36 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(11/18/08 5:00am)
While North Carolina quarterback Cameron Sexton was succeeding it was easy to forget that he was third on the UNC depth chart earlier this year.With superstar T.J. Yates injured Tar Heel fans embraced Sexton as the underdog of the year.Now" two days after what Sexton called ""the worst game I've played all year" a healthy Yates is back in the rotation.Coach Butch Davis said Monday that he will not name a starting quarterback for Saturday's N.C. State game until both have had a chance to compete for the spot this week.The approach is that we are not gonna name a starter as to this Saturday he said.That I'm going to meet with both of the quarterbacks this afternoon as is (offensive coordinator) John Shoop" and we're going to sit down and talk to them.""And say" OK look" you both need to be prepared. And we'll try to make a decision at some point later in the week.""Since Sexton became UNC's go-to guy during Sept. 27's Miami game" the QB has thrown nine touchdowns and four interceptions averaging more than 175 yards a game.But Sexton struggled on Saturday going only 10-for-24 for 166 yards with one touchdown — tipped by a defender first — and one interception" plus a lost fumble.""I never got into a rhythm" Sexton said after the game. I just" I was off. I don't know how to explain it. It just wasn't my day today.""But this decision isn't made solely on Sexton's performance Saturday"" Davis said.""It's no disrespect to Cam. Cam's done an outstanding job" for the most part. He's come in we've won games with him" he's performed well.""But so did Yates" for 12 games last year and the first three this season.After talking about the offense with his staff for four or five hours Sunday Davis said they chose to open up the competition.Wide receiver Cooter Arnold who caught his first touchdown pass Saturday on Sexton's tipped throw" said Yates has looked sharp in practices the past few weeks but that he hasn't played as much as Sexton.""Well" he hasn't been practicing too too much but whenever he's been in there it's just like before he left. He's doing good" he said.Yates now has been practicing for two full weeks, Davis said, though Sexton still has been getting about 70 percent of the throws.This week that number will even off.That's one of the things that we've been trying to evaluate as T.J. came back" was at what point he would be in a position to somewhat compete Davis said.So we're going to watch them both practice we're going to put them into situations" and see how the week unfolds before we try to decide who might be the quarterback.""Before his injury" Yates was leading the ACC in pass efficiency and was third in yards per game and total offense. In his three games he picked up six touchdowns and only one pick on 651 yards.Fullback Bobby Rome knows either QB would get the job done — the competition is actually a good thing" he said.""I mean" I think it's a great problem to have to have two starting quarterbacks that either one can go in" and the team's gonna back either one 100 percent.""Contact the Sports Editorat sports@unc.edu.
(11/12/08 5:00am)
The North Carolina football team has been watching film of its next conference opponent for the past five days.By now the players know the ins-and-outs of Maryland's offense" defense and special teams units.But tonight they'll be watching two different conference teams — and they know where their allegiances lie.""I don't know if I'm allowed to say this" but we'll be pulling for Miami quarterback Cameron Sexton said Monday.Absolutely we will be. I didn't know it was on Thursday night until the other day" so we're excited about that.""Miami takes on the Coastal division leaders Virginia Tech in Miami Gardens" Fla. tonight and the Tar Heels have more stake than usual in the matchup.North Carolina needs a Virginia Tech loss to move to the top of the ACC Coastal standings — because the Hokies beat UNC in September VT has the head-to-head advantage if the teams have the same win-loss ratio.Provided the Tar Heels win out a VT loss would secure UNC's berth to the ACC Championship game.So the road to Tampa Bay at least this week" sits in the hands of Miami.""(Offensive tackle) Mike Ingersoll said in the locker room that he wanted to take practice off and go and be the scout team for Miami so we can help them win the game" running back Ryan Houston said.Miami" I'm just praying for them to hopefully take out Virginia Tech this week.""Right now Virginia Tech" Miami and UNC all are tied at 3-2 in the conference. VT has the head-to-head against UNC and UNC against Miami.Friday morning the Tar Heels will go back to watching Maryland. But Thursday night as they do every week they'll watch the college football game — and they hope that Friday they'll have a little more to play for when they head to College Park Md." this weekend.""We're definitely going to watch it"" corner Kendric Burney said.We watch every Thursday night game. We all get together.""Of course everybody would be crazy if we say we weren't going for Miami.""But we just want to see a good football game"" and hopefully things will pull out our way.""Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(11/03/08 5:00am)
Butch Davis added another name to the North Carolina football team's ever-growing injury list this week — his own.Well the head coach is on injury reserve this week. I've got clicker thumb Davis said by means of introduction.I'm getting some treatment" but it's from channel surfing all around on Saturday. It's a rare opportunity for us to get a chance to watch a lot of football games.""Davis might be ailing (though he ""didn't bring his splint"" to the press conference)"" but the bye week provided many of his players the opportunity to rest up and get healthier — both physically and mentally — after Oct. 25's demanding Boston College rally.""Oh" yeah senior safety Trimane Goddard said.People are nicked up; we can rest a little more during the bye week. You don't have to go through a lot of contact as you would in a game" so your body can heal up and rest.""But Goddard said less contact didn't mean less practice.""We're going to practice to get better. Nothing is going to rust because we're still trying to get better"" even during a bye week.""The Tar Heels picked a good week to rest. Coming up against a strong Georgia Tech team currently leading the Coastal division" the team could be set to return several of its key players.Quarterback T.J. Yates will have sat the minimum six weeks outlined after his injury" but Davis said the staff will not know what his availability will be until after today's practice.""He continued to take part in the individual drills" he took individual routes to the receivers and you know he did some 7-on-7 things" Davis said.He split some time with Mike Paulus with the second team reps as far as 7-on-7 was concerned.""But Yates' mobility still is limited" and he hasn't played any reps against a defensive rush.Quarterback Cameron Sexton is 4-1 at the helm since Yates' injury" and he has led the team through the past five weeks with a legitimate chance at a conference title and four ACC games remaining.""We all dream about winning championships and playing in big games" and we talked about it a lot Sexton said.But we're in it now and we're sitting pretty well at 6-2. … So I think now we're really saying ‘Hey we've got a shot" let's not go mess this up. Let's make sure we're focused on working hard.'""With such high stakes on the next games"" Davis said the Tar Heels have taken advantage of the rest the bye week gave them.""I think the emotional" psychological break was good for the football team" Davis said, noting that Sunday's brief practice was one of the team's best.Guys were a little fresher"" they seemed a little bit quicker. And so I think it was good all around.""Davis said the status of tight end Zack Pianalto also will be decided today. Pianalto currently is out with a sprained ankle.But even as Yates and Pianalto prepare for potential returns"" Davis thinks he might miss some time with his injury.""I'm probably doubtful for Monday Night Football tonight"" he said. I don't know if I can hold the clicker.""Contact the Sports Editorat sports@unc.edu.
