Football - The Daily Tar Heel

No drama just a nifty handshake

Nov. 21, 2008

The elements are all there for a feud. An old-school not-so-friendly position battle. Shaun Draughn receives the bulk of the carries on first and second down and before North Carolina reaches the goal line. But once the Tar Heels get inside the 5-yard line Ryan Houston checks in and bursts through the line for the touchdowns. With some backs that scenario could fester into jealousy between the player who scores and the one who doesn't.

Heated rivalry impacts recruiting battles

By David Reynolds Assistant SportSaturday Editor | Nov. 21, 2008

The end-of-season clash for all the gridiron bragging rights in North Carolina has finally arrived. No other football game between teams in the Tar Heel state matters more than today's North Carolina-N.C. State grudge match. It's the one sport where UNC's other primary rival Duke hasn't made an impact in a long time.

Brandon Tate, a senior wide receiver on the UNC football team, performs a physical therapy exercise in the Kenan Football Center training room before his first class on Thursday morning. Tate has been undergoing physical therapy frequently since he injured his knee during a game last month, in order to prepare for a future in the NFL.

A long road home

Nov. 21, 2008

Brandon Tate tries to keep on the positive side of things. The torn right ACL and MCL he rarely lets it bother him. But every now and then he lets his guard down and the injury's effect is clear. It showed Thursday when Tate was getting a massage in Kenan Football Center's players' lounge.

DTH Picks of the Week for November 22

Nov. 21, 2008

The DTH SportSaturday staff and one celebrity compete to pick the winners of the biggest ACC and national college football games each week.

Barth still looking for _¶ rst college tackle

Nov. 21, 2008

When freshman kicker Casey Barth first stepped on the field in Kenan Stadium this year" it was no surprise to Tar Heel fans — they were used to having a kicker with ""Barth"" on the back of his jersey.

RB Ryan Houston has 26 tattoos ? he got his first when he was in 10th grade. ?The first one" (the tattoo artist) was like ?It?s gonna hurt a little bit but you?re a big guy. You?ll be alright.??

Holding his own

By Mike Ehrlich SportSaturday Editor | Nov. 20, 2008

Everything about Ryan Houston is meant to intimidate. His size at 6 feet 2 inches 245 pounds is imposing. His powerful bulldozing running style is threatening. And yes even his 26 tattoos are meant to bully.

Cameron Sexton (left) and T.J. Yates will compete for the starting quarterback position for Saturday?s game.

Tar Heels open up competition for QB spot

By Rachel Ullrich" Sports Editor | Nov. 18, 2008

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.

ACC scores

Nov. 16, 2008

No. 23 Miami 16 Virginia Tech 14 - Javarris James ran for a touchdown; Matt Bosher kicked three field goals; and Miami's defense held VT in the final minutes to move into first place in the ACC Coastal.

Cameron Sexton had his worst game of the year Saturday" throwing 14 incomplete passes and one interception. He also lost one fumble.

Sexton struggles in defeat

By Mike Ehrlich SportSaturday Editor | Nov. 16, 2008

COLLEGE PARK" Md. — Cameron Sexton will have a lot to remember from his time stepping in as the starting quarterback for the 2008 North Carolina football team. But Saturday's stinker against Maryland is one he'd much rather forget. ""It was easily the worst football game I've played this year"" Sexton said. This'll go down as one of my worst.""

TV air times not up to UNC

By Daniel Price Assistant Sports Editor | Nov. 16, 2008

At 3:37 p.m. Saturday North Carolina kicker Jay Wooten booted the Tar Heels' opening kickoff in College Park Md. At 4 p.m. back in Chapel Hill the basketball team opened its season against the Penn Quakers in front of a not-quite-full Smith Center. But it wasn't UNC's fault.

North Carolina rusher Shaun Draughn finished with only 46 yards on 13 carries and UNC couldn?t hold on to its lead Saturday falling 15-17. Maryland rallied back on a 73-yard drive in the fourth quarter. ?Last drives we haven?t been great on this year? linebacker Mark Paschal said.

Loss of control

Nov. 16, 2008

It was all theirs for the taking. First place in the ACC Coastal Division driver's seat to the conference's championship game in Tampa Fla. — it was at the fingertips of the then-No. 16 North Carolina Tar Heels.

North Carolina to pull for Hurricanes tonight

By Rachel Ullrich" Sports Editor | Nov. 12, 2008

The North Carolina football team has been watching film of its next conference opponent for the past five days.

Receiver will test UNC secondary

Nov. 11, 2008

One week after slugging it out against Georgia Tech and the triple option it's about to get dramatically more interesting for the North Carolina secondary. Meet Darrius Heyward-Bey. At 6 feet 3 inches and 206 pounds the junior Maryland receiver stands as the biggest challenge for a UNC road victory Saturday.

UNC football players step up to _¶ ll new roles

By Rachel Ullrich Sports Editors | Nov. 10, 2008

It's a good thing Maryland didn't start its scouting report for North Carolina a few weeks early. The team that will take the field against the Terrapins this weekend is pretty far from the team that lined up in the season's early games — especially on offense. T.J. Yates out on quarterback Cameron Sexton in.

Defense makes needed stops

Nov. 9, 2008

Butch Davis woke up Saturday morning more nervous than normal. Even with the extra week to prepare for Georgia Tech's triple option" North Carolina's football coach wondered if the team was ready for such an unconventional attack. ""This is the first time our football team has played an offense like Georgia Tech"" Davis said.

Sophomore back Ryan Houston had a career game Saturday" ending with two touchdowns on 74 yards added to Shaun Draughn?s 90. UNC?s backfield pair took their dual rushing threat roles to heart with ?thunder? on Houston?s eye black and ?lightning? on Draughn?s.

Born to run

By Mike Ehrlich SportSaturday Editor | Nov. 9, 2008

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.

Tar Heels will be seeing triple vs. GT

By Mike Ehrlich SportSaturday Editor | Nov. 6, 2008

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.

Sexton Nicks look to repeat BC production

Nov. 6, 2008

Today's game between No. 19 North Carolina and No. 22 Georgia Tech will have huge implications on the ACC standings. It could be the difference between a trip to Tampa and a day in front of the television.

DTH Picks of the Week for November 8

Nov. 6, 2008

The DTH SportSaturday staff and one celebrity compete to pick the winners of the biggest ACC and national college football games each week.

A bowl draws more than just exposure

By David Reynolds Assistant SportSaturday Editor | Nov. 6, 2008

When North Carolina's football team reached the six-win mark two weeks ago against Boston College a trip to college football's cash cow also known as bowl season became a near-certainty. Since the ACC has affiliations with nine bowl games it would be a major shock not to see the Tar Heels playing in December even if they lose the rest of their games. The payouts for the games UNC could potentially be involved in vary considerably. A $17 million payout was given to teams for an appearance in last year's FedEx Orange Bowl the BCS bowl with which the ACC has an official tie-in.