Showing posts tagged “Butch Davis”
Jacob Swiger ·
6 Dec 2009, 6:39 PM ·
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North Carolina accepted a bid to play in the Meineke Car Care Bowl for the second straight season, a UNC spokesman wrote in an e-mail release Sunday.
The Tar Heels (8-4) face No. 17 Pittsburgh (9-3), who lost by one point to eventual Big East champion Cincinnati, on Dec. 26 in Bank of America Stadium.
UNC will participate in its third bowl game in Charlotte, with the previous two contests resulting in losses.
“Our program is excited for the opportunity to play in back-to-back bowl games and make a return trip to Charlotte,” coach Butch Davis said.
UNC fell several places in the ACC bowl pecking order after losing to N.C. State in the season finale, ending a four-game winning streak and any potential to play in a more prestigious bowl. Fortunately for UNC, the Heels play a quality opponent and have a chance to improve upon last season’s record of 8-5.
ACC, Football, N.C. State, UNC-Chapel Hill Butch Davis
Jacob Swiger ·
27 Nov 2009, 12:17 PM ·
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Russell Wilson's decision-making will be key Saturday. (Photo by Rob Rowe)
North Carolina (8-3) at N.C. State(4-7)
[12 p.m., Nov. 28, Carter-Finley Stadium]
Televised by ESPN2
A win by either team Saturday won’t have any serious implications on the season as UNC has secured a bowl berth and N.C. State will be sitting at home over the holidays. But a win could go a long way in determining the future for each program.
State faces the uncomfortable offseason questions that come after a disappointing year. After being considered a sleeper in the Atlantic Division with all-ACC caliber quarterback Russell Wilson, the Wolfpack has managed to win exactly one league game with one left to play.
UNC, meanwhile, recovered from losing three straight ACC games with a four-game winning streak, including wins against two ranked teams (Virginia Tech and Miami).
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ACC, Football, UNC-Chapel Hill Butch Davis, E.J. Wilson, John Shoop, Robert Quinn, Russell Wilson, Ryan Houston, TJ Yates, Tom O'Brien, Toney Baker
Jacob Swiger ·
21 Nov 2009, 4:07 PM ·
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TV/ESPN2 — Quarterbacks T.J. Yates and Dave Shinskie battled for the title of “quarterback who threw the most interceptions” in Chestnut Hill Saturday. Shinskie won … but it wasn’t a good thing.
UNC and BC combined to toss eight interceptions on the day, but Shinskie’s mistakes couldn’t come at worse times. After a three-interception performance against Miami, cornerback Kendric Burney picked off a Shinskie pass and returned it for a touchdown to make it 21-0 in the first quarter.
Safety Deunta Williams (pictured) matched Burney’s Miami performance with his own three interceptions Saturday, including the game clincher that ended a BC drive late in the fourth, which could have tied the game. Williams returned the interception to the 1-yard line where Ryan Houston twisted into the endzone for his second touchdown of the game.
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ACC, Football, UNC-Chapel Hill Butch Davis, Cam Thomas, Dave Shinskie, Deunta Williams, E.J. Wilson, Erik Highsmith, Kendric Burney, Russell Wilson, Ryan Houston, TJ Yates
Jacob Swiger ·
19 Nov 2009, 7:36 PM ·
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North Carolina (7-3) at Boston College (7-3)
[12 p.m., Nov. 21, Alumni Stadium]
Televised by ESPN2
North Carolina travels to Chestnut Hill to begin its two-game stretch of revenge games — with the first against a Boston College team the Heels thrashed 45-24 in Chapel Hill last season.
BC needs a win and a Clemson loss in order to advance to the ACC title game. UNC is jostling for bowl position, including an outside chance of reaching the coveted Chick-fil-A Bowl.
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ACC, Football, UNC-Chapel Hill Boston College, Butch Davis, Christian Ponder, Dave Shinskie, Jacory Harris, Mike McLaughlin, Ryan Houston, Thaddeus Lewis, TJ Yates, Tyrod Taylor
Jacob Swiger ·
14 Nov 2009, 8:13 PM ·
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KENAN MEMORIAL STADIUM/CHAPEL HILL — With UNC leading 23-17 midway through the fourth quarter and Miami threatening to take the lead, Kendric Burney (pictured) leaped and snagged his third interception of the game, resulting in a wacky touchdown return.
Burney, who became the first Tar Heel with three picks in a game since Dre Bly in 1996, appeared to lateral the ball forward to teammate Melvin Williams. Williams then carried the ball to the endzone where video replay showed he was stripped after crossing the goal line.
“The play before that, the interception where I scored, Melvin was asking me why I didn’t pitch him the ball,” Burney said after the game. ”So it was funny that I pitched it to him there, cause he stood there for like half a second.”
