Sept. 15, 1999
GAME DATA
Coming off an open week, the Tar Heels return to action on Saturday, Sept. 25th, when they play host to No. 1 ranked Florida State. Gametime is 3:30 p.m. The game will be televised by ABC. Brad Nessler, Bob Griese and Lynn Swann will call the game for ABC.
Carolina enters the game 1-1 overall and 0-1 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Tar Heels lost the season opener at home to Virginia, 20-17, on a 50-yard field goal with 27 seconds to play. UNC defeated Indiana, 42-30, in Bloomington, on September 11th.
The Seminoles are 2-0 with wins over Louisiana Tech and Georgia Tech (game pending with NC State).
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 3:30 p.m., ABC
Sat. Oct. 2 at Clemson
Sat. Oct. 9 at Georgia Tech
Sat. Oct. 16 Houston 1:30 p.m.
Sat. Oct. 23 at Maryland
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
Tar Heel Head Coach
Carl Torbush is in
his 2nd season as
the Heels' head man.
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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. Fifteen players from the 1997 defense that was No. 2 in the nation in total yards allowed were on NFL training camp rosters in July 1999. That included first-round draft picks Greg Ellis (Dallas), Brian Simmons (Cincinnati), Vonnie Holliday (Green Bay) and Ebenezer Ekuban (Dallas) and second-round picks Russell Davis (Chicago) and Dre' Bly (St. Louis).
Torbush is 9-6 as Carolina's head coach and 12-14 overall as a college head coach. Louisiana Tech was 3-8 in 1987 in his first stint as head coach.
VERSUS FLORIDA STATE
Carolina is 0-9-1 against the Seminoles, including a 39-13 defeat in Tallahassee, Fla., last year. Florida State has won all seven encounters since it joined the ACC in 1992. The average score in the last seven games has been 28-9, FSU.
The Tar Heels and Seminoles tied, 10-10, in a 1986 game in Tallahassee.
FSU beat the Tar Heels, 28-3, in the 1983 Peach Bowl in Atlanta.
Florida State's 39 points and 26-point winning margin in 1998 were the most in series history. However, the Tar Heels trailed only 23-10 nearly six minutes into the fourth quarter after a Ronald Curry touchdown pass. Chris Weinke added two long touchdown passes and FSU added a late field goal to up the final margin to 26 points.
Ronald Curry started at quarterback last year against the Seminoles and split time in the game with Oscar Davenport. Curry completed five of 13 passes for 49 yards and one touchdown, Davenport was nine for 17 for 126 yards. Curry hit Kory Bailey with a 7-yard scoring pass in the fourth quarter.
Rufus Brown led the Tar Heels with 64 yards rushing last year against the Seminoles.
Punter Brian Schmitz averaged 49.3 yards on seven punts in last year's game. He punted the ball 50 yards or longer four times.
Florida State is the only opponent the Tar Heels have played at least 10 times without a victory.
Drew O'Daniel, Carolina's graduate assistant coach for offense, played fullback at Florida State and went to three bowl games with the Seminoles.
AGAINST NUMBER ONE
Carolina has not played a game against the No. 1 ranked team in the Associated Press poll since a 1993 loss to Florida State.
The Tar Heels came into that game 3-0. Carolina took a 7-0 lead on a Jason Stanicek to Bucky Brooks touchdown pass, but the Seminoles led 10-7 at halftime. The ˇNoles broke open the game in the second half on an interception return for a touchdown by linebacker Derrick Brooks.
Carolina has an 0-5 alltime record against the Associated Press's No. 1 ranked teams. Those losses include: 1953- Notre Dame 34, UNC 14, 1956- Oklahoma 36, UNC 0, 1982- Pittsburgh 7, UNC 6, 1987- Oklahoma 28, UNC 0, 1993- Florida State 33, UNC 7.
Carolina's last victory over a team ranked in the AP Top 25 was the 28-17 win over No. 17 Stanford in 1997.
INJURY REPORT
Linebacker Brandon Spoon, (out) left biceps tendon.
Tailback Rufus Brown, (probable) sprained left toe. Did not play at Indiana.
Wide receiver Danny Davis, (probable) right hamstring. Did not play at Indiana.
Left tackle Kareem Ellis, (questionable) right middle finger fracture and torn tendon. Suffered injury at Indiana, had suregry the next day to repair and insert screw.
