University of North Carolina Athletics
Hammer Time: The Madison & Melik Show
October 18, 2004 | Football
Oct. 18, 2004
by Lee Pace, Extra Points
I have developed a perverse pleasure in seeing the Tar Heels surrender touchdowns this year. Why? It means Carolina's kickoff return unit has to come onto the field and we're treated to another rendition of "Hammer Time."
The hammer in question comes in the form of Tar Heels Nos. 44 (Madison Hedgecock) and 58 (Melik Brown). They line up on the right side of the return formation around the 25 yardline and are assigned one player to double-team on the kicking team. Sometimes it might be the best player on that side of the formation. On others it might be the defender at the point of attack for the return. I clued listeners on the Tar Heel Sports Network into this little pearl of contact last week and suggest you train your binoculars on them when Miami comes to Kenan Stadium next week.
"They light people up," says assistant coach Kenny Browning, who works with that unit in the special-teams operation. "You could see our bench explode on the opening kickoff against NC State after one of their hits."
"They're fierce, and they take a lot of pride in what they're doing," adds special-teams coordinator James Webster.
The Hedgecock/Brown tandem has put some opponents on their backs and run others out of bounds. Hedgecock was flagged at Virginia for stalking his man a half dozen yards inside the playing field and driving him that far beyond the boundary -- never hearing the whistle.
Hedgecock is 6-3, 260 pounds and Brown is 6-1, 256 pounds. That's a load of ammunition coming at you. Hedgecock, a senior, is the Tar Heels' starter at fullback while Brown, a sophomore, has moved from linebacker to defensive end is now starting on the left side.
Last weekend against NC State, their target on the opening kickoff was the second Wolfpack defender from the right edge. They knocked him to the sideline, then after the defender regained his feet, Hedgecock knocked him down again. The Tar Heel players watching from nearby exploded as if the Heels had scored a touchdown -- when in fact Mike Mason had fielded the ball eight yards deep in the end zone and taken a knee.
"We look as our job as setting the tone," says Brown. "We had a big hit on the opening return, and that sets the tone for the offense."
"We have fun blocking for the return," says Hedgecock. "I think we work well together. Melik's a tough player. He had a vicious hit in the State game."
Hedgecock and fellow senior Jason Brown, Carolina's starting center, would certainly lead the team in explosive hits this season. John Bunting and running backs coach Andre Powell have a tape of big Hedgecock splatterings. It's being sent to post-season all-star games, to Bunting's connections in the NFL and is available to NFL scouts as they come through on scouting missions.
"I'm not sure I've ever seen one like Madison," says Powell. "He thrives on contact. He hit someone so hard in the State game that his helmet broke."
The tape rolls and shows Hedgecock putting an All-American from Florida State on his back; plow-driving into a Georgia Tech linebacker who, in turn, knocks a safety out of the way; and zeroing in on another Tech player who's visibly flinching at seeing big No. 44 barreling his way.
"I'll send that tape off and just say, `Watch this guy,'" Bunting says.
Send your questions about Tar Heel football to Lee Pace at lpace@nc.rr.com . Please include your first and last names and hometown. His Q&A column will appear each Friday during the season.
