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(11/09/08 5:00am)
For nearly three full quarters Saturday an old-fashioned one-possession game sat at a stalemate with one big break on either side threatening to tip the balance of power in the ACC Coastal division.No. 19 North Carolina got that break late in the third quarter when Georgia Tech punt returner Roddy Jones muffed the catch turning the ball over to UNC.A few plays later UNC had a two-score lead and a shot of momentum in the race to Tampa Bay.Ryan Houston had a career game rushing the ball Hakeem Nicks broke a school record and the Tar Heels came away with a 28-7 win guaranteeing their first winning record in seven years.But until the Georgia Tech miscue" none of that was assured.""It really did give us a spark"" said Houston, UNC's sophomore short-yardage back. We thrive on our defense or special teams making a big play.""It seems like if you go back to all our wins" every time our special teams or defense gets an interception" we get hyped on that and we thrive off of it.""It was Houston that made the then-No. 22 Yellow Jackets (7-3" 4-3) pay for their mistakes. First he punched in from two yards out after the fumble recovery off the punt. Then after a second GT fumble" Houston ran the ball five times to score and give UNC a 21-0 lead.He finished with a career-high 74 yards and two touchdowns.""Ryan Houston gave us what he gives us every week — it's just solid" hard yards UNC quarterback Cameron Sexton said. He just doesn't get denied. Someway somehow he just finds a way to get it done" and it's been so key for us.""But Houston"" who wore the word ""thunder"" on his eye-black" was only half of UNC's ground game Saturday. Shaun Draughn" who sported ""lightning"" on his" complemented Houston's power game with 90 yards of his own.The North Carolina rushing attack was especially important to give the defense a chance to rest since Georgia Tech's run-heavy triple-option offense can wear defenders down.But with two weeks to prepare the Tar Heels were ready for the unconventional scheme. They gave up yardage and first downs but tightened up when necessary.Georgia Tech had three drives of 12 or more plays that resulted in no points and four possessions ended on either failed fourth down conversions or missed field goals.North Carolina nearly shut the Jackets out but the ACC's second-leading rusher Jonathan Dwyer finally broke an 85-yard touchdown — the longest rush UNC has ever given up — in the fourth quarter with the game already out of reach.With the win North Carolina showed its versatility. A week before it was the passing game that exploded for a blowout win. But against GT's physical style of play" UNC countered with its own running game.""Some weeks you might have to throw against Boston College for 200-and-something yards"" UNC coach Butch Davis said. Some weeks you may have to pound the rock a little bit. But you want to have both of those that you can call.""The pass game did garner the only score of the first three quarters" though on a Zack Pianalto grab. Pianalto broke his fibula on the catch" in only his first game back since a high ankle sprain against Notre Dame. Davis said Sunday there ""is no timetable"" for his return.That emphasis on running the football nearly prevented history" though. Nicks entered the game 47 yards shy of the all-time UNC career receiving yardage record set by Corey Holliday Class of '93. But after a catchless first half the milestone seemed in doubt.A late 31-yard touchdown reception brought him to the doorstep. Then with a large cushion quarterback T.J. Yates came into the game to get some reps as his broken ankle heals. His first pass gave Nicks his 2448th receiving yard enough to pass Holliday" who still works with the football program.""When I broke the record" (Holliday) came up to me Nicks said. He told me he'd rather it be me than anybody else. So that was good for me" and I feel good right now. Everybody's proud of me.""Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(11/06/08 5:00am)
A typical defensive strategy for a football team is to swarm to the ball bringing as many players as possible to gang-tackle a rusher and keep him from getting into the open field.North Carolina will not be doing much of that today.Instead" the Tar Heels will approach today's game with a novel idea: just tackle everyone wearing a Georgia Tech jersey.""You have to assume everyone has the ball and tackle everything you see" senior safety Trimane Goddard said.If everybody tackles everybody" then everybody's down.""UNC won't worry about who appears to be the ball-carrier" simply because they often won't be able to tell which Yellow Jacket has the pigskin.That's because Georgia Tech runs a triple-option offense — a seldom-used strategy in the college game. In this scheme there are three different players who might carry the ball" and who gets the call isn't decided until after the play begins.It can first go to the ""dive back"" on a quick running play through the line.Or the quarterback can read the defense and choose to keep the ball and run it himself.Or he can start to run and then pitch it backwards and toward the sideline to a third option"" the ""pitch back.""Confused yet?Lots of defenders are left scratching their heads"" too.""Their running back is really good" and they have the quarterback linebacker Quan Sturdivant said. So you never know which one is going to keep it" or he could hand it to the fullback or something.""The UNC defense has been working through