Tag: north carolina tar heels

Conner Harrell speaks about QB competition

Conner Harrell speaks about QB competition, his bond with Max Johnson, and the strides he’s made since last season following the UNC spring football game.

The quarterback competition is brewing at UNC, but that has not stopped [autotag]Conner Harrell[/autotag] from connecting with Texas A&M transfer QB [autotag]Max Johnson.[/autotag]

Harrell and Johnson are competing for the QB1 spot, a unique situation many programs don’t have, with QB1s often set in stone before the school’s annual spring football game. The uniqueness of the situation is one of many reasons Mack Brown decided to forgo televising the game.

Following Saturday’s spring football game, Harrell spoke about blocking out the noise, ways he’s gotten better, and his connection with Johnson despite competing for the starting quarterback position.

“I tell myself just do the best that I can do. Some things are out of my control…Anything in my control. I have to work the hardest, I have to watch as much film as I can, I have to lead as much as I can…Not try to worry about all the outside stuff too much.”

“We understand we are competing, but we understand we are just people..trying to help each other..”, Harrell on his connection with Johnson. “We are the only two people going through what we are going through. No one else in the country is in this place at this time. So when someone going through, what you going through you kinda bond.”

Harrell wasn’t shy about improvements he made since last season, noting he’s gotten a lot better at his accuracy and pocket presence. As of now, no indicator starts game one, but Harrell did produce bigger splash plays Saturday, including a 68-yard passing touchdown.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

Colt McCoy, Jay Gruden evaluate North Carolina QB Drake Maye

The former Washington coach and quarterback with an excellent breakdown of Drake Maye.

Colt McCoy and Jay Gruden are names Washington fans know well. Gruden served as Washington’s head coach from 2014-19, while McCoy was with the team throughout Gruden’s entire tenure.

It was during McCoy’s time in Washington that Kirk Cousins emerged as the team’s starting quarterback. However, McCoy always remained Gruden’s favorite passer and the pair have remained close since.

Over the past year, McCoy has been working with Underdog Fantasy, doing excellent work breaking down quarterback play. For draft season, McCoy had his old coach join him.

Recently, the duo evaluated North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye — a prospective No. 2 overall pick by the Washington Commanders.

Gruden has been consistent in his evaluation of Maye. He thinks Maye’s long-term ceiling could be the highest in the class, even more so than Caleb Williams. But Gruden also points out that most coaches need to win and cannot afford to wait for a quarterback to reach his potential.

In multiple media appearances, Gruden has always ranked Williams as the No. 1 quarterback, followed by LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels. He said if he were Washington, he would probably go with Daniels because he can help you win now.

However, McCoy and Gruden were clear regarding how much they liked Maye as a prospect. On one play, Maye, a right-handed passer, rolls to his left, turns his hips, changes his arm angle, and fires a touchdown pass. Gruden was impressed after initially believing he would tell his quarterback to take the flat route for five yards.

Gruden and McCoy raved about Maye’s physical talents and his arm strengths. A concern is his ball placement. Gruden believes right now that Maye is behind Williams and Daniels with his ball placement, but that can obviously improve.

Both have spoken to coaches who have worked with Maye over the years about his character, work ethic, and coachability. McCoy’s college coach, Mack Brown, was Maye’s college coach, while Gruden spoke to longtime NFL assistant Clyde Christensen, who worked with Maye last season.

Gruden believes Maye can be the face of the franchise-type quarterback, saying he will do everything needed to succeed. Gruden calls Maye a “slam dunk” for his intangibles.

However, as both noted, plenty of quarterbacks who put in the work have failed in the NFL.

The 2024 NFL draft kicks off on Thursday and Washington is on the clock second after the Bears likely select Williams.

Will it be Maye or Daniels for Washington?

North Carolina starter Harrison Ingram declares for the NBA draft

Harrison Ingram, who averaged 17.5 points and recorded two double-doubles against Duke last year, won’t return to Chapel Hill.

North Carolina starter Harrison Ingram won’t return to Chapel Hill next season.

The 6-foot-7 forward announced through social media on Saturday that he would be declaring for the NBA draft.

Ingram averaged 17.5 points and 11.5 rebounds against Duke last season, recording a double-double in both games. He likely irked Blue Devils fans the most in the first game when he made five of his nine 3-point attempts in a nine-point victory.

For the season, Ingram averaged 12.2 points and 8.8 rebounds. It was his first season playing for the Tar Heels after he started his career with Stanford.

With Ingram leaving and Armando Bacot and Cormac Ryan both out of eligibility, the UNC starting five will be more than 50% depleted this offseason. Hubert Davis still awaits the decision, at least publicly, of All-American RJ Davis to see if he’s losing a fourth starter.

Odds are shifting for the Commanders QB decision at No. 2

The odds took another dramatic shift Thursday regarding the Commanders the No. 2 pick.

