University of North Carolina Athletics
CAR-O-LINES: It's the Best Time of the Year
September 1, 2005 | Football
Sept. 1, 2005
by Rick Brewer, Sports Information Director Emeritus
CHAPEL HILL -- This is generally my favorite time of the year.
College football is starting, the U.S. Open is underway in New York and the major league baseball season is heading into the home stretch.
Unfortunately, some attention has been diverted from those by a football soap opera in Philadelphia. There's also the aftermath of a bicycle race about which Americans neither know nor care. Plus, Congress is staying in the news by trying to run baseball rather than the nation.
Hopefully, the college football season can begin to restore more normalcy to the sports pages. The season gets underway this week, although Carolina does not open play until September 10.
Coach John Bunting and his team can certainly use that extra time as they prepare for one of the most challenging schedules in school history. It has been rated as the most difficult in the nation.
Seven of this fall's opponents were in bowl games last year. Three of the six teams the Tar Heels defeated in 2004 must now be faced on the road.
The biggest problem for Carolina will be on offense where record-setting quarterback Darian Durant has departed. Also missing is tailback Chad Scott who ran for 511 yards in the final four games of the season.
It will be impossible to replace Durant's big-play ability. There won't be any records smashed this fall. Bunting is counting on Matt Baker, who has only played in 12 games as a backup, simply to run the offense as efficiently as possible.
Bunting, however, is comfortable with Baker handling the job.
"I have a lot of confidence in him," says Bunting. "He has a command of the offense. He knows what we want to do. He's a good leader and a great passer. I think he can have a great year."
Bunting feels his biggest concern is finding a backup for Baker. No one else on the roster has ever taken a snap in a college game.
Opening a season with such inexperience at quarterback is something new for the Tar Heels. Carolina has had a stretch of outstanding play for the last dozen years at this position -- Jason Stanicek, Mike Thomas, Chris Keldorf, Oscar Davenport, Ronald Curry and Durant.
In fact, this will be the first time in 21 years that Carolina will enter a season without a quarterback who has ever started a college game. That's discounting the 1996 season since Keldorf had been a starter at Palomar Junior College
Kevin Anthony had never started a game when he opened the 1984 in that role. Either Rod Elkins or Scott Stankavage had started every game in 1983.
In fact, this will be only the third occasion in the last 30 seasons that the Tar Heels have not had a returning quarterback with any starting experience. That was also the case in 1980 and 1976. Chuck Sharpe had started five games before 1980, but was injured in pre-season practice that fall. That left an inexperienced Rod Elkins as the starter.
The graduation of Bill Paschall had left the quarterback job wide open in 1976. Freshman Matt Kupec became the starter at mid-season.
Anthony had only seen spot action in six games before his first start. He responded with an outstanding season, setting 10 school records, including marks for total offense and passing yardage.
But, Anthony had a big advantage over Baker. He had plenty of help in the backfield with a veteran fullback, Eddie Colson, and a pair of outstanding tailbacks, Ethan Horton and William Humes. Horton ran for 1,247 yards and was chosen ACC Player of the Year by the Associated Press.
Carolina doesn't have threats like that in its running game to help Baker. Actually, there is less experience at tailback than at quarterback. In addition to Scott, Jacque Lewis has also so graduated. Lewis made some big plays throughout his four years on campus.
Barrington Edwards, a transfer from LSU, is set to be the starter. He had to sit out last season after transferring from LSU. As a freshman in 2003 he played in 12 games for the Tigers with 41 carries for 169 yards.
No other tailback has ever been in a college game. There should be help at mid-season if junior Ronnie McGill can fully recover from a torn pectoral muscle suffered during the summer. He led the team in rushing as a freshman, but an ankle injury limited him to just seven games last fall.
Edwards has played well in practice, but Bunting is anxious to see how he responds to game situations. Even though Carolina no longer runs the tailback-oriented offense with which it was so successful in the past, a player at that position is still going to take a physical pounding every game. However, it is a necessity that Edwards stay healthy.
Until his team can develop experience on offense Bunting will be counting more heavily on his defense than in any of his first four seasons here. Fortunately, he feels this unit will be vastly improved from a year ago. Nine starters and 17 other lettermen return from last fall.
"We will be stronger and quicker than last year," says Bunting. "I thought we got better as the season progressed last year. I believe that will continue this season."
That must be the case if this team is to get off to a good start. Confidence needs to be gained quickly in order to face the murderous schedule that is ahead.
