Football Hosts Pittsburgh

June 21, 1999 | Football

By: UNC Athletic Communications

October 5, 1998

THE MATCHUP
Carolina returns to action on Saturday, October 10, against the University of Pittsburgh from the Big East Conference. The Tar Heels are 1-3 overall and 1-1 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Pittsburgh is 2-2 overall and 0-1 in Big East play.

Last week, the Tar Heels edged Clemson, 21-14. Pittsburgh blanked Akron, 35-0.

This is the third consecutive home game for the Tar Heels and the next-to-last home game this season. Carolinas only remaining game at Kenan Stadium is November 7 against Maryland. This is the first time UNC has played three straight weeks at home in the same season since 1993.

Carolina has not been swept by non-conference opponents since 1988 when it lost all four non-ACC games to open the season (South Carolina, Oklahoma, Louisville and Auburn). The Tar Heels have been beaten this year by Miami and Stanford in the first two non-ACC games. Carolina has won three in a row against the Big East. The Tar Heels beat Syracuse in the Carrier Dome in 1996, beat West Virginia in the Gator Bowl on Jan. 1, 1997, and defeated Virginia Tech in the Gator Bowl on Jan. 1, 1998.

TAR HEELS & PANTHERS
This is the fifth meeting between the Tar Heels and Panthers. Carolina won the previous two meetings in Chapel Hill and the Panthers won both games played in Pittsburgh.

Carolina prevailed 45-29 in 1974 and 17-7 in 1979; Pittsburgh defeated the Tar Heels, 20-16, in 1978 and 7-6 in 1982. The 1982 game was played at Three Rivers Stadium in prime time on CBS. It was the networks first regular-season college football game in 19 years. Pittsburgh was preseason No. 1 in the nation and Carolina was No. 5. Dan Marino threw a 4-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter to give the Panthers a 7-3 lead. Marino was 15 of 28 for 125 yards and four interceptions. Kelvin Bryant led the Tar Heels with 58 yards rushing and five receptions for 22 yards.

UNC's assistant head coach Donnie Thompson coached against the Tar Heels while at Pittsburgh in 1982. Thompson was an assistant at Pittsburgh from 1982-84.

This is the fourth consecutive year Carolina has faced a Big East opponent. The Tar Heels split a pair of matchups with Syracuse in 1995-96, beat West Virginia in the Gator Bowl in Jan. 1997 and defeated Virginia Tech in the Gator Bowl following last season. The teams play in Pittsburgh in 2000.

RECAPPING CLEMSON
Defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban played the best game of his career in the 21-14 win over Clemson. In fact, coach Donnie Thompson said it may have been the best game by a defensive end he has ever coached. Ekuban made 16 tackles, 12 of which were primary stops, including four for losses of 28 yards. He had two quarterback sacks for 25 yards, caused a fumble and blocked a field goal attempt.

The blocked field goal was Carolinas first since defensive end Greg Ellis blocked an attempt at Wake Forest in 1996. Oscar Davenport shook off the effects of a sprained left knee and completed 19 of 37 passes for 234 yards and two touchdowns. Tailback Rufus Brown scored his first collegiate touchdown on a 4-yard run in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 14-14. Brown set up the play with a 19-yard reception. Brown is averaging 17.5 yards for four catches, the highest average of any Tar Heel who has more than one catch this year.

Fullback Deon Dyer caught a touchdown pass for the first time as a Tar Heel. The 12-yard reception in the fourth quarter provided the winning margin. Dyer's other touchdown at Carolina was a 31-yard run against Virginia in 1997.

Tight end Dauntae Finger made his first collegiate reception. The catch went for 25 yards and was the first play on Carolinas game-tying touchdown drive early in the final quarter. Linebacker Brandon Spoon made 14 tackles, including two quarterback sacks for 12 yards. It was the first two-sack game of Spoons career. Carolinas defense was officially credited with six quarterback sacks (two by DE Ebenezer Ekuban, two by LB Brandon Spoon, and one each by DE Teto Simpson and LB Sedrick Hodge). The six sacks are the most by UNC since it had eight for 53 yards at Maryland in 1997. Cornerback Dre Bly made one of the game's biggest defensive plays that didnt show up on the official stats. Clemson was fourth-and-goal at the UNC 2-yard line with 5:00 to play and ran an option to Blys side of the field. The All-America forced an early pitch by the quarterback and safety Jomo Legins smothered the ballcarrier for a 3-yard loss. Punter Brian Schmitz averaged 47.3 yards for seven punts. That is the third time in four games this season Schmitz has averaged at least 45 yards per punt. Schmitz averaged 48.3 on nine kicks against Miami, 45.0 on six punts against Stanford and 40.7 on nine kicks against Georgia Tech.

