Tag: WVU

Kaimon Rucker: ‘You cannot let a loss define you’

Kaimon Rucker meets with media following UNC’s 30-10 bowl loss to WVU. Shares emotional statement.

As West Virginia was celebrating with Mayonnaise, UNC felt sorrow not only because they lost 30-10 in the bowl game, but also because it would be the last time some players wear their Carolina blue threads.

One player who felt the emotions from the result was defensive leader [autotag]Kaimon Rucker[/autotag], whose watery eyes painted the picture when meeting with the media. Rucker recently announced his decision to return to Chapel Hill for his fifth season, opting into the bowl game with hopes of sending seniors without eligibility left with a win.

The perfect send-off didn’t happen. Instead, the wheels fell off early as UNC attempted to maneuver around their own mistakes. Following the loss, Rucker met with media outside UNC’s locker room, giving his takeaway from the 30-10 loss.

“I think it’s just one of those situations where the better team won. I’m not discrediting anything that we’ve done. Our defense, I feel like we had a great game plan for it. We had to keep count for the quarterback and running back because they are very dynamic players. They had to make adjustments and that’s exactly what they did. West Virginia has a great team. I don’t feel like there was anything that we did wrong per se, I just feel like they made adjustments just like any other team.”

Rucker took time while speaking with media to express his love for many of the players who won’t be returning, bringing an eye-opening experience of how much the game meant outside of the final score. Rucker expressed how he would process this game and use it for next season.

“You know, it’s just one of those situations where you just need to move on. It hurts. It does. I could probably honestly say that the boys in the locker room are the people I’m going to miss the most. You cannot let a loss define you and control your attitude from here on out. I just have to put it behind me and get back to work.”

Rucker’s leadership oozed through as he expressed how he was ready to get back to Chapel Hill to revamp the mindset while understanding his teammates need time to process the loss before getting things back on track for next season.

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Mack Brown speaks to media following fourth straight bowl loss

UNC football head coach Mack Brown spoke with the media following the 30-10 Duke Mayo Bowl loss to WVU.

The UNC football what-if season has officially ended, leaving more questions than answers for the future.

UNC had their backs against the wall in their bowl game against WVU, with notable players not playing due to opt-outs. Even with a depleted roster, UNC had chances to get [autotag]Mack Brown[/autotag] a mayo bath. Instead, costly mistakes ruined any chance of that happening.

A season that started with a lot of promise after a 6-0 start finishes in disbelief with UNC ending 8-5. To make matters worse for the Tar Heels, the lack of support in the bowl game was alarming, with WVU fans turning it into an away game for UNC.

Following the frustrating loss, Mack Brown met with the media to speak about what went wrong, the inability to finish the last few games, and what’s next for the UNC football program.

Here’s what Brown had to say about the 30-10 loss to WVU.

Social media reacts to UNC’s nightmare bowl game loss

Social media reacts to UNC’s nightmare bowl game loss to WVU, officially ending the what-if season.

The UNC football program traveled to Charlotte to take on West Virginia in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl and right away it was apparent that this game would be tough for the Tar Heels, with a lot of the talent they counted on this season opting out to play.

What made it much more challenging for UNC is the staggering difference in fan attendance, with WVU fans outnumbering Tar Heel fans by a glaring amount.

The lack of fans was the least of UNC’s troubles in this game, with the WVU offense shredding the Tar Heel defense early with a 75-yard touchdown on the first play. The struggles continued with disaster striking throughout the first half of muffed punts, thrown interceptions in the end-zone, and questionable play calling.

UNC did have some good mixed in, despite offensive struggles, Conner Harrell made some splash plays using his mobility. The Tar Heel defense also showed the ability to get off the field, after giving up the initial 75-yard touchdown keeping UNC in the game.

However, the Tar Heel offense never capitalized on the defensive stops in the second half, and WVU eventually turned their drives into points, preventing any UNC comeback.

The frustration on the field boiled over to social media, with fans in disbelief at what they were witnessing. No one expected UNC to light the stage on fire tonight, but the ice-cold play and self-destruction served as a reminder that this team could’ve been special if it weren’t for their faults.

Let’s look at how social media reacted to UNC’s nightmare bowl game loss.

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 vs. WVU: Game preview, info, prediction and more

We preview the ACC matchup between the UNC Football program and WVU.

