SiQ)irfis
J
1 ' .
Thursday, August 22, 1985
o o o
By LEE ROBERTS
Sports Edfor
When Kenny Miller's 25-yard field goal sailed
through the uprights on a cool football day last
November against the University of Virginia, it
i symbolized the North Carolina Tar Heels 1984 season.
lhe iar Heels had gone for a tie with 0:07 on the
clock on a fourth down in a lost season, and 50.000
Kenan Stadium fans either booed coach Dick Crum's.
- decision or remained bitterlv silent.
s' N Cf sf Nineteen-eighty four was a bitter pill to swallow
t f for UNC footba11 fans and players alike. That
1.24-24 tie would precede a blunder-filled win
over Duke, capping an un-North
Carolina-like 5-5-1 final record.
i The game was a microcosm of the season.
le Tar Heels led early, blew the lead and
fell behind, then staged a funous
late comeback behind the aerial attack of
one Kevin Anthony, a sophomore
quarterback who wasn't even supposed to
start.
And then they went for the tie.
In the last chance to salvage a vestige of
respect for their (by North Carolina terms)
horrendous season, they wimped out.
Or did they?
While Viremia nlavers were thro wine
J .K J
j -. expletives and football helmets across the locker room
aiier mat game, tne Norm Carolina piayers were nign-nving
and smiling from ear-to-ear.
By that measure, then North Carolina was the winner.
And by that measure, the Tar Heels had something to
cheer about when the season was over. After a 1-4 start
whose low point came in a hideous 14-3 loss at Wake Forest,
North Carolina finished the campaign strong by going 4-1-1
over its last six games.
The young defense began to gain seme experience and play
better and the three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust offense aired it .
out and made things exciting in Kenan Stadium over the second
half of the year.
It was that momentum that has Cram and his troops eager and excited
about the 1985 football season, just 16 davs awav.
I think the momentum we had at the end of last season carried over into
spnng practice, Cram said pnor to the start of fall practice. 1 was very pleased
with our kids attitude this spring. We worked long and hard, but the spring really
s nint fact T thinV Via AtifVinn'ocm V knJ a Irtt tr Act with that n
"vm uuh x uuu& niw vxiiiiuoicuiu iug ytiay i a suuwvu iiau w " v " .... w.v.
It will take more than enthusiasm, however, to counter some of the factors working
against the Tar Heels this fall.
First of all, North Carolina will be without tailback Ethan Horton, the school's fifth all-time
leading rusher, the 1984 ACC Player of the Year and the conference's rushing leader the last two
Years. Gone as well are all-ACC linebacker Micah Moon, fullback Eddie Colson, center Brian
Johnston, offensive guard Greg Naron and offensive tackle Bobby Pope.
Second, that hilariously easy schedule that a couple of years ago seemed to be becoming a
trademark of North Carolina football and of the Bill Cobey years, is gone. On the slate this year
are a couple of non-conference monsters in Florida State and Louisiana State, traditional football
powers that traditionally chew up and spit out young ACC teams like the 1985 Tar Heel edition.
It? JL
I . "vs. .:::::::::::;
,,::,.:,,..,,,,,
j i m
If'
i . 4 x
.1
I
EartVinfield looks
upfleid
-
i
t- ' f
As if that's not enough, ACC foes Maryland, Georgia
Tech, Virginia and Clemson should all be extremely tough.
Maryland has even come out ranked no. 1 in one preseason
poll. .
So what do the Tar Heels have going for them?
A young defensive unit that started to gei at the end of
the season, for one. The strength of the defense is probably
up front, where a young and solid line is developing for
Cram's new eight-man front. Sophomore tackle Reuben
Davis, all 6-3, 271 pounds of him, is one of the best returning
defensive players in the ACC.
Sophomore nose man Tim Goad and juniors Ron Burton,
an end, and Dennis Barron, a guard, are solid. Barron did
excellent in spring practice and has the most experience of
the four.
They are capably backed t by sophomores Donnie
Wallace, Noel McEachern and Carlton Bailey and senior
John Stone.
Linebacker is also well-manned, with seniors Carl Carr
and Troy Simmons, who led the team in tackles, and
sophomore Brett Rudolph.
The most dramatic improvement will probably come from
the defensive backfield, where a crop of former offensive
players impressed in spring practice in replacement of the
graduated James Gang.
One of the biggest surprises of the spring was the play
of senior Larry Griffin at cornerback after playing three years
as a wide receiver on offense. He so impressed the coaches
that, as Cram said, he could become one of the best defensive
backs in the ACC.
