University of North Carolina Athletics
LEE PACE'S EXTRA POINTS: Peaches N' Curry Oh So Sweet For Heels.
January 7, 2002 | Football
Jan. 2, 2002
NOTE: Readers are encouraged to view this week's Extra Points in the convenient PDF Format. PDF Format contains all material seen below, as well as additional content that is only available through PDF, including The Inner Game. 
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By Lee Pace
after an early TD in the Peach Bowl. |
John Bunting had seen something just like this not too long ago--same building, same sport, same giddy emotions. The St. Louis Rams, Bunting's employers for the 1997-99 football seasons, won a Super Bowl here just 23 months ago, edging the Tennessee Titans with a defensive stop executed by one of Bunting's linebackers on the game's final snap.
The Rams enjoyed a confetti shower.
Now, Bunting was the victor once again in Atlanta--his Tar Heels dominating but clinging to a surprisingly narrow 16-10 margin over the Auburn Tigers in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
"The Georgia Dome," Bunting said in an impression of the old Saturday Night Live skit, "been berry berry good to me."
And to the Tar Heels.
The Carolina football program enjoyed its coming-out party in the Mack Brown era of 1988-97 with a come-from-behind victory over Mississippi State in the Peach Bowl following the 1992 season. More than 20,000 Tar Heel fans flocked to Atlanta that year. Now a new era beckons as well--one that saw the Heels beat Florida State for the first time in the modern era and score more points at Clemson than they had in three decades. Again the Georgia Dome was awash in baby blue and vociferous Tar Heel fans. As the strains of Hark The Sound wafted through the building following the trophy presentation, the Heels saluted this team's accomplishments.
From oh-and-three and left for dead to 8-5 and the conqueror of a blue-blood Southeastern Conference behemoth.
"No one gave us a chance after those first three games," said fullback Richard Moore, who recovered Auburn's last-ditch onside kick attempt with just over a minute to play. "Look at us now. It's great to see a smile on everyone's face."
"It's a great feeling to be a champion," said Madison Hedgecock, a fullback whose blocking was key in Willie Parker's 131-yard rushing performance.
"Coach Bunting and his staff never let up the entire season," said center Adam Metts, who was recruited by the Brown regime, loyal to the Carl Torbush cause but now thoroughly entrenched on the Bunting bandwagon. "That pulled us through. We just kept working and working. It's really a great feeling tonight. This program has a very bright future."
smiles after leading the Tar Heels to a 16-10 win over Auburn. |
"He is a man, a man's man all the way," Bunting said of Curry. "I could not be prouder of anyone on our football team. The way he carries himself ... what he stands for ... the way he's reacted through a lot of tough times."
Carolina owned a 10-0 advantage midway through the third quarter and appeared in good shape to remain in control. Julius Peppers and Ryan Sims were leading the defense to a terrorizing advantage over Auburn--the Tigers were averaging only two yards a snap. Carolina held the crucial advantage in turnovers--the Heels had forced two and yielded none. Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville, renowned for his fourth-down gambler's mentality and kicking-game chicanery, had been forced into playing close to the vest. Punter John Lafferty was striking the ball well, the Heels were covering his kicks with abandon and aggression, and punt returner Michael Waddell (substituting for Bosley Allen, who was under suspension for a team conduct violation), was averaging over 10 yards a return.
On first down at the Tar Heel 38, Curry brought the Heels to the line of scrimmage in a one-back, three-wideout, shot-gun set. He took the snap, backpedaled and looked to his right, where Parker had slipped out to receive a screen pass. Auburn defensive end Javor Mills, however, was in Curry's face, forcing him to slip out to the left and set sail.
Curry picked up blocks from Greg Woofter and Danny Davis around midfield.
Tiger Karlos Dansby lunged at Curry at the Auburn 40 but appeared more interested in stripping the ball loose and failed to wrap Curry up.
Curry angled back to his right, slowed momentarily to allow Chesley Borders to fend off a Tiger cornerback, then settled in for an escort from Borders and Parker into the end zone.
He pointed his finger at his fianc?e in the stands, was mobbed by his teammates and ambled--winded, spent and happy--to the Carolina bench.
"I lost my speed about the 30," Curry said with a hint of a smile. "I've had a bad back and haven't been running, so I'm not in great condition. I was afraid that would be my last run."
That gave Carolina a 16-0 advantage and many in the Auburn contingent began filing for the exits. It took two Tar Heel turnovers--one a questionable interception and the other a fumbled snap by Lafferty--to allow Auburn access to its 10 points and a last-minute shot at victory.
In the end, that Curry touchdown provided the final measure of victory, affording him a dollop of pleasure following his star-crossed biography at Carolina.
There was the extended and high-profile recruiting battle with Virginia, the omnipresent comparisons to former Florida State dual-sport standout Charlie Ward, the dazzling display of raw athleticism in preseason training camp in 1988, the premature entry onto the playing field following Oscar Davenport's injury in the season-opener, the season-ending Achilles tendon injury in 1999, the revolving door of QBs coaches and offensive coordinators over four years, the daunting rebuilding effort of the offensive line, and the sharing of precious mental and physical resources with basketball over three years. This proved to be the ultimate Good vs. Evil saga: The good of Curry's powerful arm and elusive running style juxtaposed against the limits of mechanical problems in his throwing motion and painfully slow development of his quarterbacking savvy--the ability to read defenses on the run and work through his progressions.