Schmitz downed three of his seven punts against Clemson inside the Tiger 10-yard line. He dropped one at the Clemson 3, 6 and 2 yard line in the first half. Clemsons average starting field position for the game was the Tiger 28-yard line.

Wide receiver Kory Bailey scored on a 20-yard touchdown pass from Oscar Davenport. That was the second receiving score of Baileys freshman season. He also had a 19-yard touchdown catch from Ronald Curry at Stanford.

Carolina won despite rushing for only 45 yards. Thats the fewest rushing yards in a UNC victory since the Tar Heels rushed for just 20 yards in a 28-10 win over Louisville in 1996.

TIGER BY THE TAIL
Carolina has defeated Clemson for three consecutive seasons. That is the first time UNC has won three in a row over the Tigers since Carolina won four straight from 1969-72.

Over the last three seasons, Carolinas defense has held the Tigers to combined totals of 23 first downs (6 in 1996, 6 in 1997 and 11 in 1998), 435 total offense yards (91 in 1996, 132 in 1997 and 212 in 1998), 189 passing yards (41 in 1996, 37 in 1997 and 111 in 1998) and 24 points (0 in 1996, 10 in 1997 and 14 in 1998). In fact, the Tar Heel defense has held the Tiger offense to just 17 points in three years. Clemson's first touchdown last week was on an interception return.

CAROLINA ATHLETES RAISE $6,000 FOR JUVENILE DIABETES FOUNDATION
UNC student-athletes participated in a walk to raise money for research to cure juvenile diabetes on September 19. More than 70 Tar Heel athletes were involved in the walk which took place in the Research Triangle Park. The Tar Heels raised just over $6,000 for juvenile diabetes research. The student-athletes became involved in the project through the Atlantic Coast Conference Outreach Program, which is coordinated on the UNC campus by Assistant Athletic Director for Community Relations John Lotz. Our students are always looking for ways to give back to the community and this walk was an outstanding way for them to be able to tangibly help young peoples lives, says Lotz. Regan Leahy, a senior member of the UNC track and field squad, coordinated the student-athletes involvement. Carolina defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban was the team leader for the football squad, which raised more than $500. Part of the football teams contributions came through donations of the players per diem from the teams trip to Stanford.

INJURY UPDATE
Quarterback Ronald Curry suffered a pinched nerve in his left shoulder when he was tackled on a running play in the first quarter. Curry slipped as he began to run, was tackled from behind and then hit on the left shoulder causing him to lose a fumble. He did not return in the game, but is scheduled to be fully cleared for practice on Tuesday. Offensive guard Joe Ellison bruised his left calf and may miss one day of practice this week.

Linebacker Brandon Spoon broke his nose for the third time (first time at UNC) in the second quarter against Clemson but played the rest of the game.

Tailback Ravon Anderson sprained his right ankle against Georgia Tech. He returned to limited workouts the week of the Clemson game but was not available for action against the Tigers. Wide receiver Jason Peace tore his left anterior cruciate ligament on Wednesday, September 16. The injury was a non-contact injury during practice. Peace is out for the season and will also not play in the spring.

Defensive back Nathan Sutton and offensive lineman Bryant Malloy are out for the season due to knee injuries. Sutton suffered his injury in spring drills; Malloy was injured just prior to the start of the season. Tight end Joey Walters (wrist) is out for the season. Offensive tackle Robert Nixons career is over due to shoulder and ankle injuries.

