Oct. 19, 1999
GAME DATA
North Carolina brings a 1-5 overall record and an 0-4 mark in Atlantic Coast Conference play to Maryland for an October 23 matchup in College Park.
Carolina has lost four straight games for the first time since 1989. The Tar Heels lost, 20-12, to Houston last weekend.
Maryland is 4-2 overall and 1-2 in the ACC. The Terrapins were defeated, 42-30, by Clemson at Byrd Stadium last Saturday.
The teams have two common opponents and have lost all four meetings against those foes. Georgia Tech defeated Carolina, 31-24, in overtime. The Yellow Jackets beat Maryland, 49-31. Both games were played in Atlanta.
Clemson topped Carolina, 31-20, in Death Valley, and beat the Terps, 42-30, in College Park.
Carolina must win its final five regular-season games to achieve a winning season and keep alive its postseason bowl hopes. The Tar Heels have not posted a losing season since 1989 and have played in seven straight bowl games, a school record.
The game will be televised by ABC at 3:30 p.m.
Woody Durham, Mick Mixon and 1993 UNC captain Rick Steinbacher provide the call on the Tar Heel Sports Radio Network. The flagship station of the network is WCHL, 1360-AM, in Chapel Hill.
Day Date Game Result Time, TV
Sat. Sept. 4 Virginia L 17-20 12:10 p.m., ABC
Sat. Sept. 11 at Indiana W 42-30 7 p.m.
Sat. Sept. 25 Florida State L 10-42 3:30 p.m., ABC
Sat. Oct. 2 at Clemson L 20-31 3:30 p.m., ABC
Sat. Oct. 9 at Georgia Tech L 24-31(OT) 3:30 p.m., ABC
Sat. Oct. 16 Houston L 12-20 1:30 p.m.
Sat. Oct. 23 at Maryland 3:30 p.m., ABC
Sat. Oct. 30 Furman 1:30 p.m.
Sat. Nov. 6 Wake Forest
Thu. Nov. 11 vs. NC State 8 p.m., ESPN
Sat. Nov. 20 Duke
All Times Eastern, NC State game in Charlotte, N.C.
HEAD COACH CARL TORBUSH
East Spencer, N.C., native Carl Torbush is in his second full season as head coach of the Tar Heels. Torbush, 47, was named Carolina's head coach on Dec. 8, 1997. He led the Tar Heels to a 42-3 win over Virginia Tech in the Gator Bowl on Jan. 1, 1998. Last year, Carolina overcame a 0-3 start to post a 7-5 overall record and tie for fourth place in the Atlantic Coast Conference. That included a 20-13 win over San Diego State in the Las Vegas Bowl.
Torbush became the first UNC head coach to lead the school to a bowl game in his first year. He also became the only coach in school history to lead Carolina to the postseason after starting out 0-3.
Torbush is in his 12th season as Carolina's defensive coordinator. There are currently 24 players active in the NFL who played defense at Carolina under Torbush. That includes first-round draft picks Thomas Smith (CB, Buffalo), Marcus Jones (DT, Tampa Bay), Greg Ellis (DE, Dallas), Brian Simmons (LB, Cincinnati) and Vonnie Holliday (DE, Green Bay) and second-round picks Russell Davis (DT, Chicago) and Dre' Bly (CB, St. Louis).
Torbush is 9-10 as Carolina's head coach and 12-18 overall as a college head coach. Louisiana Tech was 3-8 in 1987 in his first stint as head coach.
MARSHALL'S HERD ADDED TO 2000 SCHEDULE
UNC and Marshall announced a one-year contract to play football in Chapel Hill on Sept. 23, 2000. Carolina's other non-ACC games next year include Tulsa (Sept. 2 in Chapel Hill) and Pittsburgh (date TBA at Pittsburgh).
VERSUS MARYLAND
Carolina leads the alltime series, 35-26-1. That includes an 8-1 record against the Terps in the 1990s. Carolina's previous high for wins against Maryland in any decade was six in the 1920s. Since the ACC began in 1953, UNC had won four times against the Terps in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.