Cornerback Jason Horton, (questionable) high left ankle sprain. Suffered late in the fourth quarter at Indiana.
RECAPPING THE INDIANA GAME
Carolina traveled to Indiana and defeated the Hoosiers, 42-30, on September 11th. Quarterback Ronald Curry ran for a touchdown and passed for two scores.
The Tar Heels played most of the game without preseason All-America linebacker Brandon Spoon, who ruptured his left biceps tendon in the seventh play of the game. Spoon played two more snaps before leaving the game. He did not return.
Carolina's 42 points were the most by the Tar Heels in a game since they scored 42 against Virginia Tech on Jan. 1, 1998, in the Gator Bowl. That was Carl Torbush's first game as UNC's head coach.
The 42 points were the most scored by UNC in a road game since it beat Houston, 42-14, in the Astrodome on Oct. 26, 1996.
The 72 combined points were the most in a UNC game since the Tar Heels beat NC State, 52-20, on Nov. 2, 1996.
Both Carolina and Indiana scored points in all four quarters. The last time that occured in a Tar Heel game was in Stanford's 37-34 win in 1998. However, the last time UNC played a game in which both teams scored touchdowns in all four quarters was a 59-42 Carolina win over Maryland on Sept. 11, 1993.
MOVING THE CHAINS
Carolina had 29 first downs, its highest single-game figure since UNC had 30 at Houston in 1996. The Hoosiers compiled 26 first downs, the most allowed by UNC's defense since NC State had 30 in a Tar Heel victory in Raleigh in 1995.
OFFENSIVE ATTACK
Carolina's 55 rushing attempts were the most in a game by the Tar Heels since they had 55 against NC State in 1995.
The Tar Heels rushed for 215 yards. Last year, Carolina rushed for a season-high 222 yards against Maryland and 213 yards at Wake Forest. Carolina has won all three games under offensive coordinator Steve Marshall in which the Tar Heels rush for 200-plus yards.
Carolina had 200-plus yards both running and throwing the football for the first time since it defeated Wake Forest, 38-31, Oct. 24, 1998. In that game, Ronald Curry passed for 230 yards and the Tar Heels rushed for 213 yards.
Carolina compiled 467 total offense yards, the highest single-game figure by UNC since it had 527 yards in a 50-14 win against Duke in 1997.
The Tar Heels completed 20 of 26 passes, a percentage of .769. That is the highest single-game completion percentage figure since the 1997 win over Stanford in which Oscar Davenport and Chris Keldorf combined to also complete 20 of 26 passes.
MORE ON SCHMITZ
Brian Schmitz averaged 49.0 yards on three punts. It was the 15th straight game in which he averaged 40 yards or better.
THIRD DOWN SUCCESS
Carolina converted 9 of 13 third down chances on offense and has converted 15 of 30 for the season (50.0 percent). Last year, the Tar Heels converted 28.8 percent on third down.
The Tar Heel defense held on nine of Indiana's 12 third down conversion attempts. In the first two games, Carolina has yielded just six third down converions in 25 attempts, a percentage of .240. Last year, Carolina's opponents converted on third down 30.6 percent of the time.
The Tar Heels converted seven third down chances on their six touchdown drives, including three on their final scoring drive in the fourth quarter.
STOP THE RUN
Indiana rushed for 254 yards, mainly on option runs by tailback Levron Williams (168 yards on 15 carries) and quarterback Antwaan Randle-El (20 carries, 62 yards). The 254 yards were the most allowed by the Tar Heels since Georgia Tech rolled up 281 yards in a 27-25 Yellow Jacket victory on Oct. 14, 1995.
The last time Carolina allowed 200-plus rushing yards in a victory was Oct. 2, 1993. The University of Texas-El Paso rushed for 212 yards in a wild, 45-39 Tar Heel victory.
DAVIS DEBUTS
Freshman tailback Daniel Davis led the Tar Heels with 77 rushing yards on 13 carries. Davis averaged 5.9 yards per carry. He had a 12-yard carry for a first down on Carolina's first touchdown drive, a 38-yard dash to set up the Tar Heels' second touchdown and a 10-yard run on 3rd-and-2 on a touchdown drive in the second half.
Davis's 77 yards were the most yards by a Tar Heel in his first game in which he actually had attempts since Leon Johnson rushed for 94 yards against Southern California in 1993. Davis played two snaps against Virginia in the season opener, but did not have a carry.
