UNC Football Coach Knows How Good Nate Sheppard Is

The Duke Blue Devils suffered their first loss of the season on Saturday, falling to Georgia Tech late on the road. It was a sloppy and weird game overall, and Duke even had the chance to tie it and go to overtime. 

While the Blue Devils are now 4-1, they can't stew over this loss. Instead, they have to flip the page and move on, as a big game is approaching on Saturday. 

Duke is set to host rival North Carolina on Saturday, a home game that is sandwiched in between road games at Georgia Tech and then Virginia the following week. It's crucial that Duke gets back on track, not only because it's a rival, but because you don't want a losing streak.

As we sit here just a few days until the start of the new season, the two teams continue preparation. For North Carolina, they are going to need to find a way to slow down running back Nate Sheppard. Duke fans know how good Sheppard is, and UNC head coach Bill Belichick is well aware, too.

At his weekly press conference, Belichick discussed Sheppard and his ability to change the game. Not only is Sheppard a good running back, but he can also catch the ball out of the backfield. Belichick noted that he's a very good receiver and can break tackles while picking up more yards after contact. 

The head coach wants his players to make sure they are wrapping up Sheppard and not letting him pick up even more yards.

Sheppard has 743 rushing yards which is fourth in the nation. But he also has 161 receiving yards and three touchdowns on the year.

A play that Belichick brought up was late in the game against Georgia Tech where Sheppard took a short pass and went 42 yards. That set up Duke with a chance to take the lead or tie the game. It was a lapse in coverage for the Yellow Jackets as Sheppard went right by that defense for a big play. 

Sheppard will be a key for Duke as well. The Blue Devils want to get him going as it can help take the pressure off of quarterback Walker Eget. If he can get off to a hot start, it could mean great things for the Blue Devils' offense in this one. 

Duke and North Carolina will kickoff at 3:30 p.m. in Durham.