RONALD CURRY
Suffered a pinched nerve in his left shoulder against Clemson. Played just two series against the Tigers due to the injury. He did not complete a pass in three attempts and rushed once for five yards. Despite playing just six snaps against Clemson, Curry continues to lead the Tar Heels in total offense at 177.0 yards per game. Accounted for 189 of Carolinas 269 total yards (70.3 percent) against Georgia Tech. In the first three games, Curry accounted for 703 of the Tar Heels 884 yards, as astounding 79.5 percent. In 1997, Oscar Davenport led the Tar Heels in total offense with 1,392 yards. That was 33.4 percent of the teams total yards gained. Has rushed for two touchdowns and thrown three TD passes.

Has 174 of Carolinas 378 rushing yards. The last time a Carolina quarterback led the squad in rushing was Gayle Bomar in 1968. Bomar rushed for 495 yards in 10 games. Bomars sons, David and J.P., are currently members of the UNC football team. The last time a UNC quarterback compiled more than 100 rushing yards in an entire season was in 1994. Jason Stanicek rushed for 281 yards that year.

The last two players to lead the team in rushing and passing yards in the same season are Gayle Bomar (1967 and 1968) and Charlie Justice (1946, 1947 and 1948).

Completed 19 of 34 passes for 304 yards, two touchdowns and one interception against Stanford. He also had a team-high 66 rushing yards on 13 carries. He was named the ACC Rookie of the Week for his play against the Cardinal.

Against Stanford, Curry threw a 69-yard touchdown pass to Na Brown and a 19-yard scoring pass to Kory Bailey and scored himself on a 8-yard run. The 69-yard pass cut Stanfords lead to 13-10, the 8-yard run in the fourth quarter evened the game at 27-27, and the 19-yard pass to Bailey tied the score at 34-34.

Set Carolina freshman records against Stanford for most total offense yards in a game (370), most passing yards in a game (304), most completions (19), most total offense plays (47) and longest touchdown pass (69 yards).

The 69-yard pass to Na Brown equaled the 19th-longest pass (all of them for touchdowns) in Carolina history. It is the longest by a freshman quarterback.

The 304 yards passing marked the 11th-highest figure in Carolina history by any player and is the 12th 300-yard passing game by a Tar Heel. (It was the third loss by Carolina in a game in which a player threw for 300 yards; all three losses were the three-lowest 300-yard figures).

The 370 yards of total offense marked the fourth-highest total offense figure in school history. The only three players with more total offense yards in a single game were: Mark Maye (420 yards vs. Georgia Tech, 1987), Gayle Bomar (416 yards vs. Wake Forest, 1968) and Chris Keldorf (374 yards vs. Texas Christian, 1997).

The previous freshman records are as follows: total offense yards (Mike Thomas, 318 yards vs. Duke, 1992); total offense plays (44 by Chuck Sharpe vs. Wake Forest, 1978); passing yards (299 by Mike Thomas vs. Duke, 1992); pass completions (15 by Todd Burnett vs. Virginia, 1988).

OSCAR DAVENPORT
Completed 19 of 37 passes for 234 yards and two touchdowns against Clemson. The 37 pass attempts were the second-most in his career. He was 26 of 41 for 360 yards in 1997 at Georgia Tech. The 19 pass completions were the fourth-highest total in his career. The 234 yards against Clemson marked the third time in his career he had thrown for more than 200 yards in a game. Last year, he had a career-high 360 yards at Georgia Tech and 281 yards at Maryland. It was the fourth multi-touchdown pass game of his career. He also threw for two touchdowns last year against Stanford, Maryland and Virginia.

Davenport is now 6-2 as a starting quarterback at Carolina. The only losses are against Florida State in 1997 (when he was knocked out of action in the third quarter with a fracture/dislocation of his right ankle) and Miami in 1998 (when he injured his left knee on the fourth play of the game).

Is now 14th in school history in pass completions with 172. Has completed 172 passes in 280 attempts, a percentage of .614. That is the highest percentage in school history for any player with at least 200 attempts. Davenport moved past four players on the alltime completions list in the Clemson game. He surpassed Ray Farris Jr. (158), Charlie Justice (159), Gayle Bomar (166) and Jack Cummings (170). Bill Paschall is 13th with 176.