The Tar Heels are 13-13 against Maryland in College Park. Carolina beat the Terrapins, 40-14, in 1997 in the most recent matchup in Byrd Stadium.
This is just the fourth meeting in College Park between the two schools in the 1990s. Carolina won, 31-24, in 1992, lost 32-18 in 1995, and won, 40-14, in 1997.
Carolina has averaged 34.3 points against Maryland the last nine seasons (eight wins).
HUARD AT THE HELM
Red-shirt freshman Luke Huard replaced Ronald Curry as the starting quarterback after Curry's season-ending injury in Atlanta. Huard completed 7 of 15 passes for 45 yards at Georgia Tech. He was picked off one time and sacked twice.
Huard scored his first collegiate touchdown at Georgia Tech on a 4-yard run up the middle on a third-and-goal play. The touchdown, and subsequent two-point conversion pass from Huard to tight end Alge Crumpler, tied the game at 21-21 in the third quarter.
Huard made his first start at quarterback against Houston and completed 5 of 15 passes for 76 yards. He was sacked four times. The Puyallup, Wash., native threw his first collegiate touchdown pass, a 39-yarder in the second quarter to wide receiver Kory Bailey.
Huard is the fourth freshman or red-shirt freshman quarterback to start for the Tar Heels in the 1990s. The others included Jason Stanicek (freshman in 1991), Mike Thomas (red-shirt freshman in 1992) and Ronald Curry (freshman in 1998).
The Tar Heels are 8-5 in the 1990s with a freshman or red-shirt freshman starter at quarterback. That includes a 3-1 mark under Stanicek in 1991, a 4-0 record under Thomas in 1992, a 1-3 mark in 1998 under Curry and an 0-1 mark with Huard.
MARYLAND SCHEDULE
Date Game Result
Sept. 2 Temple W 6-0
Sept. 11 Western Carolina W 51-10
Sept. 18 West Virginia W 33-0
Sept. 30 at Georgia Tech L 31-49
Oct. 9 at Wake Forest W 17-14
Oct. 16 Clemson L 30-42
Oct. 23 North Carolina
Oct. 30 Duke
Nov. 6 at NC State
Nov. 13 at Florida State
Nov. 20 Virginia
STATISTICAL TALE OF THE TAPE
CAROLINA MARYLAND
20.8 Points/Game 28.0
17.2 First Downs/Game 16.2
3.4 Rushing Ave/Play 5.0
155.8 Rushing Ave/Game 210.0
141.7 Passing Yards/Game 192.5
9 Rushing TD 13
4 Passing TD 6
297.5 Total Yards/Game 402.5
6.3 Penalties/Game 7.8
47.6 Punting Average 35.4
8-10 Field Goals 8-11
15 Turnovers Gained 15
13 Turnovers Lost 5
+2 Turnover Margin +10
9 Sacks By 9
31:28 Average Time of Possession 30:00
212.0 Rushing Yds Allowed/Game 144.2
208.2 Passing Yds Allowed/Game 202.0
420.2 Total Yds Allowed/Game 346.2
29.0 Points Allowed/Game 19.2
ACC STATISTICAL LEADERS,TEAM OFFENSE
Total Offense 8th 297.5 ypg
Rushing Offense 5th 155.8 ypg
Passing Offense 8th 141.7 ypg
Scoring Offense 7th 20.8 ppg
First Downs 6th 17.2 pg
Third Down Conversions 7th 30.1%
ACC STATISTICAL LEADERS,TEAM DEFENSE
Total Defense 9th 420.2 ypg
Rushing Defense 9th 212.0 ypg
Passing Defense 7th 123.8 rating
Scoring Defense 8th 29.0 ppg
First Downs Allowed T-8th 22.0 pg
Third Down Conversions 4th 32.9%
Quarterback Sacks T-7th 1.5 pg
ACC STATISTICAL LEADERS,
SPECIAL TEAMS/MISCELLANEOUS
Kickoff Returns 4th 21.1 ypr
Punt Returns 9th 6.3 ypr
Net Punting 2nd 38.8 per
Penalty Yardage 3rd 59.5 ypg
Turnover Margin 6th +2
RECAPPING THE HOUSTON GAME
Carolina lost its fourth consecutive game and third straight home game, 20-12, to Houston on October 16th. This is Carolina's first four-game losing streak since it lost the final 10 games in 1989. The Tar Heels have dropped three straight at Kenan Stadium for the first time since losing five in a row in 1989.