the bye week and into this week to avoid such confusion after kickoff.Since most players have not seen a triple-option offense since high school" the UNC scout team has simulated the scheme in practice to mimic Georgia Tech's version.The biggest key UNC defenders are realizing" will be that each member of the defense sticks to his own specific assignment.""Playing this offense" you better be disciplined" coach Butch Davis said.Guys have got to read their keys; guys have got to know exactly what their responsibilities are because they will make you pay big-time.""If you're out of position" if you're cheating and leaning and trying to steal something" they're good enough to take advantage of it.""The efficiency with which Georgia Tech executes this offense makes it even more difficult to defend. The Yellow Jackets have the best ground game in the ACC.GT has rushed for 600 more yards and four more touchdowns than any other rushing attack in the conference.Tailback Jonathan Dwyer is the leading rusher" and he has racked up 899 yards on the ground this season.But the real key to the Yellow Jackets' offense is dual-threat quarterback Josh Nesbitt. His ability execute the triple option by faking the handoff and running with the ball forces defenses to avoid over-pursuit on either the dive back or the pitch back. Instead they are forced to stay in specific lanes.Nesbitt has also demonstrated a capability to throw off of play-action" making the GT offense even more dangerous by keeping safeties and linebackers back in pass coverage for an extra split-second.""Maybe if you're playing a traditional offense" if one person messes up you may have another person to cover up Goddard said. But against a triple option" you have to be very precise.""The goal of the triple option is to maximize the possibilities and diminish the number of defenders pursuing the actual ball-carrier.With fewer defenders to beat" a rusher could generate a big play simply by making one defender miss and then out-racing the rest.This has allowed GT backs especially Dwyer" to break off large chunks of yardage at a time this season.North Carolina defenders know they have less room for error this week.""If one person gets out of position" they can go for a touchdown" Sturdivant said. So everybody's got to play their responsibilities.""
(10/24/08 4:00am)
On Virginia Tech's first play from scrimmage in last week's game against Boston College the ball was snapped and handed off to running back Darren Evans.And that was about all the Hokies had time to do before Evans was swallowed up and dropped in the backfield by BC linebacker Mark Herzlich.The Hokies would get used to this result by the end of the game. Herzlich led Boston College with 13 tackles on the day including two tackles for loss.It was a performance that caught the eye of the ACC brass who named Herzlich the conference's Defensive Back of the Week.But it wasn't a performance that was out of the ordinary for the outside linebacker from Wayne Pa.Herzlich with his mix of size and athleticism has been camping out in opponents' backfields for three years now.He played in all 13 Boston College games as a true freshman in 2006 and received honorable mention for College Football News' Freshman All-America team.After stepping in last year as one of the Eagles' leading defenders Herzlich entered this season with lofty expectations.The junior linebacker was named to the 2008 Lott Trophy and Butkus Award watch lists both of which reward the nation's premier defenders.And he's lived up to the hype so far establishing himself as one of the leading tacklers in the conference. His 54 tackles are best in the Boston College locker room and his nine tackles per game place him in the top 35 in the nation and the top five in the ACC.Herzlich's physicality and skill set make him tailor-made to be an elite tackler. At 6-foot-4 238 pounds he's nearly big enough to play at the defensive end position and many scouts expected him to mature into a lineman.But he has good speed for a player of his size and he gets downhill quickly to plug holes in the run game.Combine that with good football instincts and a knack for wrapping up rushers and the result is a team-high 37 unassisted tackles.Herzlich also has demonstrated a nose for the football as he's picked off two passes and forced two fumbles this season for the Eagles.The Tar Heels might have a tough time moving the ball on Herzlich's side of the field today. But if there is any part of his game to exploit it could be through the air.Herzlich's footwork and natural instincts are better suited to pursuing ballcarriers.Still the junior has soft hands and can snatch an ill-advised pass thrown into his zone — a habit that UNC quarterback Cam Sexton can't seem to kick.Herzlich a big-time recruit out of Conestoga High School earned AP Class 4A All-State First Team honors as a prep senior.He led the Pioneers to back-to-back Central League titles and he even played both ways in the process lining up at fullback and scoring three offensive touchdowns.The Tar Heels likely will not see No. 94 join the offensive huddle today but he's sure to make enough appearances in the game plan on just one side of the ball.The emergence of Shaun Draughn as UNC's feature back and the injuries that have been blitzing the Tar Heels lately have led to more reliance on the running game and a more productive ground attack.But with Herzlich patrolling the strong side and filling gaps today this will be a tough trend for the Tar Heels to continue.