TYRELL GODWIN
Averaging 31.9 yards per kick return over nine returns. Has a 100-yard return for a touchdown against Stanford and a 47-yard return against Georgia Tech.

Is second in the ACC and sixth in the nation in kickoff returns.

Tied the NCAA record and set the UNC record for longest kickoff return when he returned a kickoff 100 yards for a score against Stanford. Godwins return cut a 27-13 deficit in half with the return.

Prior to the start of the 1998 college football season, 41 players in NCAA history returned a kickoff 100 yards.

Godwin is the fourth player in ACC history to return a kickoff 100 yards. The others include: Maryland's Ken Ambrusko vs. Navy in 1964, Dukes Greg Boone vs. Tennessee in 1982, and Dukes Leroy Gallman vs. Tennessee in 1993.

The previous longest kickoff return in UNC history was a 98-yarder by Delbert Powell vs. Wake Forest on Oct. 30, 1976. The 100-yard kickoff return was the first for a touchdown by a Tar Heel since Leon Johnson had a 94-yard return at Wake Forest in 1996.

Godwin had 179 kickoff return yards against Stanford. That is the second-highest single-game figure in Carolina history. The single-game high is 184 by Marcus Wall against Clemson in 1994. The third-highest figure is Don McCauleys 174 yards against N.C. State in 1968.

Godwin began the season at cornerback, but is now at tailback, the position he originally came to UNC to play. Godwin made his first career reception against Stanford (for -2 yards). He had his first collegiate rushing attempt for three yards against Tech. He had four rushes for three yards against Clemson.

KORY BAILEY
One of the most promising young players in the ACC. Is third in the ACC and 14th in the country in punt returns with an average of 14.7 yards on six returns.

Leads the team with three touchdowns (two by reception and one by kickoff return). Caught a 20-yard TD pass from Oscar Davenport against Clemson. Had a season-high four receptions for 50 yards against the Tigers.

Moved into the starting lineup (in three wideout sets) after the season-ending injury to Jason Peace.

Made his first college catch against Miami and added two receptions for 22 yards against Stanford. With 3:20 to play in the fourth quarter, Bailey made a sensational, over-the-shoulder, 19-yard catch for a touchdown in the back left corner of the end zone. That catch, on a fourth-and-5 play, tied the game at 34-34. Made a 45-yard catch against Georgia Tech to set up Carolinas first score. Went up between two defenders and with full extension came down with the catch.

Leads the team in all-purpose yards with 326 (128 receiving, 88 on punt returns and 110 on kickoff returns).

Opened the second half against Georgia Tech with a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. The return tied the sixth-longest return in UNC history and was the first kickoff return by a Tar Heel in Kenan Stadium since Eric Blount returned both a punt and a kickoff for scores against William and Mary in 1991.

SPECIAL TEAMS
Carolina is sixth in the country in kickoff returns (28.9 yards per return with two touchdowns), 16th in the nation in punt returns (13.5 yards per return) and 29th nationally in net punting (38.3 yards per punt).

Carolina has returned kickoffs for touchdowns in two games this year. It marks the first time in UNC history that the Tar Heels have returned at least two kickoffs for touchdowns in the same season. Tyrell Godwin had a 100-yard return at Stanford and Kory Bailey scored on a 95-yard return against Georgia Tech.

rian Schmitz has averaged at least 40 yards per punt in each of the first four games and averaged at least 45 yards in three of the four. Schmitz leads the ACC and is eighth in the country in punting at 45.2 yards per kick.

NA BROWN
Caught six passes for 71 yards against Clemson. That matched his season-high for receptions in a game this year. He also had six grabs for 139 yards against Stanford.

Caught six passes for 139 yards at Stanford. The 139 yards are the second-highest figure in his career. Last year, he made nine receptions for 145 yards at Texas Christian. Added three catches for 12 yards against Georgia Tech.

Had a 69-yard touchdown catch against the Cardinal. That is the longest reception in Browns career and the 19th-longest in Carolina history. His previous longest catch was a 40-yard play against Duke in 1996 (from tailback Leon Johnson).

Is still fourth in Carolina history in receptions with 126. The only UNC players with more catches are Corey Holliday (155), Leon Johnson (151) and Octavus Barnes (129).

rown has 1,415 receiving yards, the eighth-highest figure in school history.