Houston tailbacks Ketric Sanford and Mike Green rushed for 157 and 130 yards, respectively. That's the first time two backs topped 100 yards in a game against the Tar Heels since Duke's Mike Grayson (118) and Greg Boone (105) accomplished the feat in a 23-17 Blue Devin win in Durham in 1982.
Brian Schmitz set a school record averaging 51.4 yards on 10 punts. The previous UNC recored for at least 10 punts in a game was 46.7 yards by Mike Cooke against NC State in 1942 (467 yards on 10 punts). Incidentally, the NCAA record is 53.6 yards.
Schmitz's first punt was 72 yards. That is the longest kick of his career and the longest by a Tar Heel since Scott McAlister had an 83-yarder at Georgia Tech in 1989.
Here is a breakdown of Schmitz's 10 punts:
72 yards Touchback
36 yards Downed at Houston13
51 yards Downed at Houston 3
43 yards Punt fumbled/recovered by UNC at
Houston's 25-yardline
58 yards Returned 8 yards to Houston 45
56 yards Returned 10 yards to Houston 39
50 yards Out of bounds at Houston 49
40 yards Returned 10 yards to Houston 36
55 yards Returned 13 yards to Houston 43
57 yards Returned 8 yards, penalty, Houston 31
Luke Huard made his first start at quarterback in place of the injured Ronald Curry. Huard completed 5 of 15 passes for 76 yards and was sacked four times. He threw his first collegiate touchdown pass, a 39-yarder in the second quarter to wide receiver Kory Bailey.
Antwon Black played several series at quarterback. It was his first stint at quarterback since 1995 when he quarterbacked Daniel High School in Central, S.C. Black completed one of two passes for 11 yards and led Carolina in rushing with 25 yards on four carries.
Kory Bailey caught his first touchdown pass of the season and fifth of his career. The 39-yard score cut Houston's lead to 14-9 in the second quarter. It was the longest touchdown catch of his collegiate career. It topped the 32-yard scoring reception he had at Wake Forest last fall.
Red-shirt freshman wide receiver DeFonte Coleman put the Tar Heels on the scoreboard when he tackled Houston punter Jeff Patterson in the end zone for a safety. Patterson fumbled the snap as Coleman rushed to block the kick. It was Carolina's first safety since 1998 when defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban tackled the Pittsburgh quarterback in the end zone.
Carolina was 0 for 11 on third down conversions
The Tar Heels rushed 30 times for just 39 yards. Of course, that includes four quarterback sacks for 31 yards. On true rushing plays, UNC had 70 yards on 26 carries (2.7 yards per carry).
Tailback Rufus Brown returned to limited action after missing four games with a sprained left toe. Brown started at tailback in the season opener against Virginia and had 18 carries for 74 yards against the Cavaliers. Saturday, Brown carried twice for 16 yards, including a 15-yard rush in the fourth quarter.
Freshman tailback Daniel Davis missed his second game in a row due to a sprained ankle he suffered at Clemson.
Sophomore tailback Anthony Saunders re-injured his right ankle in the game. Saunders had 110 yards rushing at Georgia Tech, but sprained his right ankle in the fourth quarter of that contest. He had five carries for six yards against Houston before re-injuring his ankle.
The last time a player led the Tar Heels in rushing with as little as 25 yards was in last year's win over Clemson. Rufus Brown topped the Tar Heels with 23 yards in the 21-14 win over the Tigers.
Cornerback Errol Hood picked off his third pass of the season and career. Hood also had interceptions against Virginia (at the goalline) and at Georgia Tech (at the UNC 21-yard line). Hood's interception against the Cougars ended a Houston threat at the UNC 16-yard line.