Over the last few months, oddsmakers have been split on who the Washington Commanders would take at No. 2 overall in the 2024 NFL draft. Caleb Williams is expected to go No. 1 to the Chicago Bears, leaving Washington to decide between Jayden Daniels (LSU) or Drake Maye (North Carolina).

Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy is an option, too, but not to the level of Maye and Daniels.

For the most part, Daniels has held a slight edge over Maye. However, the odds shifted to Maye earlier this month. In both instances, it was close. Daniels took a big step ahead of Maye last week when ESPN’s Adam Schefter said he thought Commanders fans could order their Daniels jerseys.

On Thursday night, we witnessed yet another significant shift.

What do we make of the latest shift? Let’s start with his: No one truly knows what Washington general manager Adam Peters thinks. That part is 100% true. Peters isn’t leaking interest to the media, nor are any members of his inner circle.

Some of this comes from Wednesday evening on Twitter. Daniels’ agent liked a pair of tweets that appeared to criticize the Commanders for holding top 30 visits with multiple prospects, including four quarterbacks.

The next day, the agent informs the media that Daniels is meeting the Minnesota Vikings for dinner on Thursday night after previously being hesitant to meet with them.

We are six days away from the NFL draft, and these odds could continue to shift up until next Thursday night. Usually, we learn more about a team’s intentions the closer it gets to the draft, but that doesn’t appear to be the case for the Commanders — so far.

Commanders GM Adam Peters doesn’t see trading down from the No. 2 pick

It sure sounds like Adam Peters is staying at No. 2 and selecting his quarterback.

Washington general manager Adam Peters and his assistant GM, Lance Newmark, met with the assembled media in Ashburn on Thursday to answer questions in the annual pre-draft press conference.

No one expected Peters to reveal any top secrets in his meeting with the media. While he is always positive and humble in his dealings with the media, he is also tight-lipped. The biggest mystery in the 2024 NFL draft is what the Commanders will do at No. 2 overall.

We do know one thing they will not be doing, and that’s trading down. Here’s what Peters said about potentially moving down from No. 2 overall.

We feel great about staying at No. 2,” Peters said. “I don’t see a whole lot of scenarios where we’d trade down, to be honest.”

That’s as close to a definite as you’ll hear from Peters. Yes, draft season is “lying season,” but the Commanders have a unique opportunity to find a franchise quarterback in the same year they hired a new GM and coaching staff. Why trade down and risk losing one of the top options at the most important position in sports?

Washington will choose between Jayden Daniels (LSU), Drake Maye (North Carolina) and J.J. McCarthy (Michigan) next Thursday night. USC quarterback Caleb Williams is expected to go No. 1 overall to the Chicago Bears.

With so many teams looking to move into the top five to select a quarterback, the Commanders could receive a haul by trading their pick, but they have the same problem as the teams trying to make a move up the draft board: They don’t have a quarterback.

 

ESPN Films greenlights Stuart Scott 30 for 30

ESPN Films greenlights Stuart Scott’s 30 for 30 documentary. Giving an in-depth look at the Tar Heel journey that changed the way we view and hear sports.

Creating an impact in the sports world without playing it isn’t an easy task, but a few have succeeded in doing so by the use of their voice.

One person who left an everlasting impact, changing the way people viewed and heard sports, was the late [autotag]Stuart Scott[/autotag]. The Tar Heel legend, known for catchphrases like “as cool as the other side of the pillow” and “BOO-YAH!” added swagger to sports talk, forever changing how highlights are delivered.

Scott was an inspiration to many, as he laid the foundation for the style many followed. We will now get a chance to relive some of Scott’s memorable moments with a behind-scenes feel with ESPN films green lighting a 30 for 30 on Scott.

The documentary will be centered around Scott’s life and how he changed the look of a sports broadcaster. In the ESPN film press release film director Andre Gaines talks about the opportunity to present Scott’s life to the broader audience.

“He made his mark on so many people, especially young black men, and his legend has only grown since his passing. The opportunity I’ve had now to examine his life, visit his home, get to know his daughters Taelor and Sydni, and understand how incredibly vast and rich a life Stuart lived, I can only hope that audiences find the same catharsis I’ve already experienced in making this film.”

It will be awesome to see the trailblazing Tar Heel life remembered in such a unique way. 30 for 30 has done a great job telling stories, and the same should be expected in this one. There’s no timetable yet for when we can expect it, all we know is that it’s on the horizon.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

Diamond Heels complete series sweep over Notre Dame

The Diamond Heels had a dominating weekend, completing a series sweep over Notre Dame.

It was a breeze of a weekend for the UNC baseball program, as they finished off the sweeping of Notre Dame Sunday.

After a rocky loss to South Carolina Tuesday, failing to get their offense going, UNC found their swing in the series against Notre Dame. Each game showcased the dominant season the Tar Heels have had, combing for 30 runs to the Fighting Irish’s 5 in the three game series and it all started in game one.