L.C. STEVENS
Only two players in Carolina history have more receiving yardage than Stevens. He is third with 1,736 yards. Corey Holliday (2,447) and Octavus Barnes (2,398) and are the only UNC players with more receiving yards. Stevens moved past College Football Hall of Famer Art Weiner with 36 yards in the Clemson game. Stevens has 1,736 yards, three more than Weiner.

Stevens has nine receptions this year. He is the eighth player in Tar Heel history to record 100 or more receptions in a career. Stevens is seventh at UNC with 104 catches for 1,736 yards. He moved past All-America Bob Lacey into seventh place. Lacey had 102 catches. Sprained his left knee in the fourth quarter at Stanford and did not play against Georgia Tech. Returned to action against Clemson and had three catches for 36 yards.

Caught four passes for 74 yards at Stanford, including a remarkable, 37-yard grab in the fourth quarter. Stevens made the catch despite being double-covered. The play began at Carolinas own 2-yard line with UNC trailing in the fourth quarter by seven points. The catch started a drive that ended with a game-tying touchdown pass by Ronald Curry to Kory Bailey.

JOSH MCGEE
Is three for four in field goals this season and 24 for 37 in his career (64.9 percent).

Is 14th in career scoring with 153 points. He moved past Ellis Alexander into 14th place. Tailback Ethan Horton is 13th in UNC history with 162 points.

McGee is sixth in UNC scoring by a place-kicker.

BRANDON SPOON
Leads Carolina in tackles with 64 in four games. He had a career-high 20 hits against Miami (Ohio) and led all UNC tackles for the second straight game with 16 against Stanford. Spoon also had a team-high 12 primary stops against Georgia Tech.

Had his first two-sack game against Clemson. He had a 5-yard sack in the first half and a 7-yard sack early in the fourth quarter. Spoon played three quarters against the Tigers with a broken nose. Spoon has 64 tackles in four games. Last year he had 65 tackles in 11 tackles as the top reserve linebacker. Spoon has three sacks this year and six and one-half in his career.

EBENEZER EKUBAN
Was the Player of the Game in Carolinas 21-14 win over Clemson. He made 16 tackles, 12 of which were primary stops, including four for losses of 28 yards. He had two quarterback sacks for 25 yards, caused a fumble and blocked a field goal attempt. Leads the team with nine tackles for losses of 45 yards and shares the team lead in quarterback sacks with linebacker Brandon Spoon with three. Ekuban's three sacks have accounted for a team-high 31 yards in losses. Is fourth on the team in tackles and first among defensive linemen with 44.

TEAM NOTES
The last time Carolina lost consecutive games by three or fewer points was in 1987. Carolina dropped a 13-10 decision to Clemson on Nov. 7, 1987, and a 20-17 decision at Virginia on Nov. 14, 1987. Georgia Tech gained 489 yards, the highest figure allowed by Carolina since No. 1 ranked Florida State compiled 489 yards in a 33-7 win on Sept. 18, 1993.

The Yellow Jackets scored 43 points, the most allowed by UNC since Virginia beat the Tar Heels, 50-17, on Oct. 14, 1989. The 171 yards receiving by Tech's Dez White equaled the eighth-highest single-game figure against UNC.

Carolina has committed 12 turnovers and forced six. UNC has been intercepted five times and lost seven fumbles. The opposition has turned those turnovers into 44 points. Stanford converted four turnovers for 20 points (two touchdowns and two field goals). Georgia Tech cashed in two of four turnovers for 10 points (one touchdown and one field goal). Clemson returned an interception for a score and converted a fumble deep in UNC territory into another touchdown. Carolinas offense has run 56 fewer plays than the opposition. UNC has run 244 plays; the opponents have run 300. The Tar Heels are averaging just 0.07 fewer yards per play than their opponents. Carolina is averaging 4.77 yards per play and the opponents are averaging 4.84 yards per play.

Through four games, Carolina is averaging almost eight fewer minutes time of possession than the opponents. The Tar Heels are averaging 25:58 time of possession. The opponents have had the ball an average of 34:01. In the second half thus far, Carolina has had the ball only 47 out of 120 minutes (39.2 percent).

