University of North Carolina Athletics
Carolina Midweek Football Notes
October 18, 2001 | Football
Oct. 18, 2001
North Carolina defensive end Julius Peppers was named to the ABC Sports Online and CNNSI.com Midseason All-America teams this week. Peppers, a candidate for the Lombardi and Nagurski Awards, has 7.5 sacks and 16 tackles for loss this season. He was the only ACC player listed on the ABC Sports Online defensive team. The Lombardi Award is given to the nation's top lineman and the Nagurski Award goes to the nation's top defensive player.
Despite constant double teams, Peppers has had an outstanding year and is just four sacks shy of Greg Ellis's career record of 32.5 sacks. He enters the Clemson contest with 28.5 career sacks and 50 career tackles for loss. Last year he set a school record with 24 tackles for loss and is just eight shy of that total this season.
Earlier this season, Julius Peppers was credited with a sack in the NC State game on an intentional grounding call against Wolfpack quarterback Philip Rivers. Peppers was pulling Rivers to the ground when Rivers threw the ball away. After verifying with the NCAA, the North Carolina Athletic Communications Office added the sack to Peppers's total. This week, the NCAA said it had made a mistake and a sack should not have been credited for an intentional grounding call. Therefore, Peppers now has 7.5 sacks this season and 28.5 career sacks.
"You know where he is all the time. The problem is how much do you alter your package to account for him. We have to determine in the next few days how much we want to limit our offense to account for a very good player. It's a fine line you have to walk. I'm sure they're doing the same thing with Woody. It gives you more flexibility on offense if Akil Smith can have some success. He doesn't have to win all the battles just the majority of them. It helps if you don't have to leave a back in or leave a tight end in or run away from him. But not a whole lot of team have had success blocking him one-on-one. There's no doubt that's a key matchup.
"I've been around some great defensive linemen in my career at Alabama and Auburn and he is right up there with them."
Although they are receiving votes, the Tar Heels are not ranked in the Associated Press or ESPN/USA Today Coaches Polls. However, Carolina is ranked in several other computer polls, some of which are used to determine the BCS poll that will be released on Oct. 22. In both the New York Times and Dunkel Index, two polls that were used in the past to determine the BCS standings, but are not longer used, the Tar Heels are ranked 14th. The New York Times's computer football ranking is based on an analysis of each team's scores with emphasis on three factors: who won, by what margin and against what quality of opposition. Here is where the Tar Heels are ranked in the polls that are currently used to determine the BCS standings.
Seattle Times - 29th, schedule - 7th
Sagarin - 22nd, schedule - 3rd
Massey - 27th, schedule - 2nd
Rothman - 20th, schedule - N/A
Colley - 31st, schedule - 8th
Matthews - 27th, schedule - N/A
illingsley - 32nd, schedule - N/A
Wolfe - not released until Oct. 22
Kory Bailey needs two catches to become only the third player in UNC history to record four seasons with at least 25 receptions. The others are Corey Holliday and Leon Johnson. Bailey (118 catches) needs three catches to pass L.C. Stevens (120) for fifth place at Carolina in career receptions. Bailey needs 59 yards to pass Art Weiner for fifth place at Carolina in career receiving yards.
oth Ronald Curry and Darian Durant are closing in on Carolina records for passing yards. Curry, who has 4,545 career yards passing, needs 139 yards to become the all-time leader in passing yards at Carolina. Jason Stanicek holds the current record with 4,683 yards. Durant, who has 852 passing yards this season, needs 124 yards to set a new UNC freshman record. Curry set the freshman record with 975 yards passing in 1998.
Starting offensive tackle Greg Woofter did not practice on Tuesday or Wednesday due to an infection in his right leg. His condition is improving and he will be evaluated again today. Defensive tackle Eric Davis sprained his right ankle on Tuesday and did not practice on Wednesday. He will be evaluated again today.
Safety DeFonte Coleman had successful surgery on left shoulder on Monday and is doing well in his recovery.
Players Mentioned
Wide Receiver
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Quarterback
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/ FootballWBB: Courtney Banghart Pre-NCAA Tournament Availability
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