Davis's status was downgraded to questionable three days before the game because he developed an ulcer in his left eye caused by his contact lenses. However, the optical lab at UNC Hospitals made him a pair of prescription sports goggles. The goggles arrived in Bloomington the morning of the game and Davis played, despite some slight swelling and discomfort.
BIG NIGHT FOR RONALD
Quarterback Ronald Curry was 19 for 24 for 241 yards and two touchdowns. He completed a 25-yard scoring pass to Jason Peace and an 11-yard scoring toss to tight end Dauntae' Finger. Curry also rushed 10 times for 45 yards, including a 1-yard touchdown run.
Curry's 19 completions and two TD passes matched his collegiate high. He also had 19 completions and threw for two scores against Stanford in 1998.
Curry has now accounted for 12 touchdowns as a Tar Heel. He has rushed for three scores and passed for nine.
Curry completed 79.2 percent of his passes against Indiana. His previous best completion percentage was 59.1 percent against Wake Forest when he completed 13 of 22 attempts.
Two of Curry's biggest completions came on Carolina's final touchdown drive in the fourth quarter that gave the Tar Heels the 42-30 margin of victory. Indiana had scored to cut Carolina's lead to 35-30 with 12:33 to play. Facing 3rd-and-6 at the UNC 28, Curry hit Kory Bailey for 16 yards (Bailey made a terrific catch as the ball was deflected en route). Several plays later, after an 8-yard loss, Carolina was 3rd-and-18 at the IU 47. Curry hit Jason Peace across the middle for 19 yards and a first down. The drive was capped by an 11-yard TD pass from Curry to Dauntae' Finger.
Curry had 286 total offense yards. That is his second-highest single-game figure for total offense (had 370 against Stanford in 1998) and equalled the 30th-best in school history.
Curry leads the Tar Heels in rushing (100 yards in two games), passing and total offense (244.0 yards per game).
CATCHES FOR CRUMPLER
Tight end Alge Crumpler had three receptions for 56 yards at Indiana. He had a 19-yard catch for a first down on UNC's second TD drive and a 34-yard catch-and-run down the sideline in the third quarter that set up another touchdown.
The catches were Crumpler's first since he had five for 77 yards against Virginia in the Gator Bowl on Jan. 1, 1998. He injured his left knee in spring practice in March 1998 and missed all of last season.
Crumpler has 28 career receptions for 338 yards, an average of 12.1 yards per play.
FIRST TD FOR FINGER
Junior tight end Dauntae' Finger played his finest game of his career against Indiana, and not just because he scored his first collegiate touchdown. Finger teamed with starting tight end Alge Crumpler in a number of twin tight end sets that helped the Tar Heels rush for 215 yards.
Finger, from Newton, N.C., took a short pass in the right flat from Roanld Curry, broke a tackle and scored from 11 yards out late in the fourth quarter to seal the win.
Finger's touchdown was the first scoring catch by a UNC tight end since Allen Mogridge had a 4-yarder against Miami (Ohio) in the 1998 season opener. Mogridge is now Carolina's starting right tackle.
Alge Crumpler has four career touchdown receptions, all of which came in 1997.
BAILEY & PEACE
Eight different Tar Heels had receptions against Indiana, led by sophomore wide receiver Kory Bailey and senior wide receiver Jason Peace. Bailey caught six passes for 63 yards, Peace had five receptions for 79 yards and one touchdown, his third career touchdown catch.
Peace also had touchdown grabs against Maryland and Duke in 1997. He missed all but one game last year with a knee injury.
Peace has nine receptions for 150 yards in the first two games. He had four catches for 71 yards in the season opener against Virginia. His 79-yard effort at Indiana marks the second-highest yardage figure in his career. He had a career-high 105 yards at Maryland in 1997.
Bailey has eight catches for 81 yards this year. He has caught at least one pass in all 13 regular-season games in his career.
SAUNDERS SCORES AGAIN
Sophomore tailback Anthony Saunders earned the start against Indiana when Rufus Brown did not make the trip due to injury. Saunders had 18 carries for 67 yards and one touchdown. The 8-yard score came on the first play of the fourth quarter and gave the Tar Heels a 35-23 advantage.
The touchdown was the first rushing score of his collegiate career and was his second touchdown in as many games. The Greensboro, N.C., native had an 18-yard touchdown reception, also in the fourth quarter, against Virginia on Sept. 4th.