Josh McGee tied the alltime UNC record for field goals when he booted home a 38-yarder in the second quarter. McGee is tied for the UNC alltime lead in field goals with Clint Gwaltney at 43.
Houston gained 257 yards on the ground. That is the fourth time in six games that Carolina has allowed 200 rushing yards this year. That had been accomplished against UNC just two times in four previous seasons.
Three Tar Heel defenders made 10 or more tackles, including safeties Quinton Savage and Billy-Dee Greenwood, who made 16 tackles apiece. Linebacker Tim Burgess had 10 hits.
Savage had 11 primary tackles and assisted on five other plays. Greenwood had 11 assists.
INJURY REPORT
Quarterback Luke Huard suffered a pinched nerve in his right shoulder and a bruised right rotator cuff. He is probable for Maryland.
Wide receiver Kory Bailey sprained his right knee. He is probable for Maryland.
Tailback Anthony Saunders re-injured his sprained right ankle. He is probable for Maryland.
Tailback Daniel Davis has shown improvement (sprained ankle) and is now probable for the game this week.
CURRY OUT THE REST OF THE SEASON
Sophomore quarterback Ronald Curry ruptured his right Achilles tendon early in second quarter of the loss at Georgia Tech. Curry is out for the season and should miss the entire basketball season, as well. Curry was injured as he attempted to elude Tech linebacker Greg Gathers. Curry was sacked on the play for a 7-yard loss.
Dr. Tim Taft, UNC's Director of Sports Medicine, performed surgery on Sunday, October 10. "Surgery was successful," says Taft. "It went exactly as we expected. There were no surprises." Taft says rehabilitation will take four to six months.
At the time of the injury, Carolina was leading the seventh-ranked Yellow Jackets, 7-0. Curry put the Tar Heels on the board on a brilliant, 30-yard touchdown run around the left end. He tightroped the left sideline and outsprinted the secondary to the end zone.
Curry accounted for 54.7 percent of Carolina's total offense through the first five games of the season.
BRANDON SPOON OUT FOR THE SEASON
Senior linebacker Brandon Spoon was injured at Indiana, had successful surgery on Sept. 16th, and is out for the rest of the season.
Spoon, a preseason Playboy All-America and three-time Butkus Award candidate, ruptured his left biceps tendon (at the elbow). He actually played two more plays before removing himself from the contest due to what he thought was a cramp in his left arm. It turned out he ruptured the tendon when he reached back to tackle quarterback Antwaan Randle-El on an option run.
He played as a true freshman in 1996, therefore, he could elect to apply for a medical red-shirt and play college football in 2000.
CAROLINA
has 37 former players on active NFL rosters. Seventy-six (76) percent of the active NFL Tar Heel players graduated from UNC (compared to the NFL average of 30 percent).
was one of only 12 schools in Division I last season that played in a postseason bowl game and earned the AFCA's Achievement Award for Graduation Rates
is the only Division I football program in the country that has won a postseason bowl game in each of the last four seasons
has played in a postseason bowl game in a school-record seven consecutive seasons
has posted a winning record in nine consecutive seasons, tying the school record
has had five consensus All-Americas in the last four years
has had 18 players selected in the NFL Draft over the past three seasons (five in 1997, seven in 1998 and six in 1999)
is the only ACC school to have at least one player selected in every NFL Draft since 1971
DEPTH CHART NOTES
Eight seniors (not counting place-kicker Josh McGee and punter Brian Schmitz) enter the game as starters. That includes seven offensive players and one on defense. Five of the seven senior starters on offense are linemen.
Only 12 of the 22 positional starters are seniors or juniors. The four junior starters are tight end Alge Crumpler, linebacker Sedrick Hodge, linebacker Merceda Perry and safety Quinton Savage.
Senior fullback Deon Dyer has the most career starts of any Tar Heel. Dyer has 26 career starts -- 10 in 1997, 10 in 1998 and six in 1999.
