University of North Carolina Athletics
Setbacks Slow Edwards
August 24, 2004 | Football
Aug. 24, 2004
By Adam Lucas As most of Carolina's football players look toward the beginning of classes on Tuesday, they do so with a sense of anticipation. With classes comes the unofficial end of training camp, which means practices are cut back to one per day and players' bodies have time to heal from the various nicks they've accumulated over the past two weeks. At least one player, though, wouldn't mind an extra week or two of camp. "Camp hasn't really gone how I wanted it to," sophomore linebacker Larry Edwards says. "I wouldn't mind having another week to really prove myself and prove that I can help this team." From virtually the day he reported, Edwards has endured a trying training camp. He reported at over 240 pounds, around 10 pounds more than his optimum playing weight. The added weight affected his movement, which led to a pulled groin. The Florida native played on the injury without notifying the training staff for a couple of days, then sat out a handful of practices. By the time he got back into practice shape, he discovered his poor performance had dropped him down the linebacker depth chart. "I came back a little bit heavy," Edwards says. "I wasn't moving the way I wanted to be moving. Then I got hurt. That really hurt the amount of reps I got so now I'm trying to get back into the groove so I can help this team." Since his return, Edwards has been a consistent project for John Bunting, who has spent additional time with the linebacking corps this preseason. Even when he's not working with them, it seems, he always has an eye on them--it's not unusual to hear the head coach's voice booming across the practice field, "Larry Edwards! I saw that play, Larry! That was a good play, Larry Edwards!" For the player, whose soft-spoken nature belies the kamikaze way he plays the game, it's been an educational process. He's used to playing an integral role, having started for four years in high school and earning first-team 5-A all-state honors at Wharton High in Tampa. In his first year at Carolina, he made his first start against Virginia and never came out of the lineup, racking up 89 tackles and picking up ACC Rookie of the Week honors after making 15 tackles against Arizona State. Heady stuff for a true freshman, but his struggles this summer have brought him back to earth. "It's definitely humbled me," Edwards says. "A lot of things have happened unexpectedly. Coach Bunting always tells us not to take anything for granted and that's really hit home for me." With four practices left until game week preparation for William & Mary begins, Edwards isn't sure he has time to work his way back up the depth chart. He hasn't worked with the first string in almost two weeks, and in his absence Jeff Longhany has won praise for his versatility and--just as importantly--has stayed healthy throughout camp. If Edwards isn't able to climb back up the ladder, it won't be the first time he's had to make an in-season push to earn playing time. "I'm going to keep working hard, and hopefully I'll be in there," he says. "If not, I was in the same situation last year and I'll try to do the same things and prove my worth." Adam Lucas is the publisher of Tar Heel Monthly and can be reached at alucas@tarheelmonthly.com. To subscribe to Tar Heel Monthly, click here.