The officials ruled that Burney fumbled instead of pitched the ball, which gave UNC a 13-point lead.
“To me it looked like he pitched it forward, but I can’t get involved with it,” Miami coach Randy Shannon said. ”We could have made something happen on those other plays and it would have made a difference.”
Jacory Harris led Miami back down the field and brought the score back within six points. UNC’s Ryan Houston and Greg Little rushed the ball relentlessly on the following Tar Heel possession and took nearly six minutes off the game clock before Casey Barth made his fourth field goal of the game.
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ACC, Football, UNC-Chapel Hill Butch Davis, Casey Barth, Dre Bly, Greg Little, Jacory Harris, Kendric Burney, Melvin Williams, Ryan Houston, Shaun Draughn
Jacob Swiger ·
12 Nov 2009, 6:37 PM ·
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North Carolina (6-3) vs. No. 12 Miami (7-2)
[3:30 p.m., Nov. 14, Kenan Memorial Stadium]
Televised by ABC
Such a fitting time for the Hurricanes to visit Chapel Hill as former Hurricane Ida dropped inch after inch of rain throughout the area and managed to depress the entire state of North Carolina.
A win against the Tar Heels might accomplish the same in just three hours. Every week becomes more and more important for a UNC program trying to advance in its third season rebuilding.
A win by the Tar Heels would cement bowl eligibility and create quite a buzz in the ACC after starting 0-3 in the league.
Key stats: There are a couple significant streaks the Heels will attempt to keep going after this game. First, UNC has beaten four straight AP top-25 teams. Second, Miami has never won in Chapel Hill (0-3).
Along with Duke's David Cutcliffe, Randy Shannon has struggled against Butch Davis. (File photo by Rob Rowe)
But these stats will have zero impact on the outcome of the game, except for the possible Jedi mind games Butch Davis plays on the Hurricanes every time he faces his former team.
Best message board tidbit on the game: A Hurricanes fan writes on Miami’s scout.com forum: I am pretty sure that I will get crucified for this, but for some reason I see this being the same type of game as the VT game this year. I think we are better than UNC on talent, however, I just do not think we are physical enough to win this game on the road against a team that has our number.
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ACC, Football, UNC-Chapel Hill Butch Davis, Graig Cooper, Jacory Harris, John Shoop, Leondard Hankerson, Miami, Robert Quinn, Ryan Houston, Shaun Draughn, TJ Yates
Rob Rowe ·
11 Nov 2009, 5:52 PM ·
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Ramses poses with the Victory Bell after UNC's 19-6 victory over Duke. (Photo by Rob Rowe)
KENAN MEMORIAL STADIUM/CHAPEL HILL — It was a great day with great weather for possibly the greatest rivalry in all of college sports — Duke versus UNC, and the Heels remained in possession of the beloved Victory Bell after UNC’s 19-6 victory over Duke. Here is Tar Heel Football beat writer Jacob Swiger’s post-game article or Blue Devil Football beat writer Mike Potter’s post-game article; for the story in photos, follow the page break.
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ACC, Duke, Football, Story in photos, UNC-Chapel Hill Blue Devils, Brandon Hanson, Butch Davis, David Cutcliffe, Desmond Scott, Duke, Duke Blue Devil, Johnny White, Jordan Byas, Kenan Memorial Stadium, Mike Ingersoll, Patrick Egboh, Ramses, Tar Heels, Tar Pit, Thaddeus Lewis, TJ Yates, UNC-Chapel Hill
Mike Potter ·
7 Nov 2009, 8:58 PM ·
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Duke head coach David Cutcliffe converses with UNC head coach Butch Davis prior to their second meeting as head coaches. (Photo by Rob Rowe)
KENAN STADIUM/CHAPEL HILL Football games in the state of North Carolina don’t get much bigger than this one except on pretty rare occasions.
The “Battle for the Victory Bell” means something to both UNC and Duke this season, as each team is 5-3 and needs at least two wins in its last four games to qualify for a bowl. Coming into the game Duke is even a longshot to play in a BCS bowl if the Blue Devils can win their final four regular-season games and then the ACC title game. All that is way out of context for Duke, which hasn’t had a football season to brag about since 1994.
UNC has won 18 of the last 19 meetings including five straight.
Scouts from the Champs Sports and Chick-Fil-A Bowls are in the house.
Again Triangle Offense has a record number staff on site, as I’m here along with UNC beat writer Jacob Swiger and young photographer Rob Rowe. Swiger is a UNC student and Rowe is in high school.
I was never the UNC beat writer for The Incredible Shrinking Herald-Sun, but I’ve been to Kenan quite a few times. The first was in 1964 for North Carolina’s official memorial to President Kennedy, and then I saw a few games with the family of origin in the late ’60s when the place seated 25,000 and tickets were $2 on the 10-yard line.