Saunders scored a state-record 103 touchdowns in his prep career at Western Guilford High School. That record was broken last year by current Florida State freshman Nick Maddox.
ROBINSON & JORDAN
Junior fullback Ronnie Robinson scored twice against Indiana in a model of efficiency. Robinson had two carries for two yards and two touchdowns. The 6-1, 235-pound fullback had 1-yard scoring runs in the first and second quarters. They were his second and third career touchdowns. He also scored in 1998 against Pittsburgh.
Former Tar Heel running back Randy Jordan opened his 1999 NFL season with the Oakland Raiders last weekend with a pair of 1-yard touchdown runs against the Green Bay Packers.
200 RUSHING YARDS
Carolina has won its last 11 games in which the Tar Heels rushed for 200-plus yards. That streak dates back to the 1995 season. The Tar Heels rushed for 215 yards in the 42-30 win over Indiana.
The last time Carolina lost a game in which it rushed for 200-plus yards was Sept. 9, 1995, at Maryland. The Tar Heels had 202 rushing yards and 454 total yards, but committed five turnovers in a 32-18 loss to the Terps.
Carolina was 41-5 under head coach Mack Brown when it rushed for 200-plus yards. Forty-three (43) of the 46 games in which the Tar Heels rushed for 200 yards under Brown came in games played from 1988-95.
The Tar Heels have rushed for 200-plus yards just six times in the last four seasons, 1999 inclusive. That includes one game in 1996, two games in 1997 and 1998 and one time thus far in 1999.
Carolina has allowed 200 rushing yards just three times in the last five seasons, 1999 inclusive. In addition to the Indiana game, Carolina gave up 281 yards to Georgia Tech in 1995 and 205 yards to Florida State in 1995.
Carl Torbush's defenses have allowed 200 rushing yards in a game six times in the last eight seasons, 1999 inclusive. In addition to Indiana in 1999 and Georgia Tech and Florida State in 1995, Texas gained 200-plus in the 1994 Sun Bowl, UTEP had more than 200 in 1993 and Clemson topped 200 in 1992.
BRANDON SPOON LIKELY OUT FOR THE SEASON
Senior linebacker Brandon Spoon was injured in the seventh defensive snap of the game, did not return and is likely lost for the balance 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.
Spoon was scheduled to have surgery on Sept. 16th. At that time, doctors are expected to announce that Spoon will have to miss the rest of the season.
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.
Senior Shawn Woodard of Wilson, N.C., junior Tim Burgess of Cary, N.C., and sophomore Quincy Monk of Jacksonville, N.C., will see increased playing time as a result of Spoon's injury.
Woodard made a career-high five tackles against Indiana. That is one less tackle than he made his first three seasons as a Tar Heel.
BLACK SCORES THIRD TOUCHDOWN VS. VIRGINIA
Antwon Black, a junior safety from Central, S.C., has scored three touchdowns in three seasons.
As a freshman, Black recovered a blocked punt and returned it seven yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of a 28-17 win over Stanford.
Last year, Black picked a Georgia Tech fumble out of the air (on a botched field goal) and raced 81 yards for a score on the final play of the first half.
Against Virginia, Black intercepted a pass at the Carolina 11-yard line and sprinted 89 yards for a score with 12 seconds to play in the first half.
Black is the first Tar Heel to score on a punt return, fumble return and interception return since Norris Davis accounted for five defensive touchdowns in 1987. Davis had a 19-yard interception return against Illinois, 27-yard fumble return against Navy, a 6-yard blocked punt return against Auburn, a fumble recovery in the end zone against NC State, and a 26-yard blocked punt return against Maryland. Davis, a defensive back, was Carolina's third-leading scorer that season.
CAROLINA
has 37 former players on active NFL rosters. Seventy-three (73) 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
is the 11th-winningest program in the country in the last seven years (more wins than Colorado, Miami (Fla.), BYU, Notre Dame, Syracuse, Virginia Tech, Virginia, Arizona, Wisconsin, Washington, Georgia, UCLA, Southern California, Texas, Clemson and NC State)
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
produced 59 players who played in the NFL that played at Carolina in Carl Torbush's 12 years on the coaching staff
CURRY ONE OF CNN/SI'S 10 TO WATCH
Ronald Curry was named to a very unique list of athletes/sports personalities. CNN/Sports Illustrated named the Hampton, Va., native one of "10 to Watch" in 1999. The other nine include: Arizona Diamondbacks & Phoenix Suns owner Jerry Colangelo, Minnesota Vikings rookie quarterback Daunte Culpepper, St. Louis Cardinals centerfielder J.D. Drew, NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., Seattle Mariners star Ken Griffey Jr., Montreal Expos outfielder Vladimir Guerrero, Indiana quarterback Antwaan Randle-El, Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams and women's tennis player Serena Williams.