The North Carolina men’s football program will take on West Virginia in the Dukes Mayo Bowl at Bank of America Stadium.

What felt like the season that UNC would break into the college football relevancy quickly turned after losing to a 2-4 UVA despite being 6-0. After that loss, the Tar Heels playoff hopes derailed, going 2-3 with a gut-wrenching loss to Clemson and blown out of Carter-Finley Stadium with NC State getting the last laugh.

Outside of playing for a mayo bath, UNC is in a unique situation, with many of their key players opting out of the bowl game in preparation for the NFL draft or because they’ve transferred to another school. Winning is always the priority, but getting a good look at the talent that will be utilized next season is right on its heels of importance.

As UNC gets ready for its bowl game, let’s get into our preview for the Tar Heels and West Virginia.

How to watch Wednesday UNC-WVU Duke’s Mayo Bowl game

Here’s how you can watch Wednesday’s Duke Mayo Bowl game for the UNC football program and WVU.

The 8-4 UNC football program will face off against 8-4 West Virginia in the Dukes Mayo Bowl, with the winning coach awaiting a Mayo bath.

This year Mayo Bowl game will take place at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte North Carolina, the same field UNC opened their season on. A lot has changed for the Tar Heels since game one, most importantly being the players available.

UNC will be without some of their top players, including a top two QB in the nation in Drake Maye and defensive star Cedric Gray. All isn’t lost for UNC, with the Tar Heels still having one of the nation’s best running back, and defensive leader Kaimon Rucker at their disposal.

Let’s take a look at how to watch Wednesday bowl game.

UNC-WVU, RADIO, AND STREAMING INFORMATION

WHAT? North Carolina (8-4, 4-4 ACC) vs. West Virginia (8-4,0-0 ACC)

WHEN? Wednesday, Dec. 27th. 5:30 p.m. ET
WHERE? Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte NC
TV? ESPN  (Watch and stream the game live on ESPN)
RADIO? Tar Heels Sports Network
LINE? N/A
LAST MEETING? WVU won 31-30 on Dec. 27, 2008
ALL-TIME SERIES? Tied 1-1
PREDICTION? UNC 31, WVU 20

 

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WVU HC says starting QB job not going to be handed to Georgia transfer JT Daniels

“He may be the smartest quarterback we’ve ever had,” WVU HC Neal Brown said about JT Daniels

Former Georgia quarterback JT Daniels will have to earn the starting quarterback job in Morgantown, West Virginia.

Daniels, who transferred to UGA from USC two years ago, announced his decision to transfer to West Virginia University in April.

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The former 5-star recruit in the class of 2018 very well may be the most talented passer on WVU’s roster, but the starting job is something that has to be earned, Mountaineers head coach Neal Brown said this week at Big 12 Media Days.

“He’s been tremendous,” Brown said, according to EerSports. “He’s got to go win the job. That’s something we were really clear about him during the recruiting process, that nothing was going to be handed to him. He has to go win the job. I’m really proud of how he’s handled it.”

A graduate transfer, Daniels made his arrival at West Virginia this summer. So far, Brown has been quite impressed with the former UGA quarterback.

“He may be the smartest quarterback we’ve ever had,” Brown said on Tuesday, per Heartland College Sports.

“J.T. has come in and been really humble in his approach. He knows he’s got to win the (quarterback) competition. There’s nothing promised to him on the way in, but he’s done a great job connecting with our players. He’s done a great job getting his body where it needs to be. He’s in really good shape. He’s really confident. The key for him is to stay healthy.”

Daniels will be competing against Garrett Greene (former 3-star), Will Crowder (former 3-star), and true freshman Nicco Marchiol (former 4-star) for the starting job.

“Quarterback competitions, when they’re won, it’s evident,” Brown said. “Your team knows it. It’s not like you have to go out a social media announcement or stand in front of the team and say this is our starter. When a quarterback wins that competition, it’s very clear. … It’s really clear who the team believes in, who they’re productive for. … Everybody wants to talk about them, but … it’s really the easiest one to choose.”

Daniels started multiple games for Georgia in 2020 and was expected to be the starting quarterback for Georgia’s 2021 season. He started against Clemson and made another start against South Carolina. However, he was sidelined after being diagnosed with a strained oblique muscle, propelling Stetson Bennett into the starting spot.

He was 7-0 as Georgia’s starting quarterback spanning the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

Former Georgia QB JT Daniels makes transfer decision

JT Daniels has made his decision

Former Georgia quarterback JT Daniels has come to a decision on where he will transfer.

Daniels will be transferring to continue his collegiate career at West Virginia, the quarterback announced on Instagram. He reportedly called Mountaineers head coach Neal Brown on Wednesday morning to inform him of the decision.

Daniels visited WVU on April 9. He also visited Oregon State and Missouri.

“Going up and down the roster, I feel like they have very, very good pieces everywhere,” Daniels told ESPN in a phone interview. “It feels like a great fit for quarterback. I feel like there’s a really, really, really good team that I’m going to step into and do my part to contribute.”

Daniels, who transferred to UGA from USC two years ago, is expected to graduate from Georgia this spring before enrolling at West Virginia.

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There’s two main things to look at here as the driving force behind Daniels’ decision to play in Morganton. Maybe most important is that West Virginia is returning five starting offensive linemen from its 2021 team, combining for 107 career starts. And then there’s the pre-existing relationship between Daniels and Graham Harrell, who is now the offensive coordinator at West Virginia. The two overlapped while Daniels was at USC.

“It definitely helped knowing Graham coming into it and having a really good relationship with him,” Daniels said. “Knowing that I trust that offense and that system, and I believe in it.”

Daniels started multiple games for Georgia in 2020 and was expected to be the starting quarterback for Georgia’s 2021 season. He started against Clemson and made another start against South Carolina. He was diagnosed with a strained oblique muscle, propelling Stetson Bennett into the starting spot.

Daniels was the nation’s No. 2 recruit in the class of 2018 and enrolled at USC before transferring to UGA in May of 2020.

He was 7-0 as Georgia’s starting quarterback spanning the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

Texas Football: What is next for the Longhorns in their pursuit of a Big 12 Title appearance?

Heading into a bye week might be what the doctor ordered for the Texas Longhorns. ESPN’s Sam Khan Jr discusses what is next for the Horns.

Following the 17-13 victory over the West Virginia Mountaineers, the Texas Longhorns will enjoy a bye week. A week in which they hope to lick their wounds and prepare for the final leg of the season. Matchups with the Kansas Jayhawks, Iowa State Cyclones and Kansas State Wildcats await. The Longhorns are 5-2 (4-2) currently and are within striking distance.

The big key is getting healthy, we will monitor the status of Sam Ehlinger who appears to be pretty banged up. Plus Keaontay Ingram as he tries and recover from the high ankle sprain and how soon could we see Jordan Whittington?

ESPN’s Sam Khan Jr ponders what could be next for the Texas Longhorns team.

The Longhorns aren’t winning pretty, but they’re winning nonetheless, having strung together three in a row. The defense seems to have finally found its footing under new defensive coordinator Chris Ash, and it’s been huge, because the offense has been inconsistent as a banged-up Sam Ehlinger continues trying to tough it out. An upcoming off week is well timed, followed by a road game at Kansas. A win there means the Longhorns will go into the final two weeks with at least a remote chance of sliding into a Big 12 title game slot, but they might need help (as they do currently).

Khan (no relation) hit the nail right on the head, this team isn’t winning pretty. There are no style points for this team but at this juncture all they need to do is keep winning. A matchup with Kansas may be just what the doctor ordered coming off the bye. Get the starters out early on and prepare for a Friday night matchup with Brock Purdy and the Cyclones.

Three reasons the Texas Longhorns defeated West Virginia on Saturday

Longhorns Wire breaks down the top three reasons the Texas Longhorns were able to hold on for the 17-13 victory on Saturday.

The Texas Longhorns got another much needed win as they head into the bye week. They are still within striking distance of a Big 12 Championship game berth as long as they can stay on this win streak. Winners of three straight, they head into the final stretch of the season.

On this day Sam Ehlinger was a bit off for the offense but he still had the muster to get two touchdown passes in this game. He led it off with Brennan Eagles from seven-yards out to start the scoring. The way it looked early, many thought we might see a Big 12 barn burner. Instead a defensive struggle broke out.

Later in the game Ehlinger would throw for his second touchdown of the game. This time it was a little further out after missing an opportunity with Eagles again, Jake Smith hauled in a 33-yard pass for the second touchdown on the day. This helped extend their lead for the 17-13 victory. At that point the game was tied at 10, facing a third and 11 was no problem for QB1.

We break down the three reasons Texas won on Saturday

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