Tag: Tez Walker

WATCH: J.J. Jones’s touchdown grab before halftime

Watch UNC wide receiver J.J. Jones’s critical 16-yard touchdown grab to give the Tar Heels their first touchdown of the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.

The North Carolina football program was in action Wednesday night against West Virginia as they played in the Dukes Mayo Bowl.

UNC entered the game with a depleted roster, including their star quarterback [autotag]Drake Maye[/autotag], and standout wide receiver [autotag]Tez Walker[/autotag]. The loss of UNC’s high high-powered duo was on full display early as the offense struggled to find rhythm and the end zone.

The struggles didn’t last long, with redshirt freshman QB Conner Harrell finding J.J. Jones for a 16-yard touchdown. The insane grab even had the refs fooled, as they had to revisit their initial ruling to ensure Jones came down with the catch.

The touchdown brought new life to UNC’s offense, delivering a much-needed spark. Before the game, UNC released a package on Jones, expressing his joy as a Tar Heel.

If UNC wants to give Mack Brown that mayo bath, feeding Jones in the second half is warranted.

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UNC football announces Tez Walker update

The UNC football program provided a new update on Tez Walker’s injury he suffered in the loss to Georgia Tech.

During Saturday night’s loss to Georgia Tech, the North Carolina Tar Heels lost a key piece to the offense late. After a reception that would have set up the Tar Heels in Georgia Tech territory, wide receiver Tez Walker took a big hit and fumbled the ball.

Walker was down on the field for a long time and then taken to a local hospital for further evaluation after the game.Ā  While Walker did not travel with the team, he’s back in Chapel Hill and the program now has an update on him.

Mack Brown told the media on Monday that Walker is ‘doing OK’ and will be monitored this week.

With North Carolina hosting Campbell, it’s likely Walker will sit out anyway and get ready for a tough final three-game stretch to end the year beginning with Duke at home.

Getting Walker healthy is the priority and we hope he did not suffer a long-term injury after all he’s gone through.

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WATCH: Drake Maye throws his 500th completion for a touchdown

Watch Drake Maye connect with Tez Walker for his 500th completion and a Tar Heel touchdown.

Another game, a new achievement for UNC football quarterback Drake Maye, as he threw his 500th completion of his career.

In Maye fashion, the 500th completion came early in the first quarter at the eight-minute mark, finding Tez Walker on a dot between two defenders for a 25-yard touchdown. The moment tied things up for UNC as they fight to kick their season off 7-0.

Many had hoped Maye could walk in the cleats Sam Howell left, and that desire was fulfilled with Maye running in them from day one. Maye is a Heisman hopeful this season with 1902 passing yards, 12 touchdowns, and four interceptions.

This is likely Maye’s last season at UNC, with the NFL draft being his next stop, so it will be interesting how many more milestones he reaches for his already stamped Tar Heel career.

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Elite wide receivers highlight the best of Week 7 in the ACC

Tez Walker and Keon Coleman authored two of the best receiving performances of the year on Saturday. Who earned top ACC WR honors this week?

Florida State and North Carolina further distanced themselves atop the conference on Saturday with a pair of dominant victories. The Seminoles whacked Syracuse 41-3, and UNC built a 38-17 lead over Miami in the final quarter before some late scores made the winning margin only 10 points.

Both teams were powered by a star wideout, too. Florida State’s Keon Coleman stole the social media show with an eye-popping one-handed catch, gained 140 yards on nine receptions, and returned a punt 72 yards for one of the most well-rounded performances of the year. UNC’s Tez Walker found the end zone not once, not twice, but three times in the Tar Heels’ offensive avalanche.

Only one could walk away with top wide receiver honors, however. Which one earned the title? Who else stood out in the ACC? Read more below to find out.

WATCH: Tez Walker scores first touchdown of season

UNC football wide receiver Tez Walker catches his first touchdown with the Tar Heels.

North Carolina wide receiver Tez Walker is officially on the board.

After making his debut against Syracuse last week, the wide receiver is playing in his second game since being granted eligibility and has now found the end zone for the first time. Walker scored his first touchdown of the season on North Carolina’s second drive of the game against the Miami Hurricanes.Ā 

On third down and goal, Drake Maye hit Walker for an 18-yard touchdown to put the Tar Heels up early in this Atlantic Coast Conference. Watch as Walker works the seam and then catches the accurate throw from Maye:

Walker missed the first four games of the season after being ruled ineligible due to transferring twice before landing at North Carolina. With appeals denied, Walker didn’t think he’d play at all.

But before the Syracuse game, Walker received the good news that he was eligible. And now he can play a big role for this UNC offense.

Let’s look at some social media reactions to Walker’s first touchdown.

 

NCAA reverses Tez Walker ruling, grants UNC wideout eligibility

After earlier denials, the NCAA granted UNC WR Tez Walker immediate eligibility for this season after new information from school.

The NCAA has reversed its controversial Tez Walker ruling, saying the North Carolina wide receiver could play effective immediately on Thursday after receiving new information from the school.

NCAA President Charlie Baker and Division I Board of directors chair Jere Morehead, in a joint statement, said they wanted to honor Walker’s right to privacy with the nature of the new information, but the statement said “It is unfortunate that UNC failed to provide this important information previously.”

Walker had previously been denied eligibility for the 2023 season twice, once in August and again in September. Tar Heels head coach Mack Brown released a statement after the second ruling, saying the committee should be ashamed of themselves for caring more about the process than about their athletes.

The committee that oversaw the decision responded days later, saying members had been receiving violent threats but defended the decision as a popular policy Brown and others voted on. The interaction did not go unmentioned in Thursday’s release.

