The man is as enthusiastic as a baby beagle, but don't mistake excitable new North Carolina football coach John Bunting for a clueless zealot.

Under that bubbling enthusiasm beats the heart of a realist.

Unfortunately for the Tar Heels, and a fan base that, on a whole, has not had the most reasonable expectations, the reality of the situation is not terribly good -- North Carolina doesn't have the talent to compete with the very best in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

On the other hand, there is good news here, too. The coach knows it, and knows something must be done to upgrade a team that went 6-5 last season and 16-18 in three years under former coach Carl Torbush.

"It's obvious, we're not going to beat the Florida States (of the college football world) with the talent level that's here," said Bunting, a former UNC linebacker who played 11 years with the Philadelphia Eagles and has spent most of the past decade as a defensive assistant in the NFL.

"If Knute Rockne came back, I don't think he could take this group and beat Florida State next year."

North Carolina's key player is senior quarterback and erstwhile UNC point guard Ronald Curry. His rapport with Gary Tranquill, the Tar Heels' third offensive coordinator in three seasons, was the primary reason Bunting scheduled spring practice later than most ACC teams.

"We really want Ronald to have a great year," Bunting said. "(His late arrival from basketball) is why we came up with this practice schedule."

Smart move. North Carolina can't afford to hit the ground doing anything but running in August, not with a brutal opening schedule.

The Tar Heels begin the Bunting Era on Aug. 25 at defending national champion Oklahoma.

"A lot of people are looking at me like I have two heads," Bunting said of having Oklahoma for an opener. "But I think this is important to us. When you get opportunities to play against the best, particularly when you are a young program, it helps you progress. I thought it was a great idea."

Apparently the Tar Heels agreed. Bunting didn't approve the game against Oklahoma without running the idea past his players first. Their reaction? A standing ovation in a team meeting room.

The Tar Heels might face the most difficult opening three games of any team in the country. After playing at Oklahoma, North Carolina pays a visit to Maryland and new coach Ralph Friedgen on Sept. 1, and then to Texas on Sept. 8.

That's three road games right out of the gate -- something North Carolina hasn't had to do since 1893 -- two of them against teams that will be ranked in the top 10.

North Carolina will go into those games with experience at the offensive and defensive skill positions, but not at offensive line or at linebacker.

Curry is back for his fourth season as a starter at quarterback, but no one else on the roster threw a single pass last season. The competition at backup quarterback, among junior Luke Huard and redshirt freshmen Darian Durant and Aaron Leak, will be watched closely given that Curry has a history of getting banged up.

The top three tailbacks return, but only one fullback is back -- seldom-used reserve James Faison. Hopes are high for sophomore tailbacks Brandon Russell (508 yards, 3.3 yards per carry) or Willie Parker (355, 4.2).

The top four receivers return, led by junior Bosley Allen (40 passes, 634 yards last season), who also averaged 15 yards on 28 punt returns, with two touchdowns. No tight end has experience.

"I'm excited about the athletic ability I see at receiver," Bunting said. "We've got some talent and depth there."

There might be good talent on the offensive line, but who really knows?

Two starters return in senior center Adam Metts and junior guard Isaac Morford, but sophomores and freshmen will fill the other three positions with little to no experience.

The offensive line "is young, very young," Bunting said. "We have a long way to go and we're not real deep, either."

Kicking is not a concern with senior Jeff Reed, who led the ACC and was 10th nationally with 1.45 field goals per game.

The defense returns star defensive end Julius Peppers (national-best 15 sacks) among seven starters, also including tackle Ryan Sims and cornerback Errol Hood. But with three top linebackers gone, the Tar Heels will go with a core featuring veteran Merceda Perry and a bunch of youngsters.

Hood and Michael Waddell give the Tar Heels a pair of returning starters at the corner, and safety DeFonte Coleman returns, but the Tar Heels managed just seven interceptions last season.

Lindy's Football Annuals (National, SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-10, ACC, plus Pro) are available at newsstands regionally, or can be ordered as a set at www.lindyssports.com, or by calling 1-205-871-1182.