ROOKIE AT QUARTERBACK
True freshman Ronald Curry made his first collegiate start at Stanford. Curry relieved an injured Oscar Davenport on the fifth play of Carolinas initial possession in the 1998 opener against Miami (Ohio). Curry completed 11 of 22 passes for 115 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions against the RedHawks. He tossed a four-yard touchdown pass to tight end Allen Mogridge late in the first half that gave Carolina a 10-0 advantage. Curry also rushed 8 times for 29 net yards. That included three sacks for 16 yards.

Curry became the first Tar Heel quarterback to play as a true freshman since Jason Stanicek and Mike Thomas both played as true freshmen in 1991. Thomas played in the season opener against Cincinnati and the fourth game against William and Mary, but injured his thumb against the Tribe. He sat out the rest of that season and received a medical red-shirt from the NCAA.

Stanicek did not play in the first seven games in 1991, but started each of the last four games and led UNC to a 3-1 record in those contests. He made his first start against Maryland and led UNC to a 24-0 triumph. Stanicek was 12 for 19 for 104 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. The Park Forest, Ill., native led three scoring drives in excess of 80 yards. He also started in a loss to Clemson and wins over South Carolina and Duke.

Curry's start at Stanford was the first start at quarterback by a UNC true freshman since Stanicek's start against the Blue Devils on Nov. 23, 1991.

BLY SETS UNC, TIES ACC INTERCEPTION MARK
Junior cornerback Dre Bly tied the alltime Atlantic Coast Conference record for interceptions when he picked off a pass in the first quarter of the season opener against Miami (Ohio). The over-the-shoulder theft was Blys 17th in 24 regular-season games. He also had two in the 1997 Gator Bowl, but those do not count toward his official totals. Bly broke the UNC record which he shared with Lou Angelo (1970-72). Five other players picked off 17 passes in ACC history. They include Tom Brown of Maryland (1960-62), Ronnie Burgess of Wake Forest (1981-84), A.J. Greene of Wake Forest (1985-88), Terry Kinard of Clemson (1978-81) and Keith McMeans of Virginia (1987-90).

BLY AMONG COLLEGE FOOTBALL'S ELITE
Dre' Bly is the only football player in Carolina football history and one of five in ACC history to earn first-team consensus All-America honors in two different seasons. Bly earned consensus honors in 1996 and 1997. The other ACC players to achieve that are Florida State's linebacker Marvin Jones in 1991-92 (although FSU was not a member of the ACC in 1991), the Seminoles' linebacker Derrick Brooks in 1993-94, Clemson's safety Terry Kinard in 1981-82 and N.C. State center Jim Richter in 1978-79.

Since 1950, only four players in all of Division I college football have earned consensus All-America honors three times. Bly could become the fifth player in the second half of the century to accomplish the feat. The four players to earn three-time consensus All-America honors since 1950 are UCLA linebacker Jerry Robinson, UCLA safety Kenny Easley, Pittsburgh defensive end Hugh Green and Georgia tailback Herschel Walker.

AFCA All-America Team
Cornerback Dre Bly was named to the American Football Coaches Association Preseason Players to Watch All-America Team. Florida State wide receiver Peter Warrick and Virginia safety Anthony Poindexter were the only other ACC players named to the team.

CAROLINA MAKES PERFECT TEAM
Sports Illustrated named Carolinas defensive tackles on its Perfect Team in its August 31, 1998 college football preview issue. Sports Illustrated listed one school at each position to form its perfect team. The criteria given was college performance over the past 10 years. Carolinas defensive tackles in that period of time include Marcus Jones, Andre Purvis, Rick Terry, Vonnie Holliday, Nate Hobgood-Chittick, Marcus Dow and Russell Davis. Jones was a first-team All-America and ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 1995. Holliday was a first-round NFL draft pick by Green Bay last year, one season after Terry was a second-round selection by the Jets. Purvis is in his second year with Cincinnati and Hobgood-Chittick made the New York Giants camp this season as a free agent signee.