DEPTH CHART NOTES
Fifty-nine (59) players are listed on the positional depth chart heading into the Florida State game (special teams not included).
Of the 59 players, there are 11 seniors, 14 juniors, 16 sophomores, 10 red-shirt freshmen and eight true freshmen.
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 13 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 22 career starts -- 10 in 1997, 10 in 1998 and two in 1999.
No player has started more consecutive games than Bryan Jones, Allen Mogridge, Sedrick Hodge and Brandon Spoon have (14).
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).
Eight true freshmen are listed on the depth chart, none as starters. They include wide receiver Sam Aiken, left guard Marcus Wilson, tailback Daniel Davis, defensive end Malcolm Stewart, defensive tackle Jeb Terry, and cornerbacks Derrick Johnson, Kevin Knight and Dexter Reid.
In 1998, four true freshmen played. That included quarterback Ronald Curry, wide receiver Bosley Allen, defensive tackle Ryan Sims and center Adam Metts. Curry and Sims are now starters, Metts is the No. 2 center and Allen is out for the season with a knee injury.
In 1997, four true freshmen played. That included tailbacks Tyrell Godwin and Domonique Williams and linebackers Sedrick Hodge and Merceda Perry. The linebackers are starters (Hodge started every game last year, as well), Williams is No. 3 at fullback and Godwin, a USA Team outfielder this summer, has decided to play baseball only at Carolina.
In 1996, four true freshmen played. That included tight end Alge Crumpler, fullback Deon Dyer, place-kicker Brian Schmitz and linebacker Brandon Spoon. Crumpler, Dyer and Schmitz were starters by their sophomore seasons (Schmitz at punter) and Spoon was a regular in the lineup as a sophomore and a starter as a junior.
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).
The following is a year-by-year breakdown of scholarship true freshmen who played in at least one game.
1988: 7 (WR Eric Blount, QNb Todd Burnett, LB Karekin Cunningham, LB Eric Gash, PK Hamp Greene, PK Clint Gwaltney, DT Rickie Shaw)
1989: 12 (TE Ethan Albright, CB Cliff Baskerville, WR Bucky Brooks, QB Chuckie Burnette, WR Randall Felton, WR Corey Holliday, S Rondell Jones, S Cookie Massey, LB Jonathan Perry, WR Julius Reese, CB Thomas Smith, LB Tommy Thigpen)
1990: 7 (LB Bernardo Harris, LB Ray Jacobs, FB Malcom Marshall, TB Natrone Means, DT Riddick Parker, LB Michael Payne, TB Michael Watskins)
1991: 4 (TE Greg DeLong, QB Jason Stanicek, TE Oscar Sturgis, QB Mike Thomas)
1992: 2 (DT Marcus Jones, WR Marcus Wall)
1993: 0
1994: 3 (DT Vonnie Holliday, CB Reggie Love, KR Greg Williams)
1995: 5 (WR Na Brown, TE Ebenezer Ekuban, LB keith Newman, DE Teto Simpson, CB Robert Williams)
1996: 4 (TE Alge Crumpler, FB Deon Dyer, PK Brian Schmitz, LB Brandon Spoon)
1997: 4 (KR Tyrell Godwin, LB Sedrick Hodge, LB Merceda Perry, TB Domonique Williams)
1998: 4 (WR Bosley Allen, QB Ronald Curry, C Adam Metts, DT Ryan Sims)
1999: 5 (WR Sam Aiken, TB Daniel Davis, CB Kevin Knight, DE Malcolm Stewart, DT Jeb Terry)
y 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.
Note: Cornerback Thomas Smith walked-on at UNC in 1989, but was awarded a scholarship prior to the start of the regular season.
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 KICKING HIS WAY TO THE TOP
Senior place-kicker Josh McGee needs eight field goals to set a UNC record and he should also become the alltime leading scorer by a kicker in school history.
