University of North Carolina Athletics
Parker Running Injury-Free For Tar Heels
November 9, 2000 | Football
Nov. 9, 2000
By DAVID DROSCHAK
AP Sports Writer
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) - Losing his starting position because of a back injury was painful enough for Willie Parker. Being written off by his football-crazed hometown was equally difficult for the freshman tailback.
Parker, a prep star at Clinton High School, was penciled in as North Carolina's starting running back in the preseason after Daniel Davis was thrown off the team.
Parker was quick, elusive and full of energy.
But that's not the player coaches saw in fall camp as the regular season approached. A back injury Parker sustained in the summer while running on the cement concourse at Kenan Stadium was bothering him more than he led on.
By the season opener against Tulsa, Parker had lost his starting job. Weeks later, his mediocre play landed him on the bench.
``When I went home for fall break, so many people were coming by the house asking me all these questions,'' Parker said Tuesday. ``I went into the season starting, but I didn't feel like telling everybody how I got hurt and all of that.''
Parker said numerous rumors circulated in Clinton about his football future at North Carolina.
``People were saying I wasn't hitting the holes hard, that I was in the doghouse, that I just fell off, got lazy and stuff like that,'' Parker said. ``That's how it is in life, if you don't do something to please people and don't show them when it's time (to perform) they're going to think different of you.''
Parker is now healthy again and coming off his best game of the season, helping the Tar Heels (4-5) beat Pittsburgh 20-17 to remain alive for a winning season and a possible postseason game.
On a game-clinching 98-yard drive in the fourth quarter, Parker had a run of 25 yards and caught passes of 34 and 11 yards.
He could tell he was back in good graces with his Clinton buddies by Sunday morning.
``I had to take my phone off the hook after this last game. They started calling at 9 o'clock in the morning,'' Parker said. ``That's how fans are.''
The 5-foot-10, 200-pound Parker sees a different runner on film than a month ago. In retrospect, he wishes he had not hid the seriousness of his back injury from the coaching staff.
``Early in the season, I wasn't trying to make any cuts because my back would start hurting,'' he said. ``I was scared to hurt it more than it really was. Now, I'm hitting the holes hard and fighting for extra yardage.''
Parker will be crucial to North Carolina's success this weekend against Maryland (5-4), a team also fighting for bowl position. The Terrapins have given up 218 or more yards rushing in five of their nine games.
``He's showing what we thought we would see after spring practice,'' coach Carl Torbush said. ``The last two weeks he has really come into his own and I'm real excited about him. He gives us a unique blend of speed and quickness.''
Notes: Senior linebacker Sedrick Hodge broke his left thumb in the victory at Pittsburgh, but will be fitted with a cast and start against the Terrapins. ... Jeff Reed is one of the 20 finalists for the Lou Groza award as the nation's best place-kicker. Reed is 13-for-17 on field goals and perfect on 21 extra points. ... The last time North Carolina lost two in a row against Maryland was 1988-89.
