Carolina Gets Ready For Clemson

September 27, 1999 | Football

By: UNC Athletic Communications

Sept. 27, 1999

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA
FOOTBALL MEDIA NOTES
GAME #4 AT CLEMSON
SAT., OCT. 2, 1999
3:30 P.M., ABC-TV

GAME DATA
Carolina hopes to bounce back from a 42-10 loss to top-ranked Florida State with an October 2nd game at Clemson. The Tar Heels are 1-2 overall and 0-2 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. It is Homecoming Week in Clemson. The Tigers are 1-2 overall, including 1-0 in the ACC. Clemson is 1-1 at Death Valley. The Tigers lost their season opener at home, 13-10, to Marshall, but trounced Virginia, 33-14. Last week, Virginia Tech beat Clemson in Blacksburg, Va., 31-11. ABC will televise the game beginning at 3:35 p.m. Tim Brant and Gary Danielson will call the game. 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                3:30 p.m., ABC
Sat.    Oct. 9    at Georgia Tech           3:30 p.m., ABC
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
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 25 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 9-7 as Carolina's head coach and 12-15 overall as a college head coach. Louisiana Tech was 3-8 in 1987 in his first stint as head coach.

VERSUS CLEMSON

The Tar Heels trail the series, 29-17-1, although UNC has won three straight games.

Carolina has won three in a row against Clemson for the first time since UNC won four in a row in 1969-70-71-72. That four-game win streak is the longest by UNC in the series and can be matched with a Tar Heel victory this Saturday.

The Tar Heels have not won consecutive trips to Clemson since a 42-7 win in 1970 and a 26-10 triumph in 1972.

Carolina edged the Tigers, 17-10, two years ago in the Tar Heels' most recent visit to Clemson. Quarterback Chris Keldorf completed 14 of 27 pass attempts for 259 yards and a touchdown. Tailback Jonathan Linton rushed for a game-high 76 yards, including the game-winning score on a 5-yard run early in the final quarter. Wide receiver L.C. Stevens set up all three Tar Heel scores with receptions totalling 169 yards. Clemson blocked a Brian Schmitz punt with less than two minutes to play and the Tigers recovered the ball at the Carolina 14. On fourth down, cornerback Dre' Bly intercepted Brandon Streeter in the end zone to seal the win for the Tar Heels.

This will be the second straight week Carolina will face an opponent led by a Bowden. Last week, the Tar Heels dropped a 42-10 decision to Florida State-led Bobby Bowden. This week, UNC squares off against Bobby's son, Tommy Bowden.

Carolina won its first game of the 1998 season when it defeated Clemson, 21-14, on October 3rd at Kenan Stadium. The Tigers led, 14-7, after three quarters, but Carolina tied the game on a 4-yard run by Rufus Brown with 11:08 to play. Cornerback Steve Fisher recovered a Tiger fumble at the Clemson 12-yard line on the ensuing series. On the next play, quarterback Oscar Davenport found fullback Deon Dyer in the right flat and Dyer raced into the end zone for the winning touchdown. randon Streeter came off the bench in the final quarter to rally the Tigers. Streeter passed for 93 yards and drove Clemson to the UNC 12-yard line. He hit Brian Wofford on a quick slant at the 2-yard line, but safety Jomo Legins forced a fumble and the ball rolled out of the end zone for a touchback with less than two minutes to play.

Carolina quarterback Ronald Curry did not complete a pass in three attempts and had one rush for five yards last year against the Tigers. Curry suffered a slight knee sprain on his one carry and was forced out of the game.

Kory Bailey caught a 20-yard touchdown pass from Oscar Davenport in last year's game. Bailey had four receptions for 50 yards in the contest.

Carolina has passed for 200-plus yards in each of the last three games against Clemson. That includes 238 yards in the 45-0 win in 1996, 259 yards in the 17-10 win at Clemson in 1997 and 234 yards last year in UNC's 21-14 victory.

UNC's dress roster includes two players from South Carolina. Safety Antwon Black is from Central (Daniel High School) and defensive tackle Ryan Sims is from Spartanburg (Dorman High School).

CLEMSON SCHEDULE

Date Game Result Sept. 4 Marshall L 10-13 Sept. 11 Virginia W 33-14 Sept. 23 at Virginia Tech L 11-31 Oct. 2 North Carolina Oct. 9 at NC State Oct. 16 at Maryland Oct. 23 Florida State Oct. 30 at Wake Forest Nov. 6 Duke Nov. 13 at Georgia Tech Nov. 20 at South Carolina

STATISTICAL TALE OF THE TAPE
CAROLINA CLEMSON 23.0 Points/Game 18.0 20.7 First Downs/Game 20.0 3.5 Rushing Ave/Play 2.2 169.0 Rushing Ave/Game 75.0 175.0 Passing Yards/Game 263.7 5 Rushing TD 3 3 Passing TD 3 344.0 Total Yards/Game 338.7 7.0 Penalties/Game 7.7 45.2 (34.5 net) Punting Average 36.1 (35.3 net) 2-4 Field Goals 3-5 5 Turnovers Gained 9 7 Turnovers Lost 6 -2 Turnover Margin +3 4 Sacks By 12 33:34 Average Time of Possession 30:51 180.7 Rushing Yds Allowed/Game 153.0 216.3 Passing Yds Allowed/Game 218.0 397.0 Total Yds Allowed/Game 371.0 30.7 Points Allowed/Game 19.3

