CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Greg Little knows people are paying attention to North Carolina’s football program again. The running back is eager to give them something to watch.

“We’re going to go out and kill the ant with a sledgehammer,” Little said. “That’s what we’re going to try to do. We’re going to go out and win big. There’s a lot of eyes on us right now and that’s why we have that mentality about the ant and the sledgehammer. We’re just going to try to obliterate teams.”

After years in which simply winning games was enough of a challenge, the Tar Heels have even higher hopes for themselves after they were tabbed as a darkhorse to sneak into contention in the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Coastal Division.

Now, as North Carolina starts game-week preparations for its opener against McNeese State, they know it’s time to begin backing up that preseason buzz.

“We expect these players to play at a higher level and to perform and execute at a higher level,” coach Butch Davis said.

Davis knows his team still has plenty of work to do after last year’s 4-8 finish included six losses in games decided by a touchdown or less. The numerous freshmen who played last year are sophomores now, and the second-year coach hopes those players have made enough strides over the past year to justify high preseason expectations.

North Carolina was picked to finish second behind rebuilding Virginia Tech in the up-for-grabs Coastal Division.

“I think everyone is anxious to get the year started,” Davis said. “You can only go so many days practicing against yourself before you start to find out if you’re actually making any progress as a football team.”

Those high hopes could ultimately flicker out if the Tar Heels don’t get off to a fast start against a schedule that includes Rutgers in Week 2 and a showdown with the Hokies on Sept. 28 in Chapel Hill. A victory could potentially give North Carolina the inside track in the division race.