Shp iaily (Ear Urd
Tar Heels to Battle
Paladins on Saturday
By High Pressley
Senior Writer
Usually, when an ACC team sees an
opponent like Div. I-AA Furman on its
schedule, they prematurely pencil in a
fat ‘W’ without as much as a thought.
But if the Tar Heels (1-6, 0-5 in the
ACC) did that at the beginning of this
season, they were surely getting ahead
of themselves.
Judging from the past five games -
all UNC losses - Coach Carl Torbush
and company might end up having to
reluctandy erase that ‘W’ after their 1:30
p.m. contest against the Paladins on
Saturday at Kenan Stadium.
Furman (6-1, 5-0 in the Southern
Conference) comes into Chapel Hill
with freight train-like momentum.
Since losing their home opener against
Elon, the Paladins have won six con
secutive games, include last week’s 48-
21 drubbing of East Tennessee State.
The Southern Conference leaders are
ranked 14th nationally in Div. I-AA and
are spearheaded by a relentless option
attack, starring bruising fullback-tumed
tailback Louis Ivory. The 5-foot-8,193-
pound sophomore is averaging 131
rushing yards per game and needs 80
yards to have a 1,000-yard season.
“Furman is a very good football
team; they are very well-coached and
always have been,” Torbush said. “They
will come in here feeling like they can
Spoon Ready to Return to Football Squad Next Season
By Rachel Carter
Assistant Sports Editor
North Carolina linebacker Brandon
Spoon announced Tuesday that he
would redshirt this season and return to
the Tar Heels next year.
Spoon has not played for UNC since
Sept. 11, when he ruptured his left
biceps tendon during a play in the Tar
Heels’ 42-30 win against Indiana.
A preseason Butkus Award candi
date, Spoon considered leaving for the
NFL but chose another year of Tar Heel
football rather than taking his chances in
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1999 UNC Football
Schedule
Sept. 4, Virginia 20, UNC 17
Sept. 11, UNC 42, Indiana 30
Sept. 25, FSU 42, UNC 10
Oct. 2, Clemson 31, UNC 20
Oct 9, Ga. Tech 31, UNC 24
Oct. 16, Houston 20, UNC 12
Oct 23 Maryland 45, UNC 7
Oct. 30, vs. Furman
Nov. 6, vs. Wake Forest
Nov. 11, vs. N.C. State
Nov. 20, vs. Duke
win this football game.
“We’ll have to play better than we’ve
played the last several weeks to have a
chance to win.”
That’s an understatement.
the NFL Draft next year.
“I had to sit back and weigh my
options a little bit,” Spoon said.
“I didn’t want to make a rash
decision.
“All in all, I think it’s in my best inter
ests to come back and honestly, I want
to come back - I want to play for
(UNC) coach (Carl) Torbush for anoth
er year.”
Spoon, a Burlington native, had 78
tackles last season and five sacks for a
loss of 37 yards. He was expected to be
a major contributor this season.
With Spoon returning next season,
Out & About
*
DTH FILE PHOTO
UNC fullback Deon Dyer fights off tacklers in the Tar Heels' 31-24 loss to Georgia Tech on Oct. 9.
UNC will take on Furman this Saturday in Kenan Stadium.
The Tar Heels are a talented team
with little hope and a serious “what’s
my-motivation?” complex. Since losing
Ronald Curry for the season, the Tar
Heels have lost what little confidence
they had at the beginning of the season,
especially through the air.
Backup quarterbacks Luke Huard
and Antwon Black have combined for a
mere 265 in three games since Curry
tore his Achilles tendon against Georgia
Tech on Oct. 9.
UNC’s passing offense, meanwhile, is
100th in the nation out of 114 Div. I-A
the defense will have a senior around
which to rebuild their defense. With
Spoon out since the second game, North
Carolina’s defense has plummeted to
last in the ACC and 103rd in the nation.
Torbush said he talked to Spoon
about his options and did not pressure
him.
“I’m excited,” Torbush said. “It’s like
Aigiiii' •ii ipf? 3
teams (140 yards per game).
But for the Tar Heels to get their first
home win of the season, they’ll not only
have to stop Ivory and throw the ball
down the field, but also capitalize on
one of Furman’s weaknesses - defend
ing the run.
Although the Paladins have the Div.
1-AA’s fourth-best total defense, their
rushing defense is less-than-stellar, giv
ing up 180 yards per game.
If Black and sophomore tailback
Domonique Williams (this weekend’s
starter) can keep the Paladins’ defen
signing a blue-chip recruit. It’s great to
have him back.”
Spoon said he was returning to play
another year because he had many goals
left to achieve.
“Some people were asking if I was
coming back for another shot at the
Butkus or All-American team,” Spoon
said.
Friday, October 29, 1999
sive line on their heels, Torbush might
be able to breath a little easier after
Saturday’s game.
But the key word is might.
“I base everything we do on improve
ment and especially with a young foot
ball team you should see improve
ment.,” Torbush said.
“And I do not feel that we’ve
improved the last two weeks. A lot of
that has to do with certain plays, but
we’ve not been able to make the plays
that we need to make to give ourselves a
chance to win.”
“That doesn’t matter. I want to win.
That’s the most important thing to me.”
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