The next chapter in the Curry story is unfolding as we speak. He said after the Peach Bowl he would discuss the basketball factor with Tar Heel coach Matt Doherty upon his return. Bunting has pledged every possible effort to help Curry find an opportunity in professional football, if not with a team picking him in the NFL draft, with a team hiring him as a free agent or with a developmental league.
"Ronald's best days might be ahead of him," Bunting said. "Ronald has the arm and the athleticism to be successful if he's in the proper system."
"I feel I can play with the best of them," Curry said.
Curry shared the post-game awards platform with fellow senior Sims, a defensive tackle who's toiled in the massive shadow of Peppers much of his career. Both Sims and Peppers had exemplary games against Auburn, with Sims winning the defensive MVP honors on the strength of his six solo tackles, one sack and numerous pressures.
"Sims is as good a player as Peppers is," Tuberville said. "He's got great feet, lateral movement and is quick up the middle. We tried to double-team him at times and he still broke the double-team. When you have to double a guy inside, you know what that does on the outside. It creates mismatches you don't want to see."
As Curry, Sims and Peppers evolve from collegians to young adults on playing fields beyond, the focus shifts to the future of Carolina football. The spotlight's now on Bunting and his staff to locate, evaluate and sign the All-Americas of 2005 and beyond. Already a major challenge lurks--find replacements for nine seniors who graduate on defense.
The coaches believe getting the right players is simply a matter of time.
"This was a big statement," linebackers coach Dave Huxtable said. "It will be great motivation for the younger kids--to have a great off-season program and move into spring practice. It's a great building block." "The program took a giant step tonight," said defensive tackles coach Rod Broadway, a Tar Heel lineman from the mid-1970s. "We've got the foundation laid. Now we have to build on it."
"The opportunities are there for some kids to come in and have an immediate impact," adds recruiting coordinator and tight ends coach Kenny Browning.
Thus the first season of the John Bunting era comes to a close. He has working for him an outstanding coaching staff which he should be able to retain. The offense returns 75 percent of its starters and will have highly regarded transfer QB C.J. Stephens eligible to battle Darian Durant. The players will get stronger and faster during another off-season under Jeff Connors. Bunting continues to set high standards for conduct and the discipline quotient is set in stone. The head coach clearly is an outstanding leader and manager. Most importantly, Bunting is exactly where he wants to be.
"I will never forget this inaugural season of mine back in Chapel Hill," Bunting said. "I will never forget this football team. This is a very special team."
NOTE: Readers are encouraged to view this week's Extra Points in the convenient PDF Format. PDF Format contains all material seen below, as well as additional content that is only available through PDF, including The Inner Game. Download Free Acrobat Reader
Many Tar Heel fans enjoyed Lee Pace's six-part series chronicling the playing and coaching careers of coach John Bunting that appeared at TarHeelBlue.com last spring. Now those same stories are available with new material in a book that promises to be a collector's item in the future.
Born & Bred is now available. It is on sale at a variety of venues around campus and Chapel Hill, as well as in the TarHeelBlue.com FANStore and by mail order.
New chapters cover Bunting's coaching staff, his visit in May to Tar Heel legend Charlie "Choo Choo" Justice, and efforts to improve the game-day experience in Kenan Stadium. In addition, there are sidebars on the 1980 Carolina championship team, led by Kelvin Bryant, and Bunting's key role in the 1982 NFL players' strike. Contact Lee Pace today at leepace@earthlink.net for ordering information.
Extra Points, now in its 12th year, is published 15 times a year, once following all Carolina football games as well as at the beginning of the season, the end of the season and at the end of recruiting and spring practice. Subscriptions $30 per year, payable by check or MC/Visa to:
Extra Points Publishing Co.
101-A Aberdeen St.
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
Lee Pace, Editor & Publisher
919/933-2082, leepace@earthlink.net
Join The Foundation
Help sponsor the educations of Tar Heel football players--for as little as $100 a year. Membership to the Educational Foundation includes: Opportunity to purchase season football tickets and mini-season basketball ticket packages, access to the Ram's Room in Kenan Fieldhouse, tickets to annual Super Saturday lunch featuring John Bunting and Matt Doherty, invitations to annual functions featuring Carolina coaches, RamPage newsletter, donor card, car decals, much more!
For more information, call the Educational Foundation offices at 919/945-2000.
The 17th annual Jazz 'n January concert will be held Jan. 25-26 in the Cardinal Ballroom at the exclusive Carolina Hotel at Pinehurst. This year's headline performers will be The Lars Edegran Orchestra New Orleans Music Show on Friday night followed by the Nicholas Payton Quartet on Saturday. Packages for the weekend are $391 per person, double occupancy, and include tickets to both concerts, accommodations, breakfast, dinner and reception daily.
Call 1.800.IT'S.GOLF (487-4653) and ask for information on Jazz 'n January at Pinehurst, or visit Pinehurst.com.
Players Mentioned