The Pearl, Miss., native has 36 field goals (in 54 attempts), seven shy of the record 43 field goals made by Clint Gwaltney from 1988-91. McGee is fourth alltime at UNC in field goals.
Tripp Pignetti (1991-94) holds the career scoring record for kickers at UNC with 231 points. McGee has 214 points. He is tied with tailback Natrone Means for sixth place alltime at UNC among all players and is now second among place-kickers.
JOSH McGEE IN THE RECORD BOOK
UNC Career Field Goals
Clint Gwaltney (1988-1991) 43
Tripp Pignetti (1991-94) 38
rooks Barwick (1981-83) 37
Josh McGee (1996-active) 36
UNC Career Scoring
(* denotes place-kickers)
Leon Johnson, 1993-96 306
Mike Voight, 1993-76 254
Charlie Justice, 1946-49 234
* Tripp Pignetti, 1991-94 231
Kelvin Bryant, 1979-82 228
Natrone Means, 1990-92 214
* Josh McGee, 1996-active 214
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, CLEMSON
Carolina travels to Clemson on Saturday, Oct. 2nd. The Tar Heels have won three straight games against the Tigers, including a 17-10 win in 1997 in their last trip to Death Valley.
NFL TAR HEELS IN 1999
The National Football League opened the 1999 season on Sept. 12th and 36 former University of North Carolina players were on active rosters, including four on the Buffalo Bills and three on the Green Bay Packers.
A 37th player, defensive tackle Nate Hobgood-Chittick, was signed by the St. Louis Rams in week two.
Twenty-seven (27) of the 37 NFL Tar Heels have already earned their undergraduate degrees from UNC, a percentage of .730. The NFL average is slightly better than 30 percent.
All six Tar Heel players who were selected in the April 1999 NFL Draft made opening day rosters, including first round pick Ebenezer Ekuban of the Dallas Cowboys.
Thirty-five (36) of the 37 players competed for the last time at UNC in the 1990s. Punter Tommy Barnhardt is the only former UNC player whose last season of college football was in the 1980s. Barnhardt's last year as a Tar Heel was 1985.
Fifteen (15) of the 37 players are in their first or second seasons in the NFL.
Carolina's active NFL players include
(player, position, current NFL team, last year at UNC):
Ethan Albright, deep snapper, Buffalo, 1993
Roy Barker, defensive tackle, Cleveland, 1992
Tommy Barnhardt, punter, New Orleans, 1985
* Dre' Bly, cornerback, St. Louis, 1998
* Na Brown, wide receiver, Philadelphia, 1998
Omar Brown, safety, Atlanta, 1997
* Russell Davis, defensive tackle, Chicago, 1998
Greg DeLong, tight end, Baltimore, 1994
Kevin Donnalley, offensive guard, Miami, 1990
*Ebenezer Ekuban defensive end, Dallas, 1998
Greg Ellis, defensive end, Dallas, 1997
ernardo Harris, linebacker, Green Bay, 1993
William Henderson, fullback, Green Bay, 1994
Jimmy Hitchcock, cornerback, Minnesota, 1994
Nate Hobgood-Chittick, defensive tackle, St. Louis, 1997
Vonnie Holliday, defensive tackle, Green Bay, 1997
Dwight Hollier, linebacker, Miami, 1991
Randy Jordan, tailback, Oakland, 1992
Leon Johnson, tailback, New York Jets, 1996
Freddie Jones, tight end, San Diego, 1996
Marcus Jones, defensive tackle, Tampa Bay, 1995
Jonathan Linton, fullback, Buffalo, 1997
Deems May, tight end, Seattle, 1991
Kivuusama Mays, linebacker, Minnesota, 1997
Natrone Means, tailback, San Diego, 1992
Mike Morton, linebacker, St. Louis, 1994
* Keith Newman, linebacker, Buffalo, 1998
Riddick Parker, defensive tackle, Seattle, 1994
* Mike Pringley, defensive end, Detroit, 1998
Andre Purvis, defensive tackle, Cincinnati, 1996
Austin Robbins, defensive tackle, New Orleans, 1993
* Jeff Saturday, center, Indianapolis, 1997
rian Simmons, linebacker, Cincinnati, 1997
Thomas Smith, cornerback, Buffalo, 1992
Rick Terry, defensive tackle, Carolina, 1996
racey Walker, safety, Kansas City, 1993
Robert Williams, cornerback, Kansas City, 1997
* NFL rookies
