University of North Carolina Athletics
Rick Brewer's All-Century Tar Heel Football Team
November 5, 1999 | Football
Nov. 5, 1999
By Rick Brewer
As this millennium and the 20th century draw to a close, we've talked in the Carolina Sports Information Office since early summer about possible ways to point out the achievements of various Tar Heel student-athletes in the last 100 years.
However, we wanted to do something different than what so many others have done. The problem was just about every idea seemed to be taken. Time was publicizing its 100 most influential people of the century, ESPN had put together a series on the century's 50 greatest athletes, Sports Illustrated was running a collection of stories on its 20 favorite games, 20 most intriguing athletes, 20 most interesting teams and 20 favorite venues, among others, and ABC produced a group of specials on "The Century: America's Time" about the key events of the last 100 years.
In fact, seemingly every media outlet or sports organization across the country has in one way or another taken some look back at the 20th Century.
Since no one could think of a better idea, I thought I'd try to come up with a list of Carolina's finest 100 athletes since 1900. It wasn't a fresh idea, but at least it would give us a way to commemorate the century. After going through our program, sport by sport, I had my initial list.
However, after a quick count I realized I had 227 athletes. And, that was before getting input from others in the office.
So I filed the list way and waited to see if anyone else could come up with another idea. No one has. But, after watching Major League Baseball's All-Century Team be announced, I decided to copy it for the sport of football at Carolina.
For one of the few times in recent memory, Major League Baseball was smart in one way - expanding the team to two players at each position. The same thing here has been done here. Many Carolina football players were two-way performers, of course, which helped in some of the decisions. Naturally, there has been a tendency to lean more to recent players as those have been the ones I have seen. But, I have also talked to fans who have watched our teams for decades and over the years I've done a good deal of research on our early teams. So I think they're as well represented as possible.
Plus, the idea for singling out certain players or teams, as has been done by others, is simply to get fans to think and talk about the many great athletes who have performed here and the thrills they have given them over the years.
Even expanding Carolina's All-Century Football Team to eight offensive backs, six receivers, 10 interior blockers, eight defensive lineman, six linebackers, eight defensive backs, two punters, a pair of placekickers and two kick returners or utility players leaves so many incredible players out.
This imaginary team does not include George Stirnweiss, Ken Powell, Danny Talbott, Ken Willard, Brian Blados, Hosea Rodgers, Paul Miller, Vonnie Holliday, Jeff Garnica, Jim Lalanne, Marcus Wall, Al Goldstein, Charles Waddell, Nick Vidnovic, Chris Kupec, Ted Hazlewood, Pat Crowley, Ethan Horton, George Barclay, Junior Edge, Jimmy DeRatt, Gene Brown, Tony Blanchard or Mark Maye, among others.
That's leaving out some first-team All-Americas, Atlantic Coast Conference Players of the Year and a number of all-conference performers. But, that's just an indication of the amazing number of star athletes who have played football in Chapel Hill.
Here is the team that was finally decided on after working on it for the last few weeks - adding people, dropping others and moving two-way performers from one side of the ball to the other to get key people included.
It's certainly not an official University-endorsed team, just one man's work. Arguments can easily be made about some of the selections. But, as mentioned earlier, that's the purpose of all these teams and people of the century, anyway - to get people thinking. Many fans would probably change this team in one way or another because of the knowledge they have of Carolina football.
And, if people are fans, sports is something on which they certainly have an opinion. Even more than religion or politics, people will argue about athletics.
Still, arguments or not, at least one man's all-century Tar Heel team would include:
DEFENSIVE LINE (including ends, tackles and outside linebackers): Andy Bershak, 1935-37, Greg Ellis, 1994-97, William Fuller, 1980-83, Dee Hardison, 1974-77, Marcus Jones, 1992-95, Paul Severin, 1938-40, Lawrence Taylor, 1977-80, Donnell Thompson, 1977-80.
In an effort to include more players, everyone was limited to one position. For example, Justice and Streater would have been candidates for a punting spot and Leon Johnson could have easily been in the offensive backfield. Hawkins was probably better known for his defensive play at linebacker, but he also was used at center in an era of one-platoon football and was a two-time All-ACC selection there.
It's tough leaving some wonderful players off even an imaginary list like this. But, Carolina has such a great tradition of producing outstanding performers on the football field that it was inevitable that would happen when this project was started.
LINEBACKERS: John Bunting, 1969-71, Buddy Curry, 1976-79, Chris Hanburger, 1962-64, Irv Holdash, 1947-50, Dwight Hollier, 1988-91, Brian Simmons, 1994-97.
DEFENSIVE BACKS: Lou Angelo, 1970-72, Ricky Barden, 1976-79, Dre' Bly, 1996-98, Alan Caldwell, 1974-77, Don Jackson, 1933-35, Greg Poole, 1979-82, Steve Streater, 1977-80, Bracey Walker, 1990-93.
OFFENSIVE TACKLES: Harris Barton, 1983-86, Steve Maronic, 1936-38, Robert Pratt, 1971-73, Len Szafaryn, 1945-48.
OFFENSIVE GUARDS: David Drechsler, 1979-82, Ken Huff, 1972-74, Ron Rusnak, 1970-72, Ron Wooten, 1977-80.
CENTERS: Rick Donnalley, 1977-80, Rip Hawkins, 1958-60.
RECEIVERS (including split ends, flankers and tight ends): Octavus Barnes, 1994-97, Na Brown, 1995-98, Corey Holliday, 1990-93, Bob Lacey, 1961-63, Art Weiner, 1946-49, Earl Winfield, 1982-85.
QUARTERBACKS: Matt Kupec, 1976-79, Jason Stanicek, 1991-94.
RUNNING BACKS: Kelvin Bryant, 1979-82, Charlie Justice, 1946-49, Amos Lawrence, 1977-80, Don McCauley, 1968-70, Natrone Means, 1990-91, Mike Voight, 1973-76.
PUNTERS: Tommy Barnhardt, 1983-85, Harry Dunkle, 1939-41.
PLACEKICKERS: Brooks Barwick, 1981-83, Clint Gwaltney, 1988-91.
RETURN SPECIALISTS (or utility players): Johnny Branch, 1929-31, Leon Johnson, 1993-96.
