UNC loses Shakeel Rashad, Sam Smiley and Dalton Stogner for season

CHAPEL HILL — One week into practice, North Carolina has already lost three players to season-ending injuries.

Tar Heels coach Larry Fedora said on Wednesday that sophomore bandit Shakeel Rashad, sophomore safety Sam Smiley and freshman receiver Dalton Stogner had all suffered season-ending injuries.

Rashad (knee) and Smiley (toe/foot) were competing for starting positions. Stogner (knee) is a walk-on who showed promise in the spring.

“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.”

Rashad, who enrolled in January 2012, played in 11 games last season and started at bandit – the hybrid defensive end and linebacker position – in the season finale against Maryland. He finished last season with 18 tackles – 3.5 for loss – and also had 1.5 sacks and an interception.

Smiley started at safety in five of the seven games he appeared in last season. A nagging toe and foot injury kept him out of the Tar Heels’ other five games. Stogner had a promising spring and was listed on the preseason depth chart as the backup to Quinshad Davis at one of UNC’s three starting receiving positions.

- Andrew Carter