Former receiver Norris Davis, a sophomore, is no. 1 on
the depth chart at strong safety, and former running back
Antonio Goss, a freshman, should challenge sophomore
Howard Feggins at the other safety, or ram position. At
free safety seniors Darryl Johnson and Tim Morrison will
provide depth, while sophomores Derrick Donald and Eric
Starr will play left cornerback. Junior Walter Bailey returns
from an injury to compete for a starting job.
"We've got more experience on defense than we had last
year," said Cram, "and that will certainly be a big help.
Our front four has good possibilities and I was pleased with
the way our younger people played in the secondary during
the spring."
The offensive backfield should be strong, as junior Kevin
Anthony returns for his second year at the helm of the Tar
Heels. Last year Anthony completed 146 of 265 passes for
1,786 yards and eight touchdowns. That was good enough
to set school season records for passing yardage, passes
attempted and total offense. He led the ACC in completions
and was second in total offense.
All that, and Cram didnt even let him loose until the
last three games, when Anthony threw almost half of his
passes. Cram says he sees UNC throwing the ball 30 to
35 times a game this year, which means goodbye, 1984 passing
records. Anthony could leave this school as its all-time leader
in everything that ever had to do with quarterbacking.
"He's going to have a lot to say about our offensive success
because we're going to give him a lot of latitude on the
field," Cram said. "He's a good, smart quarterback who has
made a lot of improvement in the past year."
If he fails or falls to injury, Mark Maye won't be there
to help. Maye will miss the 1985 season after having shoulder
surgery last winter. Wes Sweetser and freshman Mike
Bowman will battle for the back-up j ob.
They'll hand off to two speedy, elusive types at running
back in junior William Humes and freshman Brad Sullivan.
Both are in the 6-0, 190 range, a far cry from the bulk of
Horton. Despite the Tar Heels' apparent commitment to
pass more, Humes belives hell get 1,000 yards. "I want to
rash for 1,000 yards because I think it's important as a team
statistic," Humes said. "We need that balance between the
run and the pass. But my main goal is to win."
With the kind of receivers it has, North Carolina may
never want to hand off.
Senior tight end Arnold Franklin is a legitimate all
America candidate, probably the only Tar Heel who could
say that. He combines what has become excellent pass
catching ability with the blocking ability of an interior
lineman.
Senior flanker Earl Winfield led the team last season with
34 catches and may double that this year. Sophomores Eric
Lewis and Quint Smith should spell him occasionally. Eric
Streater returns at split end for his junior year after pulling
in 21 catches, four for touchdowns, last year.
The biggest question will be at offensive line. "This is going
to be the smallest offensive line we've had at Carolina (since
IVe been here)," Cram said. But these kids are capable of ,
handling more weight and hopefully they'll gain some."
The experience returning to the line comes in the forms
of juniors C.A. Brooks and Harris Barton. Sophomores
Daryl Parham and Ralph Phifer and junior Pat Sheehan
will round out the starters.
The size of this line was one of the contributing factors
to Crum's decision to air it out more this fall. This team
won't be able to grind it out as well as it did in the days
of Mount Blados.
Senior Tommy Barnhardt returns as the punter, and Lee
Gliarmis and the aforementioned Miller (who set a school
record of 15 straight field goals last fall) will place-kick.
"WeVe got a lot of work to do in the offensive line and
the schedule is certainly demanding," Cram said. "Still, I
think we have the potential to develop into a good football
team."
By SCOTT FOWLER
Assistant Sports Editor
The telephone jangled in Ernie
Williamson's UNC memorabilia-lined
office, bringing some of the most
welcome news that the executive vice
president of the Rams Club had heard
recently.
"Ill bet you $1,000 that the SAC is
finished in time," one of the primary
contractors of the new Student Activ
ities Center said.
"I'm not a betting man, and I don't
have $1,000, but that's the best news
IVe heard in a long time," Williamson
returned. The Rams Club's two
phone lines had rang constantly during
the summer of 1984 with good news,
mostly from alumni interested in
funding the SAC. After a letter asking
for financial support was sent out by
the Educational Foundation (the tech
nical name for the Ram's Club), the first
call he received was from an alumni who
wanted to pledge $50,000.
When the tallies were finally com
plete, 148 alumni had pledged from $50
100,000, and 914 more from $10-25,000
(see accompanying chart). The univer
sity finished with several milion dollars
of surplus in pledges for the $35 million
facility.
Everything looked rosy at the time.
The SAC, which will be the largest
facility of its kind built by private funds
in the nation according to Williamson,
would, seat more than twice as many
as Carmichael Auditorium and be ready
in time for the first home game in
November against UCLA.
"Everyone just assumed that it would
be ready for this season," Williamson
said.
However, everyone associated with
the SAC got an unexpected dose of
unhappy tidings this summer they
were informed that the SAC probably
would not be completed in time for the
UCLA game, and possibly the entire
season would have to be played in
Carmichael Auditorium.
