WATCH: Key UNC defender ejected for targeting vs. Wake Forest
North Carolina lost a key defensive player as the first quarter came to an end on Saturday against Wake Forest. UNC linebacker Jeremiah Gemmel was ejected for targeting after a hit on Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman.
Hartman ran for four yards before Gemmel lowered his helmet while tackling him. A flag was thrown on the play, and after review targeting was confirmed and Gemmel was ejected from the game.
The loss of Gemmel is a big one for UNC’s defense. Entering the game, Gemmel was second on the team with 43 tackles on the season. He also has defended two passes this year.
The targeting call was also a big one in the game due to the fact that it set up a Wake Forest touchdown. Without targeting, Wake Forest would have been faced with a fourth and short on UNC’s 31-yard line. Instead, Wake Forest got the ball with a fresh set of downs on the 15, and Hartman threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Jaquarii Roberson on the next play, giving the Demon Deacons a 17-14 lead.
Gemmel’s loss is a big one for UNC
Gemmel, now a senior, is in his fourth season with the UNC football program. He has played a major role on the Tar Heels defense in each of the last three years. As a sophomore in 2019, Gemmel had 84 tackles, two passes defended, 2.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles. Last season, he had 78 tackles, four passes defended, 2.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and one interception.
In what is shaping up to be an extremely high scoring shootout, losing Gemmel will hurt UNC in a big way. Following Wake Forest’s touchdown after the targeting call, the Tar Heels drove down the field to find the end zone again on a 10 play, 75-yard touchdown drive. The drive took five minutes off the clock and put UNC back in the lead, 21-17.