(10/27/08 4:00am)
As Cameron Sexton prepared to leave the press room after Saturday's Boston College game he doubled back to greet and congratulate Hakeem Nicks.Sexton grabbed his leading receiver into a hug grinning" and looked at him. ""My boy.""Saturday" Nicks sure was.Sexton connected with Nicks eight times for 139 yards and three touchdowns and Nicks grabbed another score on a rush" a threat he showed off for the first time against BC — and to great success.""I'm not an English major" but I think ‘fantastic' would maybe describe it coach Butch Davis said after the game. He is one of the unique special guys I have seen that the bigger the moment and the bigger the stage" the better he plays.""""Fantastic"" works. Sexton went with ""unbelievable"" while Boston College coach Jeff Jagodzinski chose outstanding.""Whichever way you say it" one thing is clear: Nicks is no longer UNC's second-most-heralded playmaker.And while Nicks has had to step up and fill the shoes left open by senior Brandon Tate" he and Sexton always seemed to have a certain something that draws the ball to No. 88's hands.""Me and Hakeem have always had kind of a special bond"" said Sexton, who called Nicks his best friend.And I just know that I've got to get him the ball. And I think he knows he has a pretty good idea that he's going to get it.""And Saturday" from the moment Nicks woke up" he knew it would be a big game.""I even told my teammates before the game started. I said I felt like I was going to have a career day" Nicks said. So I just went out there contributed to the team the best way possible" and that's what happened.""They started in the second quarter — a 26-yard TD pass from Sexton. Then a 40-yard TD. Two minutes later"" 43-yard score. That's a quick 21 points for Nicks (""That hasn't happened since high school"" he said).And even then, Nicks wasn't done.He ended the game as UNC's second-leading rusher with 31 yards on three attempts and a touchdown, UNC's last of the game.And each was impressive in its own way. Perhaps none, though, was as important for momentum as the 43-yard grab to end the first half and give UNC a lead it would never give up.I went to Coach Davis on the sideline" and I said ‘We are going to go for the touchdown" right?'"" Nicks said. ""He looked back at me and said" ‘Shoot" yeah.' So I felt like I just had to make a play.""And he did. Taking advantage of Sexton's newly debuted deep ball and a nifty block by fellow receiver Brooks Foster"" Nicks went long to the house to close the quarter.""That was real big" Nicks said of Foster's block. I told him that if it wasn't for that block I probably wouldn't have seen the cutback. He did a good job down the field at clearing out" and I came through.""Nicks' first-half finale brought back visions of the quarter's opening act.That time" on UNC's first touchdown of the game" Nicks leapt for a one-handed grab (""It was kind of a bad throw"" Sexton said) and then evaded tackles at the two to cross the white line just inside the corner.As the crowd erupted, the players shrugged.Oh" man I've seen much better catches from him in practice and games Sexton said afterwards. I mean" that's about a routine catch for him.""Nicks says Tate's absence doesn't put too much pressure on him. He might see double coverage" sure" but it's all in a day's work for No. 88.""I just know I have to step up and contribute the best way possible. Every time they call on my name"" I just feel like I have to make a play.""Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(10/20/08 4:00am)
It wasn't a great weekend for the North Carolina football team. The Tar Heels lost a conference game.They dropped out of the AP Top 25 and fell in the ACC Coastal standings.Only thing is — so did Virginia Tech and Wake Forest. All three teams dropped from the poll and were replaced with three new ACC teams — Georgia Tech" Florida State and Boston College.""I think that people have kind of taken a knock on this conference a little bit" been saying that the ACC has been down but I think a lot of people are playing a lot of good football" UNC quarterback Cameron Sexton said.And, while it makes for tougher competition for UNC as it finishes out its schedule against ACC teams, it also means that the Tar Heels' dreams for a conference title are still alive.Virginia Tech's loss puts UNC in fourth place in the Coastal division, behind Georgia Tech at 3-1 and VT and UVa. at 2-1.It would be tough, but not unthinkable, for UNC to sneak up from its current 1-2 record to climb near the top.It's kind of like the NFL" any given week anybody can win and I think that's exciting Sexton said.You know it's not two teams dominating the entire conference or one team" and I think that the competition is great.""Anybody can win" as seen from Boston College stealing a ranking with its win against then-No. 17 Virginia Tech" despite the Eagles' five turnovers in the game. Or Maryland's 26-0 dismantling of then-No. 21 Wake Forest on Saturday.""You could watch Wake Forest a couple of weeks ago and the way that they just totally dismantled Clemson and you'd say" ‘God man that's a really really good football team"'"" UNC coach Butch Davis said.The same Clemson" by the way" that was ranked No. 9 in the preseason polls and now is 3-4 and with a brand new coach.""You can see some of those other teams" the way that they play — we've played Virginia Tech we're getting ready to play Boston College we haven't played Georgia Tech yet" Davis said.But they've just dominated everybody pretty much that they've played.""So I mean"" it's a pretty competitive league.""After the loss to Virginia Tech in September"" running back Shaun Draughn said they knew what needed to come next: UNC wins and a Tech loss.""That was another kind of thing that hurt (Saturday)" he said.I knew what we needed when we were looking at Virginia Tech" what we needed them to do as far as losing and us winning.""And they lost" but we lost too" so that hurt us.""So now what it comes down to" Sexton said" isn't what the rest of the ACC does. It's what the Tar Heels do.""I mean" everybody knows what's going on but it's not like we sit around going ‘Alright Virginia Tech lost"'"" he said.""We're worried about us" because like I say all the time" you can control what you can control.""And for now" what the Tar Heels can control is racking up the ACC wins to get to its season goals: bowl eligibility" then a conference title.""I mean" our goal is to win an ACC championship of course Sexton said.And we take it one game at a time so we'll continue to do that and hope that somehow it'll work out for us but we gotta control us first" and that means winning this week.""Contact the Sports Editorat sports@unc.edu.