(10/23/08 4:00am)
After North Carolina's football season took a serious hit last week at Virginia it was junior defensive end E.J. Wilson who was rallying his teammates helping them try to recover and bounce back.After all Wilson has come back from worse.By the time he was a 12-year-old growing up in Emporia Va. he had become a regular customer at the local emergency room.He's been belted in the forehead by a baseball bat; the injury required a half-dozen stitches.He needed surgery to repair a broken nose sustained on the basketball court during his senior year of high school.In sixth grade he was injured in a go-kart accident and a pin was inserted into his pinkie finger to reconstruct it.And at age 7 he was slammed off his bike by a Cadillac he said was traveling at 70 miles per hour.But as bizarre and scarring as his injuries have been" Wilson has always found his way back to the gridiron — sometimes much more quickly than expected.""I always bounce back" Wilson said. Even after I got hit by the car I stayed in the hospital overnight I got the stitches out next week" and I was back playing football again.""I guess God was watching over me. The only thing I had was a scar to show for it.""Even when healthy" Wilson still has recovery on his mind.He's taken on a leadership role in the locker room since the Tar Heels let one slip away Saturday to the Cavaliers — their 14th straight loss in Charlottesville" Va.""I've been through a lot" and I'm not worried about myself Wilson said. I'm trying to make sure everybody around me is OK because if everybody around me is OK" I'm good.""I find myself a lot" if a guy's had a bad practice or a bad game" I'm usually the one who goes up and talks to him.""UNC's ability to bounce back this weekend against No. 23 Boston College will have a big impact on both the Tar Heels' 2008 campaign and the ACC leaderboard.For this to happen" they'll need continued contribution from Wilson between the lines too. This season he's racked up 21 tackles a sack and a team-high six quarterback hurries.A big reason for those numbers is that for once" he's been consistently healthy — he's started every game since the beginning of the 2007 season.""All defensive linemen get beat up during the course of games and the season and stuff" and he sucks it up and plays hard every week UNC coach Butch Davis said.I didn't know anything about (the accidents)" but obviously he must be pretty tough.""Maybe he's walking around"" luckier than he thinks. He should go to Vegas.""Perhaps all the healing Wilson has done was just practice for his future"" as he said he wants to be a physical therapist.Whatever he pursues — be it his exercise and sport science degree or ACC quarterbacks — he's likely to keep doing it with reckless abandon.""My mom said she thought it'd kind of slow me down" the things that happened when I was smaller" Wilson said.But I just keep going.""Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(10/10/08 4:00am)
A little after 3:30 p.m. Saturday a guy named Tate will jog out toward the end zone and wait for the opening kickoff.If it's sent his way he has the instincts and explosiveness to wind up in the other end zone before the play is over.Touchdown North Carolina.Well that or touchdown Notre Dame.In many ways the two teams that will square off Saturday in Kenan Stadium are mirror images of each other — right down to the names of their most explosive players.Brandon Tate the NCAA-record holder for career kick return yardage leads a UNC offense that can spread the field with its talented receiving core.And Golden Tate the up-and-coming sophomore Notre Dame receiver and return specialist" will provide the big plays for a dangerous Irish unit that is hitting its stride.""Well" we'll have to see who's gonna win the battle of the Tates then" Brandon said with a smile.But the similarities between these two squads go beyond one name on their rosters.Both teams have 4-1 records, which equal or surpass their respective win totals from a disappointing 2007.Both teams are still relatively young but are benefiting from an extra year within their systems.Both rely heavily on the passing game in their run-and-gun offenses — whether it's Jimmy Clausen or Cam Sexton at the helm — and both struggle at times to run the ball.The Tar Heels and the Irish each have three rushers totaling at least 84 yards but none topping 250.Wherever the quarterback throws it" there's somebody that can make a play on it Brandon Tate said Wednesday.And the running game's starting to come along. You know the first two weeks it was kind of rough but the coaches" they made some little slight changes.""Tate was talking about his North Carolina team when he said this" but he could just as easily have been summing up the Irish offense.The comparisons go further.Both teams thrive on kick returns and return coverage and they both feature high-profile coaches with NFL-rich resumes.A few years ago it might have seemed absurd to compare these two football programs as the Tar Heels floundered and the prestigious Fighting Irish flourished.But regardless of the drastically different historical paths the two programs have followed" they enter Saturday's contest on close to equal footing.""You go beat North Carolina at North Carolina" I'd say the odds are you'll be in the top 25 next week" Charlie Weis said.It's been a long time since a Notre Dame football coach would have said that about the Tar Heels, if ever.But as UNC and ND hover near the cusp of the national polls, they both are approaching Saturday's game as a means to validate their presence on the national level.We don't live in a bubble"" he said. We know that it's Notre Dame and that it's a big game.""Made bigger after UNC's 45-26 defeat the last time the teams played in 2006 — the first matchup between the two since 1975.""With a football team with a tradition like that" you know we went up there two years ago and got beat" Sexton said.And so we want to play well. We want to play well at home again and beat them.""Sophomore tailback Greg Little has toed the Notre Dame-North Carolina line as closely as anyone.As a high school senior"" Little verbally committed to the Fighting Irish before eventually deciding to remain closer to home at UNC.Now the tailback plays the leading role in a platoon of Tar Heel rushers that will try to control the clock and open the field for UNC's playmakers — much like ND's team of backs will attempt.And the sophomore back admitted that a contest with Notre Dame is a bit different than most others.""It is" he said. We know it's the biggest game but we want to look at it as it's our next game" and we've got to play.""An advantage to squaring off against a foe with so many similarities is that the defenses have had a chance to practice against the same kinds of playmakers throughout the season.Sophomore defensive tackle Marvin Austin said that the benefits of chasing around No. 87 in practice all year will show against Notre Dame.""I mean" we already face the real Tate in practice every week so I mean it's going to be just like facing those guys Austin said.He also offered a bold prediction on the winner of the battle of the Tates.(Brandon) already knows he's the real Tate" Austin said. We don't even have to talk about it."" Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(10/09/08 4:00am)
Before the start of training camp Shaun Draughn had something to prove.He was a sophomore safety buried on the depth chart" and it looked like he was headed for another year of thankless special teams play.Until he marched into head coach Butch Davis' office — high school highlight reel in hand — and asked to play running back.Draughn said he didn't know at the time whether Davis believed he could play the position at the college level.""But just having the confidence in my ability to know what I can do" I mean I just went up and asked" he said.Now fast-forward to last weekend. North Carolina was 3-1 and facing nationally ranked Connecticut.After consistently generating buzz from the coaching staff during training camp, Draughn had elevated himself to second on the running back depth chart.But that wasn't enough. There was more to show.I feel like before the game" I had something to prove" he said.Early and often against the Huskies, he got the chance to prove what he'd been lobbying for since the summer. And he did just that.Draughn rushed for 109 yards on 19 carries — an average of 5.7 yards per carry — including a 39-yard touchdown scamper in UNC's win.His work in the running game, for the first time this year, actually carried the offense — a fact that did not escape the notice of quarterback Cam Sexton.I was telling (Brandon) Tate and Brooks (Foster) and Hakeem (Nicks)" we've got points and we haven't really done anything" Sexton said of the passing game. I think we set up some of those things. I think we got some of the momentum going.""But I think the running game and the guys up front really drove us tonight.""Son of a preacherShaun Draughn is a momma's boy — he said so himself.Both of Draughn's parents are ministers in his tiny hometown of Tarboro" N.C. His father Kenneth started his own church" where his mother also preaches.So what was life like growing up as two preachers' son?""Everybody thinks it's strict" but it's not" Draughn said.I was the bad one. My sisters he didn't have to worry about.""Tarboro running backs should be familiar to Tar Heel football fans as former star Kelvin Bryant also hailed from the eastern N.C. town. Bryant rushed for three consecutive 1""000-yard seasons at UNC and was named one of the ACC's Top 50 players of all-time in 2002.And the former UNC great paid a compliment to his Tarboro heir apparent.""He watched me in high school and was like" ‘You remind me of me"'"" Draughn said.Another statement gameAfter Draughn's performance last weekend" he ranks second on the team with 213 rushing yards. Greg Little who began the season in the starting role has 240 yards — on 23 more carries.Draughn has used his explosiveness and a quick first step to hit holes in the line before they close up enabling him to find rushing lanes. The 6-foot 205-pounder has also shown an ability to run downhill and fall forward through tackles.Davis still isn't ready though" to put the entire weight of the rushing game on Draughn's shoulders.""We're going to play the guys at the time that gives us the best chance to win"" Davis said.What Davis does know, though, is that when a no-name safety entered his office during the offseason, the player he called an unknown commodity"" would become an essential part of his ground game.""If you would have asked me six weeks ago what kind of contribution Shaun Draughn was going to make" I don't know what I would have told you" Davis said.But sometimes you walk around and you find money lying on the ground. You get lucky.""Going into today's game against Notre Dame" Draughn will likely be trying to prove something to somebody. After all this silencing of doubters both real and imagined seems to drive him.There is always something to prove" always somebody to win over.""Every game is a statement game" Draughn said.But don't let that intensity be misleading. Draughn is still a small-town kid who just enjoys the game of football.I read a quote about it Draughn recalled. Coach Davis said I'm probably as happy as a kid at Christmas time" and I really feel like that.""Football is a passion of mine"" and I love doing it. I love playing.""
(10/02/08 4:00am)
Donald Brown torched Louisville last week for 124 rushing yards and a touchdown marking the fifth time in as many games he eclipsed the 100-yard mark.And those are just his stats in the first halves of football games.Add in the numbers from after intermission and you've got the nation's leading rusher.The redshirt junior arrived in Chapel Hill averaging 181.2 rushing yards per game. And if the Tar Heels hope to upend Brown's undefeated Connecticut team they'll need to slow him down.Granted this will be no small task. Brown boasts speed — the 5-foot-10 210-pounder was a track star in high school.And he's got power too most notably incredible lower body strength — he can out-squat most linemen — which makes him tough to drag down.He's so fitness-obsessed that he had his own speed and strength coaches in high school and he is rarely seen drinking anything but water.These tendencies quickly led to success in college football. Brown turned down offers from Tennessee and Nebraska to play defensive back instead opting for UConn because of its relative proximity to his home in Atlantic Highlands N.J.That and the fact that he wanted the ball in his hands.In his collegiate debut Brown ran for 118 yards and two scores on nine carries — all in the second half of a win against Rhode Island.In his first college start Brown rushed for 199 yards and two touchdowns. And he did it just 20 minutes from home against a nationally ranked Rutgers team that hadn't allowed a 100-yard rusher in two years.That start came because of an injury to then-starter Terry Caulley and it was followed by four more. In those five games Brown kept pace with Big East studs Ray Rice and Steve Slaton rushing for 100 or more yards three times.He was named second-team All-Big East in 2006 the only freshman to make the all-conference team.Now without having to split carries with another back Brown is turning those flashes of greatness into a consistent assault on opposing rush defenses.His 11 touchdowns is already tied for the seventh-highest single-season total in Connecticut history and his season total of 906 yards would rank 11th. And the Huskies have completed less than half of their schedule.Brown's career numbers are even more impressive. His 2623 rushing yards and 26 scores are both tied for third-best in Huskie history.None of this bodes well for a North Carolina defense that ranks eighth in the ACC in run defense and has worn down during the late stages of games this year.During the Virginia Tech game the best rushing team the Tar Heels have seen UNC contained the Hokie ground game for three quarters. But in the fourth the same seams that were sealed tight all game suddenly opened wide due to fatigue.The best bet for the Tar Heels to stop Brown and UConn's rushing attack is to try to take the ball out of Brown's hands and force the Huskies' backup quarterback Zach Frazer to throw the ball.Brown's prolific rushing numbers don't translate into the receiving game. He is not a big threat out of the backfield with a career high of 32 receiving yards.The goal for the Tar Heels will be to win the battle at the line of scrimmage and push into the backfield on early downs forcing the Huskies into obvious passing situations.But against the leading rusher in the nation this task will require the efforts of all three levels of the UNC defense to carry out.
(09/25/08 4:00am)
Redshirt freshman Mike Paulus will be North Carolina's quarterback this Saturday against Miami UNC coach Butch Davis said Wednesday.But so will junior Cam Sexton he added.Following the injury to starter T.J. Yates" both Paulus and Sexton will share quarterbacking duties in a repeat performance of this year's spring practices.""When T.J. had the surgery in the springtime and wasn't able to go through spring practice" it was just the two of them Davis said.At the time everybody was bemoaning the fact that T.J. wasn't here but in retrospect looking back" it was probably a little bit of a good thing.""We got a chance to watch them do things" and the guys in the huddle the other 10 guys" got a chance to have those guys step in the huddle with them.""The adjustment from a steady signal-caller to an unstable situation has left some Tar Heels uneasy.""This is like going back to when we started off" tailback Greg Little said. Guys are a lot more tense now rather than loose. And we're kind of getting the feel for both guys" knowing that they're both going to play.""But the instability also will provide both Paulus and Sexton with the chances to prove that they belong at the helm of an up-and-coming Bowl Championship Subdivision program.""Mike" this is going to be his first go-around out there so he has to prove what he can do senior wideout Brooks Foster said.Cam he's got a little experience. T.J. took his job" so he's got to go out there and work hard and try to get his job back. So it should be good — a lot of competition out there between the two.""Running game must improveAside from Little's 50-yard scamper in the third quarter of Saturday's game against Virginia Tech"" UNC has struggled through the season to put together any semblance of a consistent rushing attack.""It starts up front. We as running backs have to help the linemen out" Little said.We have to bring defenders to the blocks and then cut off there" and then run to daylight.""Little compiled 31 yards on his 17 other carries — an average of 1.8 yards per carry.Shaun Draughn" the second half of UNC's running back tandem rushed five times for 10 yards good for a 2.0 average per carry.Both also coughed up costly fumbles that led directly to VT scoring drives" which Little attributed to trying to stretch a run for too long.""It's fighting for the extra yardage" he said. And you have to know when the journey's over" and when you have to get down.""Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(08/25/08 4:00am)
Ryan Houston gave up one guilty pleasure in the offseason in exchange for a tastier one this fall.
(08/22/08 4:00am)
All spring and summer, the North Carolina football team learned a hefty playbook, ran through reps and studied assignments.
(08/18/08 4:00am)
After giving up sacks and leading a running game that managed just three yards per carry last year, it seemed changes would be in store for North Carolina's offensive line.
(08/18/08 4:00am)
Even though they've been practicing together for about half a calendar year, the two sides of the North Carolina line of scrimmage stared down fresh opponents Saturday.
(06/26/08 4:00am)
OK, Tar Heel fans. Exhale. Let out that sigh of relief you've been holding in since North Carolina's season ended in San Antonio.
Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington and Danny Green made you sweat for as long as possible - the press release came just 18 minutes before the 5 p.m. deadline - but they withdrew their names from the NBA Draft and will be Carolina-blue-clad for at least one more year.
Now, finally, you can relax.
Well, not so fast.
The suspense might be finished, but now the real drama begins.
Late Night with Roy might not be for another four months and tip-off even longer, but the road to the 2009 Final Four officially began June 16 when the trio announced their plans to return to Chapel Hill.
At that moment, UNC became the clear-cut favorite to win the 2009 national championship. There won't be much cause for debate as to which team will sit atop the preseason rankings.
It is a situation that mirrors Florida's two years ago. After the Gators won it all in 2006, they returned all five starters to defend the title. They were the odds-on favorites from the moment Taureen Green, Joakim Noah, Al Horford and Corey Brewer announced plans to stay in school.
The Gators took on the status of preseason No. 1, absorbed everyone's best shot and prevailed.
Now it's North Carolina's turn.
The quartet of National Player of the Year Tyler Hansbrough, who didn't even test the NBA waters, Lawson, Ellington and Green is comparable to the Florida foursome. Add in Deon Thompson, Marcus Ginyard and a couple of five-star recruits, and you've got a scary assemblage of talent.
But, no team will have a bigger bulls-eye on its back than UNC.
On paper, North Carolina looks tailor-made for a title run. An emotional leader. A point guard that pushes the pace and takes care of the ball. Lights-out shooters on the perimeter. A lock-down defender. A lineup that goes eight or nine deep. And they've been there before.
But the better a team looks at the year's outset, the higher the expectations are and the more everybody else wants to knock that team off. This is why only two teams this decade were ranked preseason No. 1 and went on to win it all.
When both Lawson and Ellington announced their plans to return, they concluded with their hopes not to get back to the tournament, not to make a return trip to the Final Four but to go all the way.
"I am looking forward to working toward our goal of winning a national championship," Ellington said.
Lawson echoed the sentiments:
"I look forward to playing next season and trying to win a national championship."
And it's not just on their minds. The Andy Katzes, Pat Fordes and Luke Winns of the world already have their eyes on Chapel Hill, and the spotlight might not go away until nets are cut down in Detroit.
There are lots of ways for a basketball team to have a successful season, but this year, anything short of a national title might be considered a bust for these Tar Heels.
So buckle up, UNC fans. You can relax in April.
Contact Mike Ehrlich at elmichae@email.unc.edu.
(06/19/08 4:00am)
North Carolina sophomore and former baseball player B.J. Dail remained in the hospital in serious condition Tuesday after an accident during the weekend in Brewster, Mass.
(06/12/08 4:00am)
Most aspiring Major League Baseball players dream all their lives about the day they'll be drafted. They'll wait by the phones, hear their name called and then celebrate with family and friends.
(06/12/08 4:00am)
Whoever coined the term "there's no crying in baseball" would have hated the ninth inning of North Carolina's super regional clincher Sunday.There were curtain calls and standing O's, on-field hugs and dogpiles. Chad Flack even admitted nearly shedding a tear.
(04/23/08 4:00am)
Attention college basketball fans: March is finished. But a better postseason has just gotten underway.
So stop reminiscing and turn on the television - the NBA playoffs are a ride you don't want to miss.
I know, I know; this is the South, and college hoops reign supreme. But if Michael Beasley and Kevin Love (and Tyler Hansbrough?) want to take their games to the next level, maybe you should take your viewing experience there, too.
And these playoffs will not disappoint. Pick your favorite storyline:
There is what might be the best first-round matchup in the history of the league. Tim Duncan's game-tying 3-pointer - his first of the entire season - set the stage for a series that brings back memories of M.J. vs. Bird and other epic first-round battles.
There is LeBron James, the most physically gifted basketball player ever, who seems determined to single-handedly lead the Cavs through the Eastern Conference once again. And yes, you have the opportunity to be a Witness.
There's Chris Paul, the most exciting young star in the league. If you're not jacked about a potential CP3-Deron Williams showdown in the conference finals, then you do not appreciate point guard play.
Like Cinderellas? Is a seven-seed knocking off a two-seed something you might be interested in? Well, after the series' first game, the Sixers are poised to do just that to the Pistons. Detroit, which hasn't lost a first-round series in nearly a decade with the same core of players, got dealt only its eighth home loss by a sub-.500 team in Game One.
Like clashes of the top powers? Take the entire Western Conference. All eight playoff teams had at least 50 wins entering the postseason, and just two games separated the best six teams.
Then there's Kobe Bryant, trying to prove himself by winning a championship without Shaquille O'Neal.
There's Shaq throwing his enormous frame into the stands for loose balls.
Duncan, Manu Ginobili and the Spurs trying to repeat. Boston's new triple-threat. Dirk Nowitzki trying to show he's not soft. Tracy McGrady trying to get out of the first round for the first time on his seventh try. Carmelo Anthony just trying to stay out of jail.
Whatever you want, you'll find it.
The moral of all of this is that the NBA playoffs are must-see TV. It's got the same players you watched in college, only better.
It's a common misconception that NBA players simply don't care as much as college athletes. Well, watch Kevin Garnett play a basketball game and consider that debate settled. The guy is plain scary; he's that intense. Still not convinced? TiVo the first two games of the Wizards-Cavs series, which featured about six near-brawls. These guys care.
Plus, if nothing else, at least you won't see Isiah Thomas anywhere near these playoffs.
Contact Mike Ehrlich at elmichae@email.unc.edu.
(04/21/08 4:00am)
CARY - Only a year removed from two straight defeats in the College World Series finals and the loss of a talented core, most teams would need to struggle through a rebuilding year.
Instead, the North Carolina baseball team came back with a tie for its best start ever.
After dominating Boston College on Friday and Saturday at the USA Baseball National Training Complex, the Tar Heels had amassed a 33-7 record, which tied the 1990 squad for the program's best mark through 40 games.
That 1990 team lost its 41st game. The 2008 Tar Heels cruised to an 8-2 victory Sunday to sweep the series and increase their season-best win streak to nine games.
"It's a good accomplishment," sophomore Kyle Seager said of the 34-7 record. "But it doesn't mean by any chance that we've arrived."
The Tar Heels outscored Boston College (19-21, 5-16 ACC) by a 26-5 margin in the three-game set, and no UNC relief pitcher allowed a runner to score.
Six North Carolina relievers appeared to throw a combined eight innings of shutout ball.
"It's been the strength of our team," UNC coach Mike Fox said. "We said it after the first couple of weeks: 'Whoa, our relievers are really throwing well.' And here we are in the eighth or ninth week of our season, and they've continued to really shine for us."
And it wasn't just the bullpen that shut down BC bats. Junior starter Adam Warren blanked the Eagles for seven innings in Saturday's 6-0 win, and freshman Matt Harvey fanned a career-high eight batters Sunday. Alex White picked up Friday's decision in the 12-3 win.
"I'm surprised that we've pitched as well as we have and as consistently as we have for 40 games," Fox said. "The coach in me keeps waiting for that to blow up, but I don't think that's going to happen."
UNC showed up swinging hot bats, as well. Four batters went deep in Friday's win, led by two nearly identical two-run bombs from Seager that cleared the right-field fence. Seager piled up a career-best five RBI on the night and stretched his ACC-leading RBI count to 57.
Sunday the hits came in bunches. The sixth through ninth hitters strung together four hits in a row in both the second and sixth innings, producing five combined runs.