The other teams that comprised SIs Perfect Team include: Ohio State (tailbacks), Notre Dame (fullbacks), Washington State (quarterbacks), Florida (wide receivers), Washington (tight ends), Nebraska (offensive line), Florida State (defensive ends), Colorado (linebackers), Kansas State (cornerbacks) and UCLA (safeties).

TWO MORE FOR THE BUTKUS
Last fall, Carolina became the first school to ever have four players on the Butkus Award list. The award is given to the nations top linebacker. 1997 seniors Kivuusama Mays and Brian Simmons were joined on the list by underclassmen Brandon Spoon and Keith Newman. Mays was one of the three finalists for the award, and Simmons was one of 10 semifinalists for the second straight year. Newman and Spoon are back on the Butkus List again in 1998. Newman made 79 tackles, including five and one-half for losses last year. He was sixth on the team in tackles. Spoon had 65 tackles last year, including seven and one-half for losses.

CAREER STARTS
On offense, four regulars from last years starting lineup return this year. They include wide receiver L.C. Stevens, quarterback Oscar Davenport, fullback Deon Dyer and wide receiver Na Brown. Stevens and Brown started all 12 games, Dyer made 10 starts before being injured and Davenport made five starts before his season came to a premature end due to injury.

Senior wide receiver L.C. Stevens started 26 consecutive games over the last three seasons prior to not playing against Georgia Tech due to an injured left knee. Stevens has made 30 career starts (including bowl games). Stevens is the only current player on offense to have started every game in 1996 and 1997.

Wide receiver Na Brown now has the longest consecutive starts streak on offense with 16 games. Brown started all 12 games (including the Gator Bowl) last year and the first four games in 1998. Brown also started the first eight games in 1996, and played in but did not start the final four games in 1996 due to a sprained ankle.

Cornerback Dre Bly is now the only Tar Heel who has started every game since the start of the 1996 season.

Left offensive tackle John Surigao made one start in 1997 (right tackle at Texas Christian); guards Mike Gimbol and Joe Ellison combined for 15 starts (Gimbol started every game at left guard and Ellison started three at right guard); wide receiver Jason Peace (now injured and out for the year) virtually was a third starter at wide receiver; running back Ronnie Robinson started against Duke and Virginia Tech at fullback in place of Dyer; and tight end Dauntae Finger made one start last fall. Defensively, the only players with career starts prior to this season are end Mike Pringley (now with 29 career starts), cornerback Dre Bly (28), tackle Russell Davis (22), linebacker Keith Newman (17) and safety Jomo Legins (8).

Among the players on the two-deep lineup there are two true freshmen (wide receiver Bosley Allen and quarterback Ronald Curry) and eight red-shirt freshmen (tailback Rufus Brown, fullback Anthony Saunders, wide receiver Danny Davis, wide receiver Kory Bailey, linebacker Quincy Monk, cornerback Anthony Anderson, safety Billy-Dee Greenwood and cornerback Errol Hood).

Last year, four true freshmen played for UNC. They were kick returner Tyrell Godwin, linebackers Sedrick Hodge and Merceda Perry and tailback Domonique Williams.

DAVENPORT NOMINATED FOR UNITAS AWARD
Senior Oscar Davenport is one of 13 players in the country nominated for the Johnny Unitas Award, given to the nations best quarterback. Joining Davenport on the list are: Michael Bishop (Kansas State), Dauntae Culpepper (Central Florida), Joe Germaine (Ohio State), Brock Huard (Washington), Corby Jones (Missouri), Shawn King (Tulane), Brian Kuklick (Wake Forest), Graham Leigh (New Mexico), Donovan McNabb (Syracuse), Cade McNown (UCLA), Brandon Stewart (Texas A&M) and Herb Tyler (LSU). Huard is the older brother of Carolina freshman quarterback Luke Huard.

HOLLIDAY NAMED NFL ROOKIE OF THE MONTH
Vonnie Holliday, a first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference defensive tackle for Carolina, has been named the NFLs Defensive Rookie of the Month for September. Holliday, from Camden, S.C., has started all four games for the 4-0 Green Bay Packers at defensive end. Holliday has four sacks among his 18 total tackles, three passes defensed and a fumble recovery.