Willie Parker

Position:
Tailback
Height:
5-11
Weight:
201
Class:
Junior
Hometown:
Clinton, N.C.
High School:
Clinton

2002: Played in 11 games and started two • Started the season-opener against Miami (Ohio) and at Virginia • Finished second on the team with 70 carries for 236 yards and one touchdown • Also caught 12 passes for 104 yards • Had his most productive day of the season in Carolina’s win at Syracuse with 79 yards rushing on 13 carries • Averaged 6.1 yards per carry in the game • Had a 50-yard touchdown run to end the first quarter as the Tar Heels took a 10-0 lead vs. SU • Led the Tar Heels with 43 yards rushing on 13 attempts against NC State • Also had one reception for five yards • Had a season-high 15 carries for 36 yards and five receptions for 43 yards at Virginia • Had six rushes for 26 yards against Florida State • Had four carries for five yards against Maryland • Gained 12 yards on four carries in the loss to Wake Forest • Gained 12 yards on five carries against Arizona State • Gained 15 yards on two carriers in the loss to the Longhorns • Carried the ball three times for four yards against Miami (Ohio).

2001 • Sophomore Season
Started the first three games of the season and played in nine games • Was second on the team in rushing with 400 yards on 83 carries and had three touchdowns • Caught two passes for 26 yards • Had his best game of the season against Auburn in the Peach Bowl, rushing for 131 yards on 19 carries and scoring one touchdown • His 10-yard touchdown run in the first quarter gave Carolina a 7-0 lead • Also caught three passes for 24 yards against Auburn • Began the year as UNC’s starting tailback, but was replaced in the starting lineup against Florida State • Did not play against Florida State, NC State or Georgia Tech, but was effective in the latter part of the season • Had a 102-yard outing at Maryland in the second game of the season • Scored on UNC’s first play from scrimmage against the Terps on a 77-yard run • Had 66 yards on 10 carries and one touchdown vs. Duke • Was outstanding against SMU, with 82 yards on 13 carries (6.3 yards per attempt) and a 2-yard touchdown run • In the last two regular-season games against Duke and SMU, he totaled 148 yards on 23 carries and two touchdowns.

2000 • Freshman Season
Had a roller-coaster season, but came on strong at the end of the year • Earned the starting job after spring practice, but injured his back in fall workouts and was not completely healthy until the Virginia game, eight games into the season • Played in nine games and started the last three contests, at Pittsburgh, vs. Maryland and at Duke • Was second on the team in rushing with 84 carries for 355 yards, an average of 4.2 yards per carry • Had four touchdowns • Averaged over five yards per carry in the last four games of the season • Despite the back injury, he played in the season-opening win over Tulsa and had 10 carries for 17 yards and two touchdowns • Scored on runs of 1 and 3 yards • Had just 14 carries combined in the next two games vs. Wake Forest and Florida State, and did not play against NC State and Clemson • Came back against Virginia with a strong effort, rushing for 71 yards on 17 carries • Made his first career start the following week at Pittsburgh and responded with 61 yards rushing and 54 yards receiving • Was named the ACC Rookie of the Week for that performance • He scored one touchdown on an 8-yard trick-play, dubbed the “rooskie,” and set up another UNC touchdown with several big plays • On UNC’s season-long 98-yard touchdown drive at Pitt, he had a run for 25 yards and caught passes of 34 and 11 yards • Had his best rushing game the next week vs. Maryland • Carried the ball 21 times for 158 yards, the most yards rushing for a UNC freshman since Natrone Means had 256 yards vs. Duke in 1990 • He was also UNC’s first 100-yard rusher since Anthony Saunders had 110 yards rushing in 1999 vs. Georgia Tech, a span of 15 games • The 158 yards rushing were the fifth-highest total by a Carolina tailback vs. Maryland • Earned much of that yardage on two runs – 37- and 61-yard efforts – in the first half • The 61-yard run was the longest by a UNC player since Leon Johnson’s 67-yard run against Clemson in 1996.

Clinton High School
Rushed for 1,801 yards and 18 touchdowns in leading Clinton to the state 2-A quarterfinals • Averaged 12.3 yards per carry. Had 30 tackles, including two and one-half quarterback sacks, and intercepted two passes • County player of the year • In 1997, he rushed for 1,329 yards (11.8 yards per carry) and 20 touchdowns in leading the Dark Horses to the state 2-A title • Rushed for 138 yards, including a 79-yard touchdown, in the 1997 state title game • Earned all-conference and all-region honors as a junior and senior • Led Coach Bob Lewis’s team to a 26-2 record over his last two years • Honors student.

Personal
Born Willie Everette Parker on Nov. 11, 1980 in Clinton, N.C. • Has one older sister and two older brothers • His older brother, Derrick Crumpler, plays basketball at Mount Olive College and his cousin Leonard Henry played at ECU • Likes to play basketball • Nickname is “Chill-Will” • Wears No. 15 because it’s the same number he has always had in football • Would like to switch places for a day with his father, Willie Parker Sr. • Favorite former UNC player is Natrone Means • Majoring in exercise and sports science.