University of North Carolina Athletics
Lucas: Dispelling Four Myths About Carolina Football
August 20, 2001 | Football
Aug. 20, 2001
One week from now, everything will have changed for North Carolina football. The Oklahoma game will be finished, and the even more important Maryland game will be looming. But before that happens, it's time to dispel a few myths about the 2001 season.
Myth 1: Julius Peppers is the most important defensive player.
Here's some news: Julius Peppers is good. Everybody knows it. That means that, yes, other teams know it too. Peppers is going to see double-teams, triple-teams, and maybe even whole-team teams. He's going to get his sacks this year, but it would be extraordinary if he improves on his 15 sacks from last year.
The key this year is for him to create sacks without actually getting the sack. While he's getting most of the attention from the opposing offensive line, teammates Ryan Sims, Will Chapman, and Joey Evans must be getting to the quarterback.
Pressuring the QB is simply the most important thing a defense can do. Part of the reason Dre' Bly and Robert Williams looked so good during their heyday was because the Tar Heel front seven made even the most experienced quarterbacks look like scatter-armed ragamuffins.
Myth number two: Willie Parker can't get the tough yards.
It's amazing how the "book" on a player can be written after just one year. Parker carried the ball only 84 times last year while battling a back injury. He reached full strength before the Virginia game and pounded out 71 yards against the Cavaliers, a team that doesn't have a soft reputation.
Still, the book on Parker says that he's a scat-back who can get around the corner but isn't as effective through the middle. Apparently, yards gained up the middle count double those picked up around the outside.
The sophomore remains one of the most electric players on offense, and one who has the ability to score from anywhere on the field. Sometimes, that electricity and desire to break a big play makes him throw one too many jukes instead of just bulling for a couple extra yards, but if he knew everything after 11 games, he'd be, well, he'd be Amos Lawrence.
Nothing has changed from the 2000 preseason, when Parker flashed the running and receiving ability to spark comparisons to Leon Johnson. No matter where he gets his yards, he still has that ability.
Myth number 3: Ronald Curry has struggled at quarterback.
This one must be true. After all, all that Curry has done is come in as the most heralded prep player in Carolina football history, start as a freshman, play under three different offensive coordinators in four years, set the school record for total offense with 2,676 yards in 2000, and positioned himself 520 yards behind Jason Stanicek for the school's all-time offensive lead.
During his freshman year, he was MVP of the Las Vegas Bowl and had a 48-yard touchdown run that left San Diego State players sprawled across the field.
Last year, Curry ranked in the top 25 in the nation in offense per game. He threw 11 touchdown passes and completed 13 passes of over 40 yards.
What a bust.
Curry is never going to be Dan Marino, standing tall in the pocket and zipping the ball in to his receivers. He's best when he is on the move, and sometimes his passes off of rollouts have more touch than those when he has time to set up.
Because he has such great athleticism, he can make a big play out of a little play, which is sometimes why he isn't content to make the little play. Occasionally, those plays wind up being highlight reels like his 70-yard toss to Bosley Allen against Wake Forest in 1998.
Myth number four: Gary Tranquill's offense is boring.
How this can be decided without a single game being played is astounding. Take it from someone who has been a practice regular: the offense is not boring. Even if it was, if the Heels score a boring 21 and the opponent gets a flashy 17, those are favorable stats.
This year's Tar Heel offense will feature substantially more motion than in the past. Tranquill got another toy to play with when Brandon Russell was moved from running back to receiver, where he should be able to get the ball in some imaginative ways.
There may even be some surprises in the mix. But you don't need gadget plays to have an exciting offense. You just need to score points.
ALSO BY ADAM LUCAS
Adam Lucas is the co-publisher of Basketball America. He is a lifelong observer of UNC sports and can be reached at JAdamLucas@aol.com.
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