University of North Carolina Athletics
Friday Practice Notes
August 11, 2006 | Football
Aug. 11, 2006
By Adam Lucas
First and most important: don't forget about Meet the Heels on Saturday night beginning at 6 p.m. Woody Durham will introduce the team beginning at 6:45. The temperature is supposed to be very pleasant, so bring the kids (they'll love the Carolina Kids Zone with an inflatable obstacle course, bounce house, and football toss) and head to Kenan Stadium. If there is rain, the event will still be held--rather than on the field, the festivities will take place under the 3rd floor concourse...
New defensive ends coach Danny Pearman has a unique way of driving his point home. When Michael Briggs wasn't putting forth the effort Pearman expected during a special teams drill Friday morning, Pearman said, "Hey, is that guy you're going against your brother? You trying to make him look good? He's got to be at least your brother-in-law." Later in the drill, when he was exhorting Briggs to make a good play, he said, "Don't let that guy be kin to you!"...Hakeem Nicks made a sprawling catch in the end zone during 7-on-7, but the play was hotly contested by several defenders who claimed he had dropped the ball. Fortunately, John Bunting knew exactly how to handle the play. "This year we'll get an instant replay on that one!" A tweaked replay system that includes the ability for coaches to challenge plays will be a part of all ACC games this year...
Best hometown of the season so far: Ed Barham is from Bacon's Castle, Virginia...Remember Darryl Sanders's tremendous form tackle on Thursday? Jason Freeman had a chance for a similar play Friday morning but failed to bring down Brooks Foster before the receiver ran into the portable goalposts at one end of the field. Foster was unharmed. The only thing that suffered was Freeman's reputation as a sure-handed tackler...Johnny White and D.J. Walker were both in green jerseys Friday morning. Walker participated in more drills than White, however...
The news that Rick Steinbacher will Rick Steinbacher," John Bunting said. "Since that time he and I have grown together and I will sorely miss him. He is very special." Steinbacher's departure will mean new duties for Corey Holliday and Joe Haydon, both of whom already worked in the football office. An as-yet-unnamed person will also be brought in and trained to fill some of Steinbacher's duties...
Uniform update: this year's uniforms are essentially unchanged from 2005. The blue stripe on the white pants may be a fraction wider, but other than that everything is the same--which means the same names on the back and, yes, the same white home pants. The pants aren't overly popular among fans due to their more transparent qualities, but players unanimously love them because of the lightweight fabric used to make them. As with most uniform issues, their popularity will correspond directly to the number of wins by the team wearing them...Don't forget that since today includes two practices, we'll have reader questions in tonight's notes. Send your questions now.
Adam Lucas is the publisher of Tar Heel Monthly and can be reached at alucas@tarheelmonthly.com. He is the coauthor of the official book of the 2005 championship season, Led By Their Dreams, and his book on Roy Williams's first season at Carolina, Going Home Again, is now available in bookstores. To subscribe to Tar Heel Monthly or learn more about Going Home Again, click here.
