Two potential starters among three Tar Heels lost to season-ending injuries

AP

Less than a week into summer camp, and injuries are already beginning to take its toll on North Carolina’s depth chart.

Sophomore bandit (hybrid defensive end/linebacker) Shakeel Rashad and sophomore safety Sam Smiley (pictured, No. 3), head coach Larry Fedora confirmed Wednesday, will miss the 2013 season due to injury.  The former suffered an unspecified knee injury, while the latter is dealing with a foot/toe issue.

Additionally, walk-on wide receiver Dalton Stogner suffered a season-ending knee injury.

Both Rashad and Smiley were competing for starting jobs at their respective positions.

“Any time you lose one guy, it’s concerning,” Fedora said. “And to lose three – that’s why you’re constantly talking about depth. Building that depth and doing the things that it takes, depth-wise.”

Last season, Smiley started five of the seven games in which he played.  He missed five due to, again, lingering foot/toe injuries.  Rashad played in 11 games in 2012, starting the regular season finale.