“UNCā€™s behavior and decision to wage a public relations campaign is inappropriate and outside the bounds of the process UNCā€™s own staff supported,” Baker and Morehead wrote. “Had the UNC staff not behaved in this fashion and submitted this information weeks ago, this entire unfortunate episode could have been avoided.”

Brown released another statement in light of Walker’s new status.

“We’re so happy for Tez.Ā Everything that’s transpired over the last few months has been with the sole purpose of helping and supporting him, and now he’s going to have a chance to live his dream,” Brown said.

Walker’s first game available for the Tar Heels will be Saturday against Syracuse.

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Tez Walker releases statement after waiver was granted

UNC Football wide receiver Tez Walker has released a new statement on becoming eligible by the NCAA.

The North Carolina Tar Heels football program received some big news on Thursday just two days before their showdown with Syracuse in Chapel Hill.

The team learned that the NCAA had granted Tez Walker a waiver, making him eligible to play right away this season. Ā While the NCAA blasted the Tar Heels in the statement, the news is still good as Walker can now play right away.

Following the news, Walker released a statement and he’s fired up to get out there and get on the field:

ā€œIā€™m so excited and thankful that the NCAA has granted my eligibility to play this season. This hasnā€™t been easy, but Iā€™m looking forward to putting this in the past and moving forward. I always knew UNC was a special place, but itā€™s proved it over and over again throughout the last few months. Iā€™ve received so much support from the University, the athletics department, my coaches, the staff and my teammates. Most of all, Iā€™ve felt so much love from the fans. Whether it was people trying to pick me up on social media or fans chanting for me at the games, Iā€™ve felt supported and I canā€™t tell you how much itā€™s meant to me. I canā€™t wait to put on that jersey, run out of the tunnel, and play in Kenan Stadium. Iā€™ve been dreaming of this for a long time and now it will be a reality. See everyone on Saturday.ā€

The NCAA had previously deemed Walker ineligible and denied a waiver request, stating that he has transferred twice already.

Walker transferred to North Carolina in December of 2022 from Kent State where he had played two seasons. Before that, he enrolled at North Carolina Central but did not play due to the COVID-19 pandemic canceling the season.

UNC’s offense now gets a big weapon for quarterback Drake Maye as they roll into their ACC schedule.

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Tez Walker named honorary UNC Hockey captain

Tez Walker named honorary captain ahead of UNC Hockey Saturday night match-up against ECU.

The fight to let Tez Walker play continues to play out, and many are hopeful that we may see him play this season after the NCAA granted Minnesota two-time transfer Craig McDonald a waiver request.

While we await a hopeful change in the Walker verdict, the spotlight remains on the transfer wide receiver. Walker has had his name echoed throughout Kenan Stadium and ā€œFREE TEZā€ signs and chants on college footballā€™s GameDay.

The UNC hockey program is joining the party, announcing that Walker will be an honorary captain for their Saturday night match-up against ECU.

The post garnered its highest view count in over ten days, with more than 7k views on the announcement.

It is always great to see UNC programs joining together for the bigger picture. After losing their exhibition opener, the Tar Heels are on a three-game win streak, and with Tez in the building, that could be enough of a spark to ignite their fourth win.

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Mack Brown isn’t apologizing to NCAA

UNC football head coach Mack Brown wont apologize to the NCAA for his comments on Tez Walker.

If you’ve been following the Tez Walker situation at North Carolina, you would know that head coach Mack Brown and the rest of the program isn’t happy with the NCAA’s ruling.

After the NCAA ruled that Walker’s appeal was denied, Brown released a statement voicing his displeasure with the decision. The NCAA then responded saying there were allegedly threats made and were being criticized for the decision.Ā 

However, Brown isn’t apologizing for standing up for his player. Brown talked to the after Wednesday’s practice as the Tar Heels are getting set to face off against Minnesota. And he wasn’t backing down.

ā€œIā€™m not going to apologize for standing up and trying to do whatā€™s best for our young person, and making sure that he understands that we have exhausted every possibility that we can to help him,ā€ he said Wednesday via Inside Carolina. ā€œBecause if we havenā€™t, then weā€™re not doing our job. And none of this was to embarrass anybody, to get anybody threats. The only thing weā€™ve done is take up for our player. And Iā€™m very proud of that. And if I had to do it over again, Iā€™d do exactly the same thing.ā€

Brown is right here and has been this entire time regarding the Walker situation and it’s a little disappointing that the NCAA doesn’t realize what they have done.

UNC will continue to play without Walker as they will host Minnesota in Week 3 at home.

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NCAA responds to Mack Brown’s statement on Tez Walker

“Those comments directly contradict what…members and coaches called for vociferously ā€“ including UNC’s own football coach.”.

After North Carolina head coach Mack Brown released a lengthy statement condemning the NCAA for not approving wide receiver Tez Walker’s eligibility appeal, the organization responded Tuesday.

The statement from the DI Board said some committee members have received violent threats, but they stood behind the decision to not grant Walker eligibility for the 2023 season, saying athletes who transfer multiple times slow their progress toward a degree. They also said coaches wanted this policy.

“Those comments directly contradict what we and our fellow Division I members and coaches called for vociferously ā€“ including UNC’s own football coach,” the statement read.

Brown said the board should be “ashamed of themselves” in a statement after they denied Walker for the second time.

“I don’t know that I’ve ever been more disappointed in a person, a group of people, or an institution than I am with the NCAA right now,” Brown said.

Walker previously attended North Carolina Central and Kent State, but he never played a down for the former. He cited mental health issues and a desire to be closer to his family in his transfer. The NCAA statement said the board consults a panel of licensed mental health experts for waiver requests with mental health stated as a factor.