(10/19/08 4:00am)
Don't ask Roy Williams whether his team is going to win them all.Seriously. Just don't do it.First of all I think it's sort of stupid to talk about he said at Friday's media day press conference.I did say sort of stupid so if you talk about it you don't have to say I said you were stupid. I said you were sort of stupid" he clarified.But I don't think anybody can in today's game.""There are too many good teams out there" and North Carolina this year has too large a target on its back.Returning all five of last year's starters and bringing in a group of four high school all-stars will do that to a program.And though they won't go undefeated" it's the depth that roster brings that Williams expects to help his team win games. ""If we get the game where the seventh man" eighth man ninth man is a huge factor I don't know of many teams that can be as talented and as experienced" he said.North Carolina's depth was considered one of its biggest strengths last year, and this season it will increase with the addition of the new guys — or, as Williams calls them, those young rascals.""And these Tar Heels won't have any baptism by fire but will have a chance to adapt to the college game at a comfortable pace.When Deon Thompson and his class came into the program in 2006"" only five upperclassmen were on the roster.""When we came in" our seniors were just sophomores Thompson said.With us now being juniors (and seniors)" it just gives them time to grow into things and not have a heavy expectations or burden on them to play and do great things as soon as they get here.""For a while this summer" it looked as though the newbies on the roster might have some pretty big shoes to fill" as several on the team eyed their chances in the NBA.Then the unthinkable happened. The entire class of 2009 and most of the class of 2010 announced they would return for the season.""You know" I was a little surprised everybody was coming back Tyler Hansbrough said. Just 'cause you know" it's kind of rare to see everybody coming back to such a good team.""But I'm really excited. We're all really excited.""Hansbrough wasn't the only one who was surprised by the news.""It's unusual; there's no question about it"" Williams said. You're not going to have too many scenarios where everybody comes back.""The coach thought of two earlier scenarios when he did. The first was in 1997 at Kansas" when all five starters returned but he could not remember as strong a freshman class.The last time Williams had all five back was in his 2004 squad when he won the national championship in his second year at UNC.Only one freshman factored extensively that year — but then again" it was Marvin Williams.""The one who came in was pretty doggone good" Williams said.You tell me any of those big young rascals out there is going to be as good as Marvin" I'll feel a heck of a lot better today.""Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(10/14/08 4:00am)
Brandon Tate thought his knee might have been bruised.After taking a hit to his knee in the first quarter of Saturday's Notre Dame game, Tate went down hard and limped off the field. I thought it was just a bruise or something" he said at a press conference Monday. 'Cause it was just real sore on the inside part of my knee" but the MRIs came back and told me everything.""""Everything"" included tears in Tate's anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament" ruling him out for the remainder of the season and ending the senior's North Carolina career.But he is surprisingly" ""fine.""""I think we're more upset about it than he is"" quarterback Cameron Sexton said.Tate, though obviously disappointed, is staying upbeat by thinking about his future — this will not be a career-ending injury.Coach Butch Davis said he has spoken to Tate about his experiences coaching Reggie Wayne and Michael Irvin, who both went through similar injuries and came back to successful pro careers.At first I was looking down while I was talking to him" Tate said. But when he told me about that" he said I looked up and made eye contact with him.""He told me I was going to be alright" so I trust him" and now I just gotta now go and do my end.""Tate will begin a strict rehabilitating process after undergoing surgery Wednesday at UNC Hospitals.""Brandon will get back. He was fortunate that there was no other further significant damage" Davis said.As tough as it is for him and us" there is a little silver lining in that.""And so Davis' team begins its search for replacements for its most irreplaceable player.""You know" to replace a kick returner punt returner and a receiver of his caliber — you just can't do it" Sexton said. But we're going to find somebody that's going to play really well in his place.""The Tar Heels fared well in the last three quarters of the Notre Dame game" which Tate watched in the locker room and says his team can recreate next week.He won't make the trip to Virginia opting instead to go home with his family but don't count on him missing many opportunities to cheer the team on the sidelines.Just as T.J. Yates did after his injury last month" Tate hopes to become a cheerleader and mentor figure for the team.""The only thing I do now is just be the biggest cheerleader" you know Tate said. (Davis) just told me to cheer the guys on keep them motivated" just try to do a little coaching with the receivers whenever I can.""Tate ends his college career the leading kick-returner in the NCAA and just 304 yards short of the kickoff return mark.With so many records set and personal goals met"" now Tate is focused on his last goal: the big leagues.""I've been striving for that since day one" he said. So I'm just going to go into rehab and just work harder than I ever have before" 'cause I know this is it for me to just try and get in the NFL.""Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(10/09/08 4:00am)