An original stumbling block was a
state university rale that all parts of a
building must be completed before its
occupation. The building schedule for
the new natatorium was running behind
the basketball gym, which meant that
the SAC couldn't be opened because
the swimming pool wasnt finished.
But the university was given approval
by the Board of Governors to open the
SAC before completion of the natat
orium if it was deemed necessary. Now
the only holdup is getting the basketball
gym finished on time, and the prospects
haven't been encouraging.
But the contractor's call came this
week, and Williamson at the moment
shares an attitude of cautious optimism
with most of the people associated with
the SAC.
PLEDGES FOR THE SAC
Dollar Amount Number of
Pledges
1,000,000 1
600,000 1
300,000-799,999 1
250,000-299,999 8
200,000-249,999 1
125,000-199,999 6
100,000-124,999 36
50,000-99,999 148
37,500-49,999 67
25,000-37,499 311
10,000-24,999 914
5,000-9,999 420
2,500-4,999 15
Under 2,500 394
Total Number of Pledges 2323
"I go down there every day," said
Steve Camp, the director of the SAC
who has an office in a trailer outside
the building. "The workers seem to be
making a concentrated effort to get it
finished. There must have been 200 of
them out there Tuesday. Everybody
wants to get in badly, and you've got
to be optimistic."
People have been optimistic about
the SAC before, most recently in mid
1984 when rumors flew that the massive
structure might be completed in time
for the last few games of the 1984-85
season. That didn't happen, and the
much-ballyhooed final game against
Clemson was played on Feb. 23.
Everyone assumed that the UCLA
game scheduled for Nov. 24 would
christen the new building, but now no
one is sure. The ticket office at UNC
has had to develop three plans for ticket
distribution for UNC students one
if the SAC opens on time, one if it opens
midway through the season, and
another if the entire season has to be
played in Carmichael Auditorium.
"It's a confusing situation for everyb
ody," said Ken Brown, director of ticket
operations.
Indeed it is, for everyone from the
alumni who pledged the money to the
students. "I pledged $3 1 ,000 for this new
thing," said a Rams Club member living
in Greensboro who insisted on anonym
ity. "That's a lot of cash. When I found
out that the building might not be open,
it didn't go over too well in my
household.
"I had my two boys all hyped up
about seeing basketball games, and now
I got a letter that said the building may
not even be open all season. I feel very
strongly that if I donate the money, then
I should receive the tickets."
However, there is a good chance he
4-
. .'.V. . A X -. Tt- w.
,40, L '
iliilli
V
- .yxrnif-,
S'WWHxX:-,.
. v.
. . . 4
y
i
3
I
5? iJ rA -Y 'A'v.
in'mitf in
!i i
iV, 9 f 4
t
1
4ft-
'V .
'
4?
jf x
f ' J A -
Last Time?
The rims went down amidst cheering fans February 23 against Clemson but the same officials may be setting them
up again soon. The Student Activities Center may not be completed In time for the home opener against UCLA.
wont. The Rams Club has been allotted
almost 9,300 tickets in the SAC, but
only have 2,800 tickets in Carmichael
Auditorium. The 2,800 tickets will be
distributed on a point system whereby
an individual receives one point for
every $100 he donates, plus extra points
for being active in the club for a certain
number of years.
The letter the Rams Club member
referred to was one sent out by the
Educational Foundation. It was, Wil
liamson admitted, the most ambiguous
letter they have ever mailed.
"It said we didnt really know a
cotton-pickin thing," he said. "It said
that the UCLA game was not impos
sible, we were hopeful, but the situation
was doubtful."
Student distribution may become
somewhat strange over the course of
the season, with a possibility of a single
game having two ticket distributions.
"If one game is distributed for early and
then we find out the SAC will be ready
for that game, well distribute again,"
Brown said.
Students will receive 8,000 tickets in
the SAC, rather than the 3,300 allotted
for them in Carmichael Auditorium.
Once the activity center is open, several
changes will be instituted in the ticket
policy.
One of the primary differences is that
students will be allowed to pick up two
tickets rather than one with valid
registration cards and IDs. The lower
arena seats will be done by lottery, but
once those seats are gone the upper
arena will be given out on a best-seats-available
basis. Pickup will be on
weekends, but if tickets are still avail
able students will have until Wednesday
to get them.
After Wednesday, tickets that haven't
been distributed will go on sale to the
general public, a situation that should
occur only when the Tar Heels play
someone like Howard.
But the bottom line is that no one
really knows when the SAC will be
ready. Camp said the facility won't be
compromised to speed up the process.
"The SAC will be here in 20 years, and.
we're not going to lose first-class
workmanship to get one or two more
games in.
"So many things still have to go right,
and there are so many unknowns. Well
try to get in, but if we dont, we dont."