University of North Carolina Athletics
Brewer: Tonight Is About The Players
September 14, 2002 | Football
Sept. 14, 2002
By Rick Brewer, SID Emeritus
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Unlike their basketball counterparts, they are in the background while running their teams during games. With 22 players (hopefully) on the field every play, it's the athletes who become the center of attention.
Basketball coaches just wish that could be the case in their sport.
However, judging from media stories this week, that may not be the case tonight. A great deal of attention in the game against Texas will likely focus on Longhorns' Coach Mack Brown.
That's understandable since he was the head coach here for 10 seasons.
Still, it would be unfortunate. Carolina Coach John Bunting hopes fans will show enthusiasm for their own team rather than scrutinize the Longhorn sideline.
"None of our guys played for Mack," says Bunting. "The emphasis should be on the game."
The Tar Heels are coming off a great 30-22 victory at Syracuse. That win came after a turnover-filled opening loss to Miami of Ohio.
Now Carolina must face perhaps the best team in college football. Some people feel that way even after Miami's demolition of Florida last Saturday.
This is not a make-or-break game for the Tar Heels this fall. But, it is an important barometer for Bunting and his players. Win or lose, it will give them a better idea of how Carolina stacks up against one of the nation's most elite teams.
But, make no mistake about it. The Tar Heels feel it is possible to win tonight.
"It would take an incredible effort," says Bunting. "We would have to play an almost flawless game and try to force Texas into some of the mistakes we made against Miami.
"It's a terrific challenge. However, athletes always think they are capable of winning. I'd be disappointed if our players were any different."
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"It's a terrific challenge. However, athletes always think they are capable of winning. I'd be disappointed if our players were any different."
- UNC head coach John Bunting
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Quarterback Darian Durant, who played what he called "the worst game of my career" against the Red Hawks, rebounded to complete 19 passes without an interception for 284 yards. Sam Aiken, who has established himself as one of the premier wide receivers in the country, had his second straight sensational game. He has already caught 13 passes for 265 yards, a 20.4 yards-per-catch average.
Although it's still early, the entire group of receivers is shaping up as one of the school's best. Aiken, a trio of other wideouts -- Jawarski Pollock, Chesley Borders and Brandon Russell-- and tight ends Zach Hilton and Bobby Blizzard are all capable of making big plays. Freshman wide receiver Derrele Mitchell also had a big catch at Syracuse.
The offensive line did a better job of protecting Durant in the Carrier Dome and the running game showed progress.
The biggest surprise was junior place-kicker Dan Orner, a transfer from Michigan State. He connected on the first three field goals he had ever attempted in college-from 52, 51 and a school-record 55 yards.
Free safety Dexter Reid has been all over the field in the first two games. End Jacques Dumas was a standout in the defensive line and an inexperienced group of linebackers grew up in a hurry to help hold the Orangemen to 254 yards.
 Mack Brown coached at UNC for 10 years prior to leaving for the University of Texas. |
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Five starters are back on a defense that led the nation in total defense last fall. There is plenty of experience to fill the six open spots. End Cory Redding and cornerback Nathan Vasher, both of whom scored touchdowns against Carolina last season, head up that unit.
Bunting knows Carolina must have a better kicking game this week. Texas was third nationally in punt returns and fourth in kickoff returns in 2001.
Despite all these great athletes, there is no question about the interest in Brown's return to Kenan Stadium. He compiled a 69-46-1 record here, a winning percentage of .599.
His first two Tar Heel teams were 1-10 in 1988 and 1989 as he began a massive rebuilding program. After that start his players were 67-26-1, went to six straight bowl games, had five Top 20 finishes and twice ended the year in the Top 10.
It was the success of those teams and the help of Brown in the Educational Foundation's fundraising campaign that led to the construction of the Frank H. Kenan Football Center and the North Side Stadium Seating Box. Over 8,000 new seats were added to the stadium at that time, pushing capacity to 60,000.
Players now have use of perhaps the finest facility in college football. A number of schools across the nation, including several in the Atlantic Coast Conference, have tried to emulate it to some degree.
It may well have been his help in fundraising and then move to Texas just a year later that upset some Carolina fans. Others may have been disappointed that he took another job just when his teams had put together back-to-back Top 10 finishes.
However, there's the usual silent group that realize it's the nature of their business for coaches to move from job to job. Sometimes their reasons are professional, sometimes personal and sometimes a combination of both.
But, what Brown did here, in one way or another, is benefiting the program now and will do so even more in the future.
His reception tonight will be mixed. If he were bringing a team back a dozen years after he left, such as Bill Dooley did, things certainly would be different.
Hopefully, that will still be the case.
The real story is what happens on the playing field.
Rick Brewer is in his fourth decade with the University of North Carolina athletic department and brings a unique historical perspective to TarHeelBlue.com. A native of North Carolina, Brewer served as UNC's Sports Information Director from 1975 until his retirement from full-time work in 2000. Email Rick Brewer at rbrewer@uncaa.unc.edu.