There will be about 60,000 on site today on a cold, sunny afternoon. It’s homecoming day and the Tar Heels are listed as 10-point favorites. And Carolina delivers, getting 164 yards on 37 carries from backup tailback Ryan Houston after Shaun Draughn is injured on his first carry in a grind-it-out 19-6 victory. Continue reading »
ACC, Duke, Football, UNC-Chapel Hill Butch Davis, Charles Brown, Connor Barth, Da'Norris Searcy, David Cutcliffe, Deunta Williams, Grant Schallock, Jheranie Boyd, Johnny Williams, Jordon Byas, Leon Wright, Miami Hurricanes, Nick Maggio, Robert Quinn, Ryan Houston, Shaun Draughn, Thaddeus Lewis, TJ Yates
Jacob Swiger ·
5 Nov 2009, 7:25 PM ·
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Battle for the Victory Bell
North Carolina (5-3) vs. Duke (5-3)
[3:30 p.m., Nov. 7, Kenan Memorial Stadium]
Televised by ESPNU
The Tar Heels will battle to defend the Victory Bell, but can they stop Duke's three-game winning streak? (File photo by Rob Rowe)
What stat stands out most?
Mike Potter: Two on the Blue Devils’ side. Thaddeus Lewis and backup Sean Renfree have combined to complete 67.4 percent of their passes with 19 touchdowns and five interceptions. And Duke has outscored the opposition 87-44 in the fourth quarter.
Jacob Swiger: Duke averages around 75 yards per game on the ground — good for 116th in the country — still, the Blue Devils have put together their best season in recent memory. Will facing the No. 18th-ranked defense against the run set up more third-and-long situations? Will it even matter with the way Lewis is throwing the ball? In two of Duke’s three losses this season, the Blue Devils couldn’t gain more than 38 rushing yards (19 against Richmond, 38 against Virginia Tech). Don’t expect the rushing numbers to be much different against UNC.
Which player from the opposing team should scare Duke/UNC the most?
Mike: This starts the broken record. Thaddeus Lewis. A good quarterback from last year has turned into a great one this year. This Duke team has numerous weapons on both sides of the ball and the Blue Devils can win with a collective defensive effort, but as Reggie Jackson once said, Lewis is the “straw that stirs the drink.”
Jake: Defensive end Robert Quinn could end up being the MVP of this game. Quinn, a speedy sophomore, has been quiet the past few games and is due for at least a sack or two if Lewis takes too long in the pocket. Combined with the rest of the talented defensive front, the Blue Devils’ offensive line will have their hands full.
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ACC, Duke, Football, UNC-Chapel Hill Butch Davis, David Cutcliffe, John Shoop, Robert Quinn, Thaddeus Lewis, TJ Yates
Mike Potter ·
3 Nov 2009, 6:37 PM ·
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Duke's Ayanga Okpokowuruk, #91, and Damian Thornton, #56, pursue quarterback Russell Wilson during the N.C. State game. (File photo by Rob Rowe)
WALLACE WADE STADIUM/DURHAM David Cutcliffe knew when the season started that his Duke football team’s game at UNC on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. was going to be a big deal.
And he hoped it would be as big as it actually is.
For the first time in quite a while, the Blue Devils are in November with the chance to achieve a lot of dreams that might please some teams that have been more successful of late.
If the Blue Devils win one more game in their last four, they will avoid a losing season for the first time since 1994. If they win two, they will go to a bowl for the first time in 15 years. If they win out, they will be in the ACC Championship Game.
Duke (5-3, 3-1) is on a three-game winning streak, coming off a huge 28-17 win at Virginia on Saturday. UNC (5-3, 1-3) is also coming off a huge victory, a 20-17 win at Virginia Tech on Thursday night in what Coach Butch Davis had called his team’s toughest game of the season back in the summer.
The Tar Heels won’t be ACC champions, but both teams know that with two more wins they’re going bowling
“It’s obviously a big week,” Duke’s second-year head coach said during his weekly press luncheon at the Brooks Football Building. “I think it’s great for this area that there’s interest on both sides in this ball game. From what I understand tickets are beyond scarce. They’re out. That’s a great thing.
“I’m sure it will be a great atmosphere, a tough atmosphere for us. It’ll be a great thing. It’s great for the Triangle. We’re a point where we’re competitive. They’ve been more than competitive and we’ve stepped up. It’s added a little fuel to the fire since it’s such a big game for both teams.”
Though Thaddeus Lewis has been outstanding at quarterback during the winning streak, the difference in wins over N.C. State, Maryland and Virginia has been second-half defense. Continue reading »
ACC, Duke, Football, N.C. State, UNC-Chapel Hill Brett Huffman, Butch Davis, David Cutcliffe, Maryland Terrapins, Thaddeus Lewis, Virginia Cavaliers, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest
