North Carolina football coaches and players hope a year's experience and more talent will equate to a bowl game in 2008.

"We know people are looking at us to do great things, and we know we have to hold up to those standards," junior wide receiver Hakeem Nicks said at the ACC's annual football kickoff. "But not only for that. It's for the simple fact that we want to win.

"We work hard. We work too hard not to win. It's up in the air this year, and we feel like we can get to where we are trying to get to."

The Tar Heels, one of the youngest teams in the country in 2007, are deeper, more talented, than a year ago. Factor that in with the hard lessons learned by a team that lost six games by 24 points a year ago, and there should be some gains made, said Nicks.

"We were a young team," he said. "It went down to the wire. Having young guys out there on the field going against experienced teams, the young team always ends up on the bottom.

"But that is our advantage this year. We know what we are capable of doing now. All that did was open our eyes and let us see what we really can do."

Sophomore safety Deunta Williams said the experience should show not just in more victories but in the subtleties of the game as well.

"I think the biggest difference this year is us being a year older," Williams said. "Too many games came down to the last minute last year when it should not have. If we understand things, and get the ball out now, the game will not be close later. We'll have the game."

When the players look back on film, they can see the mental errors that led to so many close losses. Even then, the Tar Heels came within a fingertip's reach of winning enough games to play in a bowl game.

They lost a three-point game (34-31) to East Carolina, a two-point game (22-20) to Virginia, by four points (31-27) to N.C. State and by two points (27-25) to Georgia Tech.

"I felt like we gave up big plays in the run game because we would blitz, and somebody would blitz the wrong hole," Williams said. "That's the type of stuff I feel like we need to improve on this year, not giving up big plays. I feel like when we do that, we can be a great defense."

This will be coach Butch Davis' second season at Carolina, and Nicks said the differences in this team involve much more than just learning where to be on the field. He says Davis and the assistants have worked hard to bring this group of young players together mentally and emotionally as well.

"The team became one," Nicks said. "It's not like certain guys hang out with certain guys. Everybody does the same thing. So when we go out there on the field, you don't want to let your brother down."

Williams said this team has learned a better mental approach, too, as far as how to view opponents.

"When you give teams too much credit, sometimes that helps them beat you," Williams said. "You respect all, but you fear none. I think when you go into any season thinking that way, you can defeat some giants on your schedule. Sometimes teams are so hyped their weaknesses are not exposed."