ALWAYS talk up the other team. wasted paragraph.
...
Thu, 09/17/2009 - 11:01 — izzykareemi didn't mean to say that i'm only relying on Butch's assessment, ECU has (disturbingly) alot of players who played at major D1 schools, including both UNCCH and NCSU, they are actually quite talented AND they are getting back two starters in the 2ndary this week they had missing, including a former NCSU player.
Although i thought he was really laying it on thick for UCONN, his assessment of their D was correct. He spoke glowingly about the front seven and that turned out to be what gave the heels so many fits.
HUH??
Wed, 09/16/2009 - 10:50 — gvillegatri'm stuck b/tn a rock and a hard place here but your obvious bias reeks more than it ever has before here at ACCNow.
This secondary is exactly what Yates and the young WR's need to get things going. Same could be said for an ECU defense that clearly has to be second guessing themselves through the first two weeks of the year. One of these sides (UNC offense or ECU defense) is going to come out the winner, the other will fall deeper into despair.
Now, the ECU offense (more importnatly Pinkney) is struggling. The Pirates have a GREAT backfield but Lindsay is out, I believe, this weekend.
The only thing we really know, right now, is how great the UNC defense is. to believe ECU is going to win 20-13 on the road is laughable with what we know right now.
bias huh?
Wed, 09/16/2009 - 15:08 — izzykareempot, hi my name is kettle
ECU has a pretty good defense. You guys just have exceptional linebackers which gives you a definite edge. The difference though is ECU's offense and UNCCH's offense. ECU has already played 2 decent opponents, your first foray against decent competition yielded something like 20 yards rushing and now your best receiving option is gone.
and what's so laughable about 20-13? It's a one score difference. UCONN would have easily put up 20 if they had an offense. And ECU put up 20 on WVU.
Awaiting your unbiased prediction
You said: "The young secondary is exactly what TJ and the WR's need".
UCONN also had a young 2ndary, i'd say younger, we can look it up, but Yates's problem is time to throw and your OL just took another hit with Pianalto going down and Dwyer out of action. So whatever advantage you think you have against their 2ndary is negated by your thin, inexperienced OL.
The only thing, and its prescient of you to mention it, is Pinkney's problems. From what ive read though, they aren't really his problems and more like jittery receivers. But he's going to be by far the best QB you guys have seen and he's not too shabby.
Pirates offense
Wed, 09/16/2009 - 19:39 — gvillegatr3 out of 4 scores for the Pirates against WVa came courtesy of turnovers and very short fields.
3-0 ECU 31 yards gained
10-0 ECU 26 yards gained
13-7 ECU 33 yards gained
20-21 WVa 83 yards gained
one sustained drive. Liberty gave WVa a better game than did ECU. I hate to admit it, but right now ECU is over rated on both sides of the ball. Pinkey is playing as bad as he ever has and hes been at ECU for six years!
it may be 20-13, but it'll be UNC 20-13. you are giving ECU wayyy too much credit at the moment. If you don't think so, where are all the Pirate chirpers that ALWAYS come out of the wood work? they're no where to be found.
Just as ECU's secondary was missing starters
Wed, 09/16/2009 - 06:56 — UNC1998UNC was missing 60% of it's offensive line. ECU's offense has not faced a defense like it will face Sat. If they had trouble getting going vs. App. St and WVU...that will be a problem vs. UNC. I'm hoping Highsmith starts at wr rather than Adams. In any event, it will play out Sat.
true
Wed, 09/16/2009 - 07:17 — izzykareembut Cooper, as a redshirt freshman, will get seriously tested this game. It looks like you guys will also be without Dwyer and Pianalto. I just don't see how the Offense's problems from last week are gonna get corrected because while your defense is gonna terrorize Pinkney, this will be the best defense you guys face to date which would scare me if i were (shudder the thought) a heels fan. ECU has a great secondary and a really good front four.
Don't worry about me...
Wed, 09/16/2009 - 15:28 — UNC1998I go to bed every night and thank God I'm a Tar Heel. My feeling is Highsmith will start opposite Little. I don't know how much longer Jones will be out, but I think the wr group will come around. With Pianalto out, Barham will probably play. He's more suited to run blocking, so I expect another strong attempt at that, too. However it goes it will go. I'd hazard a guess a lot of non UNC fans are picking the Heels to lose, as they do every week.
naa
Wed, 09/16/2009 - 16:00 — izzykareemAdams is starting this week according to reports. Although we know that Highsmith deserves it. However i picked UNCCH to win last week and by a wider margin than they did. But seeing UNCCH's offense in action (or lack thereof) this is why im picking them to lose; ECU is a quality opponent, and what UCONN lacked, ECU has. I think it will be close though.