"We just got some timely hitting, and I feel like, one through nine, everybody was able to contribute, which definitely helped us out," sophomore Tim Fedroff said. "It's just getting guys on base and getting big hits."
Even with the series sweep and the best 41-game start since the early 1980s, Fox said it's too early to relax.
UNC travels to Charlotte on Tuesday to face a team that they needed 12 innings to beat at home last week and then faces High Point on Wednesday before hosting Florida State in what will be the toughest weekend series yet.
"We're going to be judged, like everybody, on how we finish," Fox said. "And we've got a tough road to hoe here. Starting with a road game Tuesday, our schedule gets a whole lot tougher."
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(04/17/08 4:00am)
CARY - Kyle Shelton had stepped to the plate six times Wednesday night. And six times, he was sent packing back to the dugout.
But for the senior left fielder, the seventh time was the charm.
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the 12th inning of a marathon contest against Charlotte, Shelton drove a high chopper to third base. It was fielded and thrown home, but not in time to nab Garrett Gore, who scored to win it for UNC, 5-4.
The unusual end - a walk-off fielder's choice - was topped only by the unusual hero, who wound up with a 0-for-7 stat-line.
"It was a curveball, low and away," Shelton said. "I got a little out in front of it, and I beat it into the ground just enough.
"I hit probably the weakest ball I've hit all year, and it's a hit and we win the game."
The contest didn't even look like it would reach the decisive frame, as Charlotte (27-8) jumped ahead in the 11th by scoring two runs.
But No. 4 UNC (31-7) would rally. An RBI single by Chad Flack brought it within one and brought the tying run to third. Then, on an 0-2 count and his back against a wall, Kyle Seager drove an RBI single up the middle to force a 12th frame.
The offensive production of the last two frames was not indicative of the previous nine. UNC continuously stranded runners on base, failed to lay down bunts and couldn't muster a clutch hit.
The pitching staff, though, kept the Tar Heels in a position to win. A solid start out of Mike Facchinei was followed by more than six innings of relief. Colin Bates, Brian Moran and Tyler Trice pitched the middle innings before Matt Harvey slammed the door shut in the 12th.
"We had a lot of opportunities to score, but our pitching staff did a great job of keeping us in the game the whole time," Seager said. "Our pitching's been unbelievable all year, and sooner or later we're going to come through."
UNC coach Mike Fox would have preferred sooner, though, as he was disappointed in his team's play for most of the game.
"I've never been more excited that we won and upset at the way we played," Fox said after the game.
"Our offensive execution tonight was just horrendous - the worst I can remember in a long, long time.
"Thank goodness for our pitching; our pitching has been phenomenal. It kept us in the game and gave us a chance. I didn't think we'd score there for a long time."
UNC will take the momentum from an emotional victory into a three-game set against Boston College this weekend.
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(03/27/08 4:00am)
It was a "pick your poison" night for Gardner-Webb pitchers Wednesday in dealing with North Carolina batters.
No. 3 UNC first wore them down with small ball, scoring four runs on five singles in the second inning.
Then the Tar Heels punished the Bulldogs with the long ball, adding four more off Garrett Gore and Tim Fedroff home runs in the third to take a commanding 8-2 lead.
UNC (20-4) would add another five to come away with a convincing 13-2 victory against the Bulldogs (9-13).
Gore and Fedroff both finished with a team-high three RBIs to lead the offense, and all nine starters recorded a hit. UNC totaled 18 hits - its sixth-straight game with double digits in the category.
"We've been playing well," sophomore Kyle Seager said. "The last four or five games, we've really been hitting the ball well. Hopefully it will carry on."
No one has been swinging the bat as well as Seager, who extended his career-high hit streak to 20 games. He finished with two singles and a double and now is hitting .404 for the year.
Seth Williams, too, extended a career-best hitting streak with a double off the third base bag in the sixth. His tear was boosted to 15 games.
But sophomore star Dustin Ackley continued to anchor the Tar Heel offense from the leadoff spot with four singles.
It was his fourth game batting first in the order, and UNC has scored at least 10 runs in all four of them.
"He's been obviously playing well, and it's something I've kind of had in the back of my mind, really since the beginning of the year," coach Mike Fox said of batting Ackley first.
"He puts so much pressure on the other team right out of the gate because he can run, he can bunt, he hits with two strikes, and so far it's worked out for us."
On the mound, it was a staff day for both teams, as a total of 16 pitchers were used - eight for each team - to warm up the bull pens for upcoming weekend series.
UNC is back in action this weekend with an ACC set against N.C. State in Cary.
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.