Extra Points Wednesday

October 5, 2005 | Football

By: UNC Athletic Communications

Oct. 5, 2005

By Lee Pace

Carolina's football players gathered around Coach John Bunting in the locker room at Georgia Tech following their season-opening loss on Sept. 10. The room was steeped in heat, sweat, dirt, bruises and aggravation that the Tar Heels had let a winnable game slip away amidst a handful of execution and mental errors.

"That was an `M.O.,'" Bunting said. "A missed opportunity. We'll never get that one back."

When Bunting dismissed the team to the showers and their individual dressing stalls, one player remained in place. Garrett White was in such pain over the loss that he was curled in a fetal position on the floor, his eyes bathed in tears. Bunting knelt down on the floor, patted White on the back and told him things would get better, that he would have a lot of wins to celebrate over the coming years.

Asked about that moment several weeks later, White looks a little sheepish, a little embarrassed.

"I just felt like I could have done more," he says. "I could have done more to help my teammates."

And this from a freshman defensive end who played less than 10 snaps -- most on third down.

"You love to see and hear that emotion in a young guy," says senior Tommy Richardson

"This is an interesting group of freshmen," Bunting adds. "There's a lot of passion in these guys. They're going to be fun to watch develop over the next four to five years."

Burlington's Brandon Tate and Mocksville's Cooter Arnold have garnered most of the attention thus far among the seven freshmen who have played, Tate a live-wire in the kick-return business and Arnold a promising athlete learning the tailback position. The others who have scratched the participation sheet have been White (Miami), offensive tackle Garrett Reynolds (Knoxville), fullback Nick Starcevic (Charlotte), tight end Richard Quinn (Maple Heights, Ohio) and kicking game specialist Mark Paschal (Charlotte).

Bunting hopes these seven are the only first-year guys who'll play in 2005. That would be significant improvement over having had to play 13 in 2004 and 12 in 2003. For historical perspective, the 1996-97 Carolina teams that went 23-3 played only four freshmen each year.

"There are some outstanding talents in this freshman class," Richardson says. "It's fun to see them grow up in front of us. They're getting a chance to showcase how good they really are. They are going to be good around here for quite a long time."

White has played in every game, covering kick-offs and playing defense on passing downs. He's played end on a three-man rush and has substituted as a linebacker in the Tar Heels' "Spinner" package, which is a third-and-medium to third-and-long personnel group. At 6-2, and 230 pounds, his home is eventually at linebacker.

"Garrett's very intelligent, and he's learning how to try hard," says defensive ends coach Brad Lawing. "He wasn't going to play linebacker for us this year. But we felt he could help on third downs and passing situations. He's a smart guy and has really been able to grasp what we've asked him to do. He's athletic enough to drop into coverage and powerful and quick enough to rush the passer."

White has impressed the Tar Heel family with his upbeat attitude, with his understanding that as your mind goes, so goes your life. This is only his fourth year of organized football, but he was quick to become a force at Miami Norland High by becoming a starter soon after joining the team as a sophomore. Defensive coordinator Marvin Sanders found White along with Andre Coleman and Dwight Fluker-Berry while recruiting South Florida and signed all three to scholarships.

"I didn't know anything about the school when my coach called me in and said there was this coach from North Carolina who was asking about me," says White. "I visited and had a great time. I liked the sociology classes and the Black Cultural Center. My coach said he thought it would be a good move, that it's good to get away from home sometimes."

White spends part of his practice day playing defensive end on the scout team on the offensive field and joins the defense during blitz periods. He's learning and maturing and looking for bits and pieces of inspiration all around him.

"We've got so many great players," he says. "You can learn from everyone. I want to play with the reads of Tommy Richardson, the hits of Victor Worsley, the speed of Larry Edwards, the attitude of Mark Paschal."

Offensive line is one of the more difficult places for a true freshman to play because of the intricacies of the blocking schemes and the need to build up 20 pounds or more of muscle for combat along the trenches. Reynolds' package of size (6-7, 275), athleticism, smarts and maturity were enough to move him into the No. 2 spot at right tackle. When the incumbent, Skip Seagraves, suffered some shoulder problems the second week of the year, Reynolds was pressed into service.