This North Carolina football team has had a whole lot of heroes.First it was Brandon Tate. Then T.J. Yates then Trimane Goddard and Cameron Sexton.Last week it was Bruce Carter's turn.With three blocked punts against Connecticut last weekend Carter matched the record for a UNC season total with four — and Carter did it on four straight punts including the final punt two weeks ago against Miami.Four consecutive blocked punts might be an NCAA record" nut the NCAA doesn't keep that data available.""You know" I was surprised myself" Carter said with a laugh Monday, holding a copy of a paper that featured him prominently on the sports page. I still am surprised" today" seeing it in the paper and stuff.""Though UNC players ""aren't supposed to"" watch their own successful plays later"" Carter said the temptation might be just too much.""Surprisingly" I only watched it one time and that was just today when we watched film" he said. But I'll probably go back and just see what I did.""What he did"" no UNC player ever has done before. And most in the program can't remember ever seeing it before. At least Butch Davis can't.""Wow. Oh" boy. Not three punts in a game. It was just terrific" he said after last Saturday's game.And though Carter as a punt swatter stole the spotlight, he hasn't shirked on his responsibilities as a linebacker, either.Carter sits near the top of the stat chart with 27 tackles — three for loss — and an interception.This year" Bruce and I feel a lot more comfortable than last year teammate Quan Sturdivant said. Last year" we were kind of just thrown out there. This year we know we have more responsibilities as a linebacker and know the technique more.""Carter says he won't let the blocked punts — or his teammates' compliments — go to his head.Mark Paschal" who appeared at Saturday's postgame press conference in Carter's No. 54 jersey" can't say enough about him.""He's the best athlete we got on the field" he said. Offense defense special teams" you let him know.""That's not all Paschal said.""He said in one of his interviews that if they made Bruce Carter pajamas" he'd wear them" Carter cited as his favorite compliment since the hat trick.So for now, at least, he's OK with reading about himself and his unit in the paper now and again?He grinned.Yeah. It's okay.""
(10/06/08 4:00am)
Talk about making a statement.The North Carolina football team quieted any questions on its ability against the big names with a 38-12 rout against then-No. 24 Connecticut on Saturday.And the Tar Heels (4-1) did it with just 13 offensive first downs.""There were lots of emotional ups and downs and flows" and it was kind of hard offensively to get into a little bit of rhythm coach Butch Davis said after the game.Because you'd go out there and you'd score in a couple plays" and then the defense would get an interception or block a punt. It was kind of a bizarre game.""Bizarre it was. UNC's offense garnered only 263 yards on 49 plays in a game that featured three blocked punts"" three interceptions and a safety who became the first 100-yard rusher this year.And all that unconventional play ended up not only in a rout but also in UNC's first AP Top 25 ranking since October 2001.""You know" it's nice but it's just like the 24-hour rule" Davis said Sunday. The season isn't over.""We're here ranked after week five"" but I don't think they give any trophies for week five rankings.""UConn. (5-1) kicked off the scoring with a field goal" but it didn't take long for kicker Casey Barth to match that with his first collegiate field goal on UNC's second drive.Their next 14 points were set up by a defensive play and a special teams play when a Mark Paschal interception opened up a drive that ended in Ryan Houston's one-yard run and then Bruce Carter's third blocked punt of the game was grabbed in the end zone.Suddenly the Tar Heels were up 17-3 with five minutes left in the first half and the rout was on.Houston's run opened up a powerful rush offense Saturday that claimed 146 yards — and more importantly no rushes for loss.And 109 of them came from Shaun Draughn" the safety-turned-rusher who became UNC's first to pass the century mark this year.""It feels good" he said after the game. The first back to do it. And I wanted to give the team a spark like I always do and when I came in the game I got a swagger like" I'm going to make something happen.""Much of that is credited not only to Draughn"" whom Davis called an ""unknown commodity"" before this season" but a retooled and much-improved offensive line.Then again Draughn and the O-line had plenty of time to retool and reboot on the sidelines — and that's not mentioning the game's 31-minute delay to fix two of the stadium's light banks.Five minutes into the second half UConn. had two-thirds of the possession time" out-handling UNC 23:21 to 11:33.That meant a whole lot of field time for the defense.""I'm freakin' beat" guys Paschal said after the game. I'm exhausted. I couldn't even move for a little bit" I was so exhausted.""Especially" Paschal said after UConn.'s final attempt at a comeback an 84-yard drive with 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter.Though star running back Donald Brown finally popped out the long run he had been due all game" his 65-yard touchdown was too little too late for a Huskies team that was abused all game.""I think that with the No. 1 rusher coming in here" I think any decent competitive unit is gonna take that as ‘Well he's not gonna leave the No. 1 rusher" UNC quarterback Cam Sexton said.Sexton had little to do but manage all game though he did complete a few big throws on third-and-longs and sent Hakeem Nicks, with a 13-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter, past the 2,000-yard mark in career receiving.Though Nicks, Draughn and Houston all crossed the goal line for UNC, the biggest run to the house came not from a back but defensive lineman Marvin Austin's 23-yard run after he picked UConn. backup quarterback Zach Frazer — Frazer's third of the game.I told Marvin in the locker room they're going to start timing guys with hourglasses after that run"" Davis said after the game.That's the longest … run I think I've ever seen in my life.""Davis said his theme for the players this week was"" ""If you want more"" you have to do more.""Paschal said the team took that to heart"" coming in early to practice or look over film before classes.""You can't say enough about the unit as a whole" just coming in — I mean it sucks getting up at 5:30. I mean" it's not any fun.""But this is freakin' worth it"" man.""Contact the Sports Editorat sports@unc.edu.