ACC STATISTICAL LEADERS, INDIVIDUALS
Ronald Curry Rushing T-10th, 42.0 ypg Pass. Eff. 7th, 103.19 pts Total Offense 4th, 211.0 ypg Daniel Davis Rushing T-10th, 42.0 ypg Anthony Saunders Rushing 12th, 41.3 ypg Jason Peace Receiving T-9th, 3.0 rpg Rec. Yards 9th, 50.0 ypg Kory Bailey Receiving 7th, 4.0 rpg Rec. Yards 7th, 57.3 ypg All Purpose Yds 6th, 112.3 ypg Punt Returns 7th, 8.3 ypr Kickoff Returns 6th, 19.2 ypr rian Schmitz Punting 1st, 45.2 ave

ACC STATISTICAL LEADERS,TEAM OFFENSE
Total Offense 344.0 6th Rushing Offense 169.0 5th Passing Offense 175.0 6th Scoring Offense 23.0 6th First Downs 20.7 4th Third Down Conversions 41.7% 3rd

ACC STATISTICAL LEADERS,TEAM DEFENSE
Total Defense 397.0 9th Rushing Defense 180.7 8th Passing Defense 120.1 pts T-7th Scoring Defense 32.7 9th First Downs Allowed 22.7 8th Third Down Conversions 23.5% 2nd Quarterback Sacks 1.3 9th

ACC STATISTICAL LEADERS,SPECIAL TEAMS/MISCELLANEOUS
Kickoff Returns 22.3 3rd Punt Returns 8.3 7th Net Punting 34.5 7th Penalty Yardage 69.0 7th Turnover Margin -0.67 7th

RECAPPING THE FLORIDA STATE GAME

The Seminoles scored 28 points in the first 6:57 and went on to a 42-10 win over the Tar Heels. Carolina had 13:46 seconds more time of possession than the Seminoles, but FSU scored four touchdowns on drives of less than two minutes and added scores on interception and punt returns.

Carolina lost a game in which it had more than 30 minutes time of possession for the first time since the 1996 loss at Florida State. The Seminoles won that game, 13-0, despite Carolina's 32:44 time of possession.

Carolina allowed four touchdowns in a quarter for the first time since Florida scored four times in the first quarter of a 52-2 loss in Gainesville, Fla., on Oct. 18, 1969.

The 42 points were the most allowed by Carolina since Georgia Tech beat the Tar Heels, 43-21, in 1998.

The 32-point margin of defeat was the largest since Carolina dropped a 40-7 decision at Clemson in 1992. It was the largest home loss since a 41-0 loss to Duke in 1989.

Freshman tailback Daniel Davis led Carolina in rushing for the second time in as many games. Davis made his first career start and finished with 49 yards on 10 carries, an average of 4.9 yards per attempt.

Red-shirt freshman defensive end Julius Peppers recorded his first two collegiate sacks when he tackled Chris Weinke for a 4-yard loss and later chased Weinke out of bounds for a 6-yard loss on a passing play.

Sophomore walk-on cornerback Jason Horton had his first career interceotion. Horton picked off Weinke at the FSU 34-yard line and the theft led to Carolina's lone touchdown.

Senior fullback Deon Dyer scored his ninth career touchdown in the game against FSU. The 1-yard run was the eighth rushing score of Dyer's career.

Junior safety Antwon Black picked off a pass for the second time in three games and the second of his career. Black also had an 89-yard interception return for a touchdown in the season-opening game against Virginia. lack is 14th i n the country in interceptions.

Quarterback Ronald Curry was 11 for 26 for 119 yards and three interceptions. He also had 14 carries for 26 yards, although five of the 14 carries were sacks totalling 38 yards.

Sophomore Kory Bailey led the Tar Heels with four receptions for a career-high 81 yards. He had a 41-yard reception in the second quarter that set up a short field goal by Josh McGee. In the third quarter, Bailey made a spectacular 20-yard reception at the Florida State 1-yard line to set up Deon Dyer's touchdown run.

It was the second straight game in which Bailey set a career high for receiving yards. He had six catches for 63 yards at Indiana.

The 42 points were the most scored by FSU in 11 meetings with the Tar Heels.

Carolina outrushed Florida State in a game for the first time since the Seminoles joined the ACC. Last year, the two teams both rushed for 75 yards. This year, Carolina outgained the Seminoles, 147 to 135. That includes yardage in which the quarterbacks were sacked. UNC lost 43 yards to sacks, while FSU quarterbacks lost just 10 yards to sacks.

Carolina punted 10 times for the first time in a game since it kicked 10 times at Virginia in 1996.

Junior linebackers Merceda Perry and Sedrick Hodge led the Tar Heels with 12 and eight tackles, respectively. Hodge had nine primary stops, including two for losses. Perry continued his outstanding play this season with six solo tackles, including one for a loss.