"His demeanor and work ethic are really good," says offensive line coach Hal Hunter. "He's got the physical stuff and the mental stuff. He's the leanest 280-pound guy you've ever seen. He's still got so much to learn. But he's got a great future."

Senior guard Kyle Ralph was impressed with Reynolds this summer when he would linger in the weight room with the veterans after his formal conditioning workout was over.

"Me and Skip and Brian Chacos and Arthur Smith would be spending extra time, working on stuff, trying to get stronger," Ralph says. "Garrett was right there with us. It's nice to see a young guy tagging along and working hard."

Reynolds has excellent bloodlines in football, his father and uncle playing at Tennessee and his uncle advancing to a 15-year career in the NFL. He was invited to walk-on at Tennessee but wanted to get away from home. Reynolds picked the Tar Heels over Virginia Tech.

"I loved the group of guys, I loved the school, I loved the coaches," Reynolds says. "One thing I did in recruiting was to say, `What if I blow my knee out? Can I see myself on that campus as a student?' I looked at Carolina and said, `Definitely.' If I never played football again I'd have a great degree."

Reynolds is one-fourth of an outstanding offensive line haul in 2005; he's joined by guard Kyle Jolly, tackle Andre Barbour and invited walk-on Lowell Dyer.

"These young guys can be really good in time," Chacos says. "They've all got great frames to work with and they're all athletic. Coach Connors will get them bigger and faster. Coach Hunter will mold them into great players in time."

Tate has gotten the ink and the spotlight through his explosive returns in the kicking game. One of the worker bees helping create room to run has been Paschal, who is starting on the kick-off, kick-off return and punt-return teams and is second unit on the punt team. He's being groomed to take over for senior Justin Phillips as the "personal protector" on the punt team, a key role as the man who makes the coverage calls and is the last line of defense for the punter.

"He's got good size and he can run," says special teams coordinator Andre Powell. "He has a knack of doing the things required on special teams. He likes doing it, and he's tough."

Paschal started August camp as a member of the scout team that returns kicks against the No. 1 kick-off cover team. He impressed the staff with his speed and toughness and soon left the scout team to join the No. 2 kick-off cover team. He continued to play well and was elevated to the first unit.

"Honestly, I had no expectations," Paschal says of his first experience with college football. "I said I'll do my best, work as hard as I possibly can and let the chips fall where they may. I have been blessed beyond belief to have this opportunity. I've gotten a second chance from Coach Bunting and a lot of people here, and my family and friends back home have been so supportive."

That "second chance" is a reference to disciplinary action taken following a late-night incident in July on Franklin Street. Bunting suspended Paschal from summer school and he returned home to Charlotte. Paschal did what was required to earn his way back onto the team. He came back to Chapel Hill in early August a wiser and more humble individual.

"It's been an unbelievable motivational force," he says. "I've come out every day trying to be the best person I can be, to do the right things, to be accountable. Coach Bunting tells us every day that what we do in our lives will translate onto the football field. I've bought into that. Coach Bunting does a great job relating football and life into one."

The Tar Heels and their fans roared their approval last Saturday in the third quarter when Paschal made a resounding tackle on the kick-off cover squad, blowing up a Utah blocker and then making the tackle at the 13 yard-line in front of the Carolina student section.

"It was exciting, it was a lot of fun," Paschal says. "I've really enjoyed playing special teams. I haven't covered kicks since I was a freshman in high school. It's been a great experience so far."

"So far" is the operative word where these young Tar Heels are concerned. There's much more to come for the Class of 2009.

Send your questions about Tar Heel football to Lee Pace at leepace@nc.rr.com . Please include your first and last names and hometown. . Individual replies are not possible because of volume of mail received, , and names of recruiting prospects and commitments cannot be published on a school-sponsored site until the national signing day in February. The Q&A column will appear each Friday during the season.