Game 1: UNC 13, Notre Dame 0

The bats were hot in game one, and UNC’s defense matched. The Diamondheels scored a run every inning they took the field except for the fifth, scoring 6 of 13 runs in the 6th inning.

On the flip side, Jason Decaro pitched lights out for UNC, giving up three hits and one walk in six innings pitched. The dominant performance from the mound was the ideal start to the weekend series.

Game 2: UNC 7, Notre Dame 2

Game two echoed game one success, dominating at the plate and securing wins on the mound. UNC finished with seven runs on 11 hits, nearly scoring in every inning outside the third and fourth.

Notre Dame did a better job getting hits, but couldn’t muster runs, finishing with two runs on nine hits. Shea Sprague secured his second win of the year, dishing out four strikeouts in 5.2 innings pitched.

Game 3: UNC 10, Notre Dame 3

Game three put an exclamation point on the statement UNC sent, with another dominating performance on both sides of the ball. Aidan Haugh had a solid outing on the mound with six strikeouts and no runs in five innings pitched.

UNC’s hitting stayed on par with the rest of the weekend, exploding in the fourth inning with five runs scored. [autotag]Vance Honeycutt[/autotag] had three hits, including his 49th career homerun, which moved him second all-time for home runs in UNC history.

It was a perfect series win, adding to their promising season.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

Raymond Felton calls out Rashad McCants for his remarks on UNC

Raymond Felton calls out Rashad McCants for his remarks on UNC, defending Roy Willams from his claims.

It’s a saying that time heals wounds, but that could be on the back burner for former UNC teammates [autotag]Raymond Felton[/autotag] and [autotag]Rashad McCants[/autotag].

McCant had left a legitimate Tar Heel legacy as one of the best scorers to wear the Carolina Blue threads, averaging 17.6 points per game (48% FG, 41% from behind the arch) in three seasons at UNC. McCants even won a National Championship while playing for the Tar Heels, doing so in his final season, easily stamping a memorable career.

However, following his departure to the NBA, McCant’s comments on his time at UNC, have made the once Tar Heel hero a villain. Many have let the Tar Heel know how they felt about him, but nothing like how Felton did when asked about his former teammate on the latest episode of Run Your Race.

Felton spoke the truth, while not diminishing McCant’s talents, crediting him as a top 3 scorer he’s played with. It’s undeniable that Roy Williams and UNC played a huge role in McCant’s success, so maybe the callout by a former teammate can help resolve the ongoing issue.

McCant has yet to respond, but seeing his frequent appearance as a regular co-host of the GilsArenaShow, a response could be here in no time.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

Best photos from 2023-24 UNC men’s basketball season

With the 2023-24 UNC men’s basketball season coming to an end, we take a look at the best photos.

The UNC men’s basketball program didn’t fulfill its goal of winning the National Championship, but that does not take from the incredible moments this past season showcased.

The Tar Heels had one of their better seasons, a complete bounce back from the year prior that ended in UNC declining an NIT bid. This year, the Tar Heels won the Atlantic Coast Conference for the first time since 2017, locking up a No. 1 seed for March Madness in the process.

This season welcomed new Tar Heels as the much anticipated Elliot Cadeau made his UNC debut. Along with the talented freshman came key transfers in Harrison Ingram, Cormac Ryan, and Jae’lyn Withers, delivering instant impact.

This season had its goodbyes, with Amando Bacot’s final collegiate playing year ending and RJ Davis’s status still in the air.

As UNC looks towards the future, we mustn’t skip the past, as we take a look at the best photos from the 2023-24 UNC men’s basketball seasons.

Duke softball comes in No. 3 in USA TODAY Sports/NFCA Coaches Poll

The Blue Devils swept North Carolina to extend its winning streak to eight games over the weekend, and Duke now trails just two Big 12 powerhouses in the USA TODAY Sports/NFCA Coaches Poll.

The Duke softball team has a 33-3 record through nine weeks this season, and their eight straight wins have them No. 3 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/NFCA Coaches Poll.

The Blue Devils swept Virginia Tech, who previously hadn’t lost a conference game, and North Carolina over the past two weekends. Duke outscored UNC 20-5 over the three-game series, and sophomore pitcher Cassidy Curd was named ACC Pitcher of the Week after she struck out 12 Tar Heels in five shutout innings on Saturday.

The Blue Devils now trail just Oklahoma and Texas in the Coaches Poll. The Sooners, who have won the past three national championships and beat Duke in the season opener, are 35-3, but the 31-6 Longhorns handed them two straight losses over the weekend to take the rivalry series.

Texas’ two wins over Oklahoma actually boosted Duke up to first in the Softball America rankings released on Monday, the first time in school history that the Blue Devils have ever summited a national ranking.