Linebacker Sedrick Hodge led Carolina on defense with 23 "production points" as determined by coaches' grades. Cornerback Jason Horton was next with 21 and defensive end Julius Peppers was third with 17.

True freshman defensive end Malcolm Stewart had three tackles, including one for a loss.

Sophomore center Adam Metts played a career-high 50 snaps against the Seminoles. Metts replaced Ryan Carfley who left with a shoulder stinger.

Brian Schmitz averaged 46.3 yards on 10 punts. It was the 16th straight game in which he averaged 40 yards or better. However, the Seminoles had a 75-yard punt return for a touchdown and the net average was UNC was just 31.2 yards per kick.

WITH THE BALL

Through the first three games, Carolina is averaging 33:34 time of possession and 169.0 rushing yards per game. Last year through three games, the Tar Heels were averagijng just over 25 minutes per game and were outrushed by 150 yards (483 to 333).

CURRY STILL BIG PART OF OFFENSE

Sophomore quarterback Ronald Curry has accounted for 61.3 percent of Carolina's total offense yards. Curry has 126 yards rushing and 507 yards in the air. Of course, his rushing totals must include yardage lost to quarterback sacks. Curry is fourth in the ACC in total offense yards per game behind Joe Hamilton (Georgia Tech), Brandon Streeter (Clemson) and Chris Weinke (Florida State).

Percentage of Total Offense by Team
randon Streeter, Clemson       73.6 percent
Ronald Curry, UNC               61.3 percent
Joe Hamilton, Georgia Tech      57.0 percent
Chris Weinke, FSU               57.1 percent
Dan Ellis, Virginia             52.4 percent
Calvin McCall, Maryland         44.0 percent
en Sankey, Wake Forest         45.0 percent
Jamie Barnette, NC State        50.5 percent

Last year through three games, Curry accounted for 79.5 percent of Carolina's total offene. He had compiled 703 of UNC's 884 total offense yards in the first three contests.

SCHMITZ EIGHTH IN COUNTRY

Senior punter Brian Schmitz leads the ACC and is eighth in the NCAA in punting average at 45.2 yards per kick. In net punting, however, the Tar Heels are seventh in the league and 68th in the country.

INJURY REPORT

Center Ryan Carfley pinched the braxial plexus nerve in his left shoulder. Carfley left the game in the first half and did not return. He is questionable for Clemson.

Defensive end Joey Evans bruised his right knee. He is probable for Clemson.

Safety Billy-Dee Greenwood sprained his left knee (medial colateral ligament). He returned to the game after he was injured. He may miss Tuesday's practice, but is probable for the game at Clemson.

Left tackle Allen Mogridge sprained his left ankle, but should practice on Tuesday and is probable for Clemson.

Tailback Rufus Brown sprained his left toe against Virginia and has not played against Indiana or Florida State. He is probable for Clemson.

Safety Marcus Jones injured his left knee last week in a non-football accident and is out indefinitely.

Linebacker Brandon Spoon ruptured his left biceps tendon at Indiana and is out for the rest of the season.

SCHEDULE MAKERS TOUGH ON TAR HEELS, TIGERS

According to USA Today, Clemson and Carolina have played two of the four most difficult schedules in the country through games of September 25th. The computer ranking states Central Florida has had the toughest slate of games thus far followed by Clemson, Notre Dame, UNC and West Virginia. After Clemson, the Tar Heels travel to 12th-ranked Georgia Tech on October 9th.

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 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.

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 38 former players on active NFL rosters. Seventy-three (74) 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

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 23 career starts - 10 in 1997, 10 in 1998 and three in 1999.

No player has started more consecutive games than Bryan Jones, Allen Mogridge and Sedrick Hodge (15).

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.

Cornerback Thomas Smith walked-on at UNC in 1989, but was awarded a scholarship prior to the start of the regular season.

McGEE KICKING HIS WAY TO THE TOP
Josh McGee needs seven 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 37 field goals (in 55 attempts), six shy of the record 43 field goals made by Clint Gwaltney from 1988-91. McGee is tied for third alltime at UNC in field goals.

Tripp Pignetti (1991-94) holds the career scoring record for kickers at UNC with 231 points. McGee has 218 points. He is sixth at UNC among all players and is now second among place-kickers.

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, GEORGIA TECH, 3:30 ABC
Carolina's October 9 game in Atlanta against Georgia Tech has been scheduled for 3:30 p.m. The game will be televised by ABC. That will mark Carolina's third straight appearance and fourth game in five weeks on ABC.

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. Two more Tar Heels have since signed with NFL teams bringing the active total to 38.

Notre Dame and Florida State are the only colleges with more players in the NFL. Both the Irish and Seminoles have 43 active NFL players.

Twenty-eight (28) of the 38 NFL Tar Heels have already earned their undergraduate degrees from UNC, a percentage of .740. 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-seven (37) of the 38 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 38 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
Eddie Mason, linebacker, Washington, 1994
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, San Francisco, 1997