(10/03/08 4:00am)
The new guys on the North Carolina men's soccer team are of one mind on most subjects.They all love playing at UNC" they hate cleaning the balls after practice and they'll all take any ice pack off an injury to kick a ball around for a few more minutes.Just don't ask them who scored the first goal. ""It had to be Kirk"" Alex Dixon says of teammate Kirk Urso.Sheanon Williams — a defender — disagrees. I scored last year. In the spring.""Williams gets a few elbows at that one. ""You serious?"" ""You know" I scored in the spring too Urso shoots back.Well" I scored before you did. I scored the first goal.""Eventually Dixon moves the talk back to the regular season.""Wait. Wasn't it Schuler?""""Oh. Yeah. It was Schuler.""And with Williams' concession" it's decided that it was striker Billy Schuler (against South Carolina. on Sept. 5).But even the fact that so many names could be thrown into the mix says something about this Class of 2012.Comprising three of the top five point scorers on UNC's roster this year and five of the top 10 the incoming class has made a contribution right from the start.Though only defender Williams starts regularly" five of the eight incoming players have seen time in all 10 games this season.""We brought in something like 10" or I'm not even sure the total number of incoming guys and transfers and they just all bring a great attitude senior Mike Callahan says.The kind of attitude that we want our whole team to be about just hard working" and obviously they're very talented.""Their resumes prove they have the talent to back up Callahan's claims.Williams" Schuler and Urso played together for two and a half years in the U.S. Under-17 Residency Program in Florida. All three played in the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup in South Korea.Chris Lebo is a two-time Youth All-America selection. Jordan Gafa was named the San Diego County Athlete of the Year for boys' soccer last year as a high school senior.Several in the group are members of the U.S. team pools for their age groups and most have a few state championships under their belts.And coming from hometowns of Raleigh (keeper JP Davis) to Auckland New Zealand (defender John Niyonsaba) they all had quite a bit to get used to in their first years at UNC — especially Urso Schuler and Williams" who enrolled in January to start spring practices with the team.""I guess with that whole thing it really helped me just to adjust to the school first" and then get in with the team and get to know the style and what the players are like Urso says.You know we came in and we didn't do that CTOPS either" so that was a big jump right into college.""And" for Williams a big jump into a backline that lost two key leaders last year" including team captain Andre Sherard.""I think everybody hopes to start" but for me to start has definitely been — I mean it's been nice Williams says. I'm pretty vocal myself. I mean I talk a lot" so I try to help everybody else and help myself. Everybody's just trying to help each other.""And the Tar Heels" coming off last year's tough season — the first in 10 years that the team didn't make the NCAA Tournament — are getting plenty of help from this group.With nine goals they've recorded one-third of the team's total" and three of those were game-winners.And they're not done yet.""I mean" I'm trying to score as many goals as possible" says Dixon, whose four already leads the class.His teammates laugh at that, but doing as much as possible"" is a common philosophy among these players" who are fighting for spots on the No. 12 team in the country.And learning from the juniors and seniors who have been through the gamut has helped a lot" they say.""They're all very" very good leaders Lebo says. They're all people you want to look up to" they're all people you want to try and be like.""And they've been there with us step by step"" just helping us along and doing everything that they can possibly.""But with learning from talented leaders comes competing against them for playing time"" and the players say simply training with the team is invaluable experience — for now.""It's hard" Niyonsaba says. It's all competitive but it's like a safe" competitive environment where we're all pushing for a place.""Niyonsaba" who from New Zealand had the farthest to come didn't make his way to Chapel Hill until August but many of the rookies made their way down during the summer to start working with coach Elmar Bolowich and his team.Bolowich says that transition is a big part of the reason his players are succeeding now especially for Urso" Williams and Schuler.""They trained with us the entire spring" and they learned how we play he says. That was a positive for them to adjust to college athletics" as well as college academics.""And it shows now. They're relaxed" they know their roles" and they know how we want them to play and they can deliver.""Spring and summer training helped with more than just on-the-field performance"" the players say. The opportunity to interact with current players was key to forming the chemistry the team now shares.""Coming in and doing the preseason" all that kind of stuff really helped with learning how everyone played and just meeting guys doing that kind of thing" Lebo says.All of the rookies knew each other before they came in. Urso and Schuler room together after meeting in residency in Florida, and Williams lives with Lebo — who he's known since we were both" like" 13.""""It's having someone else there to kind of just hang out and know" Urso says. We already knew each other" so it wasn't like a totally new environment. It just helped to make it easier.""For Urso" from Illinois Chapel Hill was a totally new environment. Keeper Davis is from Raleigh" and he knew exactly what it meant to be coming to play soccer at UNC.""Everyone around here knows it's such a big deal what college you go to" he says. And coming to Carolina" it's just — it's really great.""For Callahan" at least" it's this passion for the program and a strong work ethic that makes the Class of 2012 stand out.""I think you can have talented guys not be successful if they don't have the right attitude" he says.And they all come out every day to training and work as hard as they can and really as you can see" they're just contributing a ton.""
(10/01/08 4:00am)
The last time the North Carolina men's soccer team had eight wins was 2006.After a 7-8-5 season last year, the No. 12 Tar Heels surpassed its entire 2007 win total with a 2-1 victory against UNC-Asheville, only its 10th game of the season.You know" I'm glad we're winning games I'll say that much" captain Mike Callahan said.It's nice that … we're not just actually trying to keep our season alive.""After going ahead 1-0 in the game's first four minutes" UNC (8-1-1) let Asheville claim a goal early in the second half to tie the score.But only 12 minutes later" first-year Alex Dixon headed in a cross from Eddie Ababio to notch the game-winner.""It was just a relief to get the go-ahead goal" Dixon said. We were tied 1-1" so we just had to get the game-winner before overtime.""Last year the Tar Heels ended five games in draws and went into extra periods in nine games.Getting a result is good" Callahan said" but it's not enough.""We have a goal of winning championships this year" and if we want to do that" we really have to take our game to the next level.""Callahan cited focus on the field as a key issue to tackle before the Tar Heels restart ACC play this weekend.A lack of focus was evident Tuesday against Asheville (2-4-2)"" when two UNC players were booked for talking back to the referee.Things such as ""silly cards"" are focuses for coach Elmar Bolowich and his staff as well"" Dixon said. ""They're trying to get us to stop that because they accumulate"" then you have to sit out a game. So they're trying to get us focused and keep our minds straight.""But for the most part" the Tar Heels kept their minds on the game Tuesday and sophomore midfielder Cameron Brown notched his first goal of the season from 12 yards out only four minutes in.UNC was in control for the rest of the half and seemed to have the upper hand after Asheville's J.W. Gallagher was sent off after two yellow cards.But the Tar Heels came out of the half sluggish and 10 minutes into the second period Asheville striker Scott Szymanski finished to the far post after a long breakaway — the first goal UNC-Asheville ever has scored against North Carolina.Even then Callahan said the offense had confidence it could retake control — after all" Asheville has never beaten UNC in nine tries.""Honestly" (the goal) really didn't surprise me that much the way we were playing he said. But we're a very attacking-oriented team and so 30 minutes left in the game" I wasn't too worried.""Dixon's goal later sealed the win" and the first-year's celebratory flips were the last postgoal antics the game would see.The Tar Heels take on ACC opponent Virginia at Fetzer Field on Friday one of their last home games for a stretch — though you could barely call Tuesday's 500-strong crowd much of it from Asheville" a home-field advantage.""You know" being Carolina it's a lot of teams' game of the season so they're going to come out gunning Callahan said. And you know" tonight they gave us a good game.""Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(09/29/08 4:00am)
MIAMI — Trimane Goddard's had his fair share of interceptions in his North Carolina career but he's never been a return man.So his career stat line felt kind of slanted: six interceptions" one yard.""All the young guys always clown me. They're like" ‘You're the person I know who has the most interceptions but no return yards"'"" he said.So against Miami he got 35 of them.And he couldn't stop grinning.""I finally got to return the ball.""That wasn't all Goddard did in UNC's 28-24 stunning defeat of Miami on Saturday. The senior also topped the Tar Heel defense's stat chart with eight tackles (six solo)" one break-up and two fourth-quarter interceptions including one that sealed UNC's win by ending Miami's last-second attempt to take the game.The game-closer which Goddard retrieved after Miami's Kayne Farquharson bobbled in the end zone" certainly made an impression.""That one at the end — if I'd have kissed him more" my wife would have been jealous I think coach Butch Davis said after the game. God" what a great play that was in the end zone.""Goddard led a talented UNC defense that managed to do what it couldn't against Virginia Tech — stop the fourth-quarter drives.""He's a great player and a great person to be around" defensive tackle Aleric Mullins said. To make those two interceptions in the fourth quarter" that's huge for our ball team.""The first was huge to gain momentum. The second" huge to win the game.Goddard was backed by five others who joined him with four or more tackles. Eighteen players recorded at least one solo tackle.Add to that nine tackles for loss and two sacks for a total of 34 lost yards and the defense did its part in making up for Miami's gains.And there were plenty.Redshirt freshman quarterback Robert Marve threw for three touchdowns and 135 yards" and halfback Graig Cooper got his second consecutive 100-yard rush game.""We knew that Graig Cooper was a talented kid. We've watched him just light everybody else up" and he concerned us" Davis said.But 51 of his 110 yards came on two plays in Miami's opening drive. After giving up 14 points in the first quarter, the UNC defense stepped up — and, as Goddard put it, just kept fighting.""""They jumped out on us at that first drive" and we just had to be more physical than they were and out-hit them he said. My teammates and I" we all gathered to just play as a whole unit.""By the end of the game" Cooper's yards were coming as he struggled to the sidelines" not down the field.""That was the whole topic of the week — get them going east-west instead of north-south" Mullins said. Any fast running back" you want them going east-west so we can pursue to the ball.""And pursue Goddard did. Grabbing his seventh and eight career interceptions at Miami"" he also showed just what he's capable of.""Trimane's got really good football instincts" Davis said. He has a knack for reading the quarterback's eyes and being in the right place" and today he just made an outstanding play.""Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(09/16/08 4:00am)
Two weeks ago" Tyrod Taylor was going to redshirt this season.After a fierce competition all summer long senior quarterback Sean Glennon had outplayed Taylor for the starting spot" and Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer announced that Taylor would redshirt in order to let him ""benefit from another year of learning.""Enter East Carolina and Glennon's two interceptions Aug. 30.Now Taylor is in the middle of every VT option play — and at the forefront of North Carolina's game plan for Saturday's matchup.""That's the biggest thing"" is can we contain Tyrod Taylor?"" sophomore corner Kendric Burney said. ""That's the biggest question people are going to be asking.""Taylor has proved himself an epitome of Virginia Tech's much-coveted running quarterback" finishing the game against Georgia Tech 9-of-14 with 74 rush yards to boot.He is after all the team's leading returning rusher from last year.In fact" he reminds UNC coach Butch Davis of another Virginia Tech quarterback he has faced.""They probably look more like the Virginia Tech teams that I played against when I was at Miami" because we faced Michael Vick Davis said. And with Tyrod Taylor he gives them that dimension that they didn't have last year — an explosive guy that's capable of making huge" big plays.""Taylor started in five games last year as a true first-year" going 5-0.He even started the game against UNC last year and ran for the game's opening touchdown.But Taylor's passing in that matchup was suspect" completing 10 of 19 passes and throwing his first collegiate interception.This is not the same Taylor.""He's matured from last year" and he looks real comfortable back there" Burney said. You better be one disciplined football team if you're going to slow him down.""Though Taylor still won't be breaking any pass yardage records" his completion percentage is astronomically high and the intangibles he brings to the run game remain his true contribution to Tech's offense.Taylor and Glennon traded off snaps in the week two game against Furman" but Taylor almost matched the senior in passing yards and claimed the game's leading rush totals as well.""He's got a live arm" he can throw the ball 4050 60 yards in the air Davis said. He can scramble" he can run by design — the schemes that they're running are going to give them an opportunity to get the ball in his hands.""Beamer has been adamant that he will not discuss the quarterback situation in recent weeks"" only maintaining that the team ""has it well defined.""So Glennon and Taylor continue to share snaps — and starts.When Beamer announced Taylor's return to the roster"" he refused to say who would open up the offense in the Hokies' second game against Furman.Glennon got that one. Taylor got Georgia Tech.""Putting another guy in the game that can help you run the football is in our best interests"" Beamer said in a press conference when announcing the return of the two-quarterback system.I don't think with young receivers you want to rely on throwing the football 40 times a game.""Though Virginia Tech's offense has not opened as consistently as in years past" Burney knows North Carolina can't underestimate Taylor" Glennon or anyone on the media's ACC darlings.""They might have had trouble a couple of weeks ago" but you can't take anybody lightly Burney said.I've seen Tyrod throw the ball about 60 yards on the run" so you've definitely got to stay in coverage.""No matter what"" we got to play our defense and play it our way — that's the only way we know how.""Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(09/15/08 4:00am)
Running schemes" reducing turnovers blocking the run — all will be important Saturday in North Carolina's football game against Virginia Tech.But more important" says coach Butch Davis?""We call it ‘not biting the cheese.' Not just getting sucked in on the first thing that appears" he explained in Monday's conference.Realizing down and distance realizing personnel groups and allowing things to unfold" and being in the right place.""Not biting the cheese" for example" as corner Kendric Burney demonstrated in the big hit of Thursday's game against Rutgers.""A year ago" he probably would get sucked in and he chases the other crossing route and lets that guy catch it and turn it up the boundary and it turns into a 15-yard gain" Davis said.But now guys are starting to realize where they're supposed to be and when they're supposed to be there.""It all fits into Davis' bigger plan as his football team prepares for Saturday's game.""We'll go back and we'll probably say ‘discipline' 150 times this week"" he added.That's discipline according to coverage area. Discipline according to position holding. According to stopping Virginia Tech standout quarterback Tyrod Taylor and coach Frank Beamer's vaunted special teams unit.That much-talked about discipline comes from experience. And though Davis' team is young, at least it's a year older than the last time these two teams met.You don't trick (Virginia Tech's offensive line) very much" because there isn't a lot that they haven't seen. Some of those guys have started in an excess of 25 30 games Davis said.There's a lot of stuff they've seen a lot of snaps and live situations" and one of these days we'll be there.""The same goes for Virginia Tech's defense"" a unit North Carolina receiver Hakeem Nicks could describe only as ""aggressive.""""They're very aggressive. The safeties to the corners to the linebackers"" their whole defense is just aggressive.""So remaining immune to the pressure on quarterback T.J. Yates and UNC's other play makers will be a challenge for the offensive unit.""We pretty much can't let it affect us" 'cause we have to stay in our own game" Nicks said, and do what we have to do to continue to play in the game.""We wanna go out there with the game plan that we have and know our game plan and take it like that.""And that game plan includes" of course" not biting the cheese.""When you see something shallow" don't jump it 'cause there's definitely something coming behind you Burney said.And it's hard not to jump the cheese when it's that good" but you definitely gotta stay back.""Burney's learned his lesson"" and against Rutgers he was finally rewarded.""I used to jump the cheese — the American cheese" Burney said.Definitely I jumped the cheese against McNeese State" but (against Rutgers) I got a different cheese when I waited back a little.""Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(09/15/08 4:00am)
It took forty-seven seconds.It was less than a minute after first-year Chris Lebo came on the field for the North Carolina men's soccer team that he scored the equalizer — and provided the team the spark it needed to notch a 2-1 win against N.C. State on Friday.After a first half full of missed opportunities and shots that flew just over the bar" Lebo came on just in time to bury a shot into the lower left corner of N.C. State's goal. ""He's an energetic player" and he definitely gave us that extra boost that we thrive on and that we needed" midfielder Garry Lewis said.The equalizer was the first goal of Lebo's Tar Heel career, and Lewis followed with a score headed in off a corner during the first overtime to secure the win.It's a relief" coach Elmar Bolowich said. We are starting our season 4-0-1 and we have our first win in the ACC. And those games are hard to win" as we know.""UNC does know. Last year the team finished 4-6 in the ACC" with four games decided in overtime.The Tar Heels struggled to find a decision last year in and out of the conference. Five games ended with a draw" so securing this game in the win column was a welcome change.""It's always good to get a win" Lewis said. We're getting a little bit more lucky this year and we're definitely more focused" so that helps out a lot.""Bolowich mentioned luck after the game" as well — particularly the good timing if nothing else" that Lebo came in when he did.""It was maybe lucky that we made that substitution at that time" but certainly any player coming off the bench can add something he said.And that's something that we stress to our players that are not starting. We say ‘Hey when you come in" you better be ready and you better add something.'""On Friday" the bench had plenty to add. After starting striker Brian Shriver left with a hamstring injury" Bolowich drew from his bench and eventually played six of his first-year players in the match.""Certainly we have some players who are capable of adding some spark up front" and fortunately the guys did that" Bolowich said.But the Tar Heels came off the field after the first half discouraged and scoreless. Despite outshooting the Wolfpack (0-3-1) by a margin of 7-2, UNC trailed by one at halftime.N.C. State striker Watt Williams had converted off a rebound, striking the ball into the lower left from about five yards out.I think the goal came at a point where we had pretty much controlled the game…" and all of a sudden they score a goal and we were sort of like shell-shocked on that one" Bolowich said. But we just had to find a way to bounce back.""And Lebo's goal" 20 minutes into the second half" provided that incentive and helped the Tar Heels keep control for the rest of the match.""I mean" we changed our mentality a lot coming out in the second half and it helped Lebo said. And if that goal helped" that's fine with me.""Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(09/10/08 4:00am)
At the press conference before the 2006 matchup with Rutgers"" then-North Carolina head coach John Bunting described Rutgers back Ray Rice as ""a freshman who can really"" really make some big plays for them.""At this week's press conference" Rice was mentioned only once — and that was to mention Rutgers' game plan sans the player who scored three touchdowns on 201 yards against UNC in 2006.This time around" North Carolina faces a Rutgers team that no longer claims Ray Rice on its roster — and so is finding itself re-examining its entire identity on the national stage.""Yeah" I'd say Ray was pretty special" Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said in a teleconference Monday.(Now) we have to kind of redefine who we are and what we are on offense.""Rutgers' two current running backs" Kordell Young and Mason Robinson" combined for only 106 yards and one touchdown in the Sept. 1 opener against Fresno State. (That's the same rush yardage that wide receiver Brandon Tate recorded in his season opener last week.)But Schiano said the program is not searching for the next Ray Rice.""There's not probably going to be that one guy all the time — although there was Saturday" that's not our plan" he said.Young took 26 of the 32 attempts last weekend, recording 94 of the total yards and scoring the Knights' sole touchdown of the game.Last week I thought Kordell Young did a very good job rushing the football" Schiano said. I think we have some other guys as well that can play the position" and we need to probably get them some more touches and spread it around a little bit.""UNC coach Butch Davis said he doesn't expect a larger focus on the pass from the program just because Rice has moved on.""I think teams do what they believe in. You know" I think you can't have the success that Rutgers has had in the running game (with just one star back) because prior to Rice" they had other guys.""And Schiano doesn't expect the running backs to score every touchdown in this year's game as Rice did in 2006.""We're going to be a balanced attack" that's our goal" he said. So we're going to run it and throw it.""Rutgers quarterback Mike Teel completed 20 of his 39 pass attempts with two interceptions and no touchdowns against Fresno State" but Schiano — and Davis — expect more from him against North Carolina.After all Teel did manage 263 yards last week" and it was Teel who played alongside Rice in the 2006 game and went 14-20 then.""I think we have some really fine receivers that we need to make sure we get them the football" and we have a quarterback that can do that Schiano said.We didn't do it probably as well as we're capable last week" but there's a lot of things we didn't do as well as we're capable.""We're hoping we get back on track."" Ray Rice against UNC" Sept. 2 2006 201 yards on 31 carries Three touchdowns Long rush: 24 yards 13 yards on two receptionsKordell Young against Fresno StateSept. 1 2008 94 yards on 26 carries One touchdown Long rush: 13 yards 19 yards on two receptionsContact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.