Offensive guard Bryan Jones, offensive tackle Allen Mogridge and linebacker Sedrick Hodge lead the team with 18 consecutive games started.
There is not a single player on the squad who started a single game on defense in 1997. Four offensive players started in 1997 -- guard Mike Gimbol (all 12 games), tight end Alge Crumpler (11 starts in 1997), fullback Deon Dyer (10 games in 1997) and tight end Dauntae' Finger (one start in '97).
TRUE FRESHMEN
The Tar Heels have played 57 scholarship true freshmen in the 12 years Carl Torbush has been on the coaching staff (beginning in 1988). By position, the list includes: 11 linebackers, 9 wide receivers, 8 defensive linemen, 5 quarterbacks, 5 tight ends, 5 cornerbacks, 4 tailbacks, 3 kickers, 2 fullbacks, 2 safeties, 2 kick returners and 1 offensive lineman.
Five scholarship true freshmen have played thus far, including wide receiver Sam Aiken, cornerback Kevin Knight, tailback Daniel Davis, defensive tackle Jeb Terry and defensive end Malcolm Stewart. Robert Harris, a non-scholarship freshman linebacker from Raleigh, N.C., played on special teams in his first game as a Tar Heel against Virginia. He had two special teams tackles at Indiana.
McGEE TIES UNC FIELD GOAL RECORD,
IS THIRD IN ALLTIME SCORING AT UNC
Josh McGee tied Clint Gwaltney's alltime school record by kicking his 43rd field goal in the Houston game. The Pearl, Miss., native has 43 field goals (in 61 attempts).
Gwaltney made 43 field goals from 1988-91.
McGee became the leading scorer by a kicker in UNC history when he booted three field goals and added a point after at Georgia Tech. McGee has 240 career points. The previous record for a UNC kicker was 231 points by Tripp Pignetti. McGee is now third in career scoring behind tailbacks Leon Johnson and Mike Voight.
JOSH McGEE IN THE RECORD BOOK
UNC Career Field Goals
Clint Gwaltney (1988-1991) 43
Josh McGee (1996-active) 43
UNC Career Scoring
(* denotes place-kickers)
Leon Johnson, 1993-96 306
Mike Voight, 1993-76 254
* Josh McGee, 1996-active 240
SCHMITZ AVERAGE IS A SCHOOL RECORD
Brian Schmitz averaged a school-record 51.4 yards on 10 punts against Houston. He was named ACC Special Teams Player of the Week for his efforts.
Schmitz is averaging 47.6 yards per kick this year, a figure that would set a single-season school record. The current school record is 46.6 yards per kick by Harry Dunkle in 1939. Dunkle led the nation that year.
The ACC's single-season punting average record is 46.1 yards by NC State's Johnny Evans in 1976.
Schmitz has punted 179 times in his career for an average of 43.79 yards. The ACC record for 200-plus attempts is 43.95 by Chuck Ramsey of Wake Forest (1971-73).
Schmitz is ahead of the current alltime UNC record which is 43.7 yards by Harry Dunkle (1939-41).
Chancellor Hooker Tribute
Carolina's players are wearing helmets that feature the Tar Heel foot with "MH" inside the logo to honor Chancellor Michael Hooker. The Chancellor passed away on June 29th after a six-month battle with lymphoma. Seniors Brandon Spoon and Deon Dyer joined head coach Carl Torbush on behalf of the entire team in presenting a helmet with the "MH" to his wife, Carmen, in the preseason. The other varsity programs will be wearing a black patch with the "MH" insignia this year.
NEXT WEEK, FURMAN, 1:30 P.M., NO TV
Carolina finishes its non-conference schedule on October 30th when the Furman Paladins travel to Chapel Hill. Gametime is 1:30 p.m. Carolina was to have played Indiana, Houston and Kent this year, but Kent dropped the Tar Heels to play Pittsburgh in January. The Paladins agreed to play soon thereafter.
Steve Kirschner
Director of Media Relations for Football and Men's Basketball
University of North Carolina
skirschner@uncaa.unc.edu
