MrTarheel.com

BRING BACK THE "D" TO UNC!

by MrTarheel

One of the great "head-scratchers" over the last 5 years regarding Tar Heel football has been the pitiful play of the defense. Coach Bunting wore a Super Bowl ring on his finger because of his ability to coach defense. Effort was put into making the defense a solid part of the team. It just never happened.

I can remember guys like William Fuller, Lawrence Taylor, Julius Peppers, Dre Bly, Dee Hardison, Marcus Jones, K Mays, Ryan Sims, Bracey Walker, Greg Ellis, Buddy Curry, Steve Streater, Mike Wilcher, Tim Goad, Walter Bailey, Dwight Hollier, Omar Brown......These guys were solid and sometimes dominant defensive players for the Heels.

I can remember really believing that in each game the Heels "D" would make several big plays and would be tough to move the ball against the whole game.

I can remember thinking how lucky we were as Tar Heel fans to have big, fast players on defense to watch each week....knowing they prepared well and played as a team to help the Heels win. The key word being fast....our guys just looked like the better, faster team when you saw them on the field. How many times the last 5 years did Tar Heel fans say to themselves, " Our guys look a step slow...maybe 2 steps slow out there".

I can remember not needing a "3rd Down" Bell to ring in order to get everyone excited about a third down play. You were excited because you knew the Heels really could lay some wood on the opponent and make a stop!

I can remember when the Heels "led" the league in Total Defense. The last 5 years have seen the Tar Heels at the bottom of the league...the real bottom. Last, next to last, etc. Year after year. Remember the year they gave up over 500 yards per game? 1992 maybe? Painful to watch. And only minor improvements since then.

You think there is any chance that a Butch Davis coached team will finish at the bottom of the league in defense.

Not a chance.

You think some of our defensive players will develop and become league leaders this season?

You bet they will.

You think you will watch a game this year and say to yourself, " We look just as fast as our opponent" or " We look faster than our opponent"?

I think you will.

Coach Pagano, Coach Blake, etc are not miracle workers. But they are terrific coaches who I believe will maximize the talents of the defense. That defense will be faster as will the entire team. They will play with confidence and will HIT people. I can remember the days when the Tar Heel defense would have at least 1 or 2 awesome hits during each game. The other team knew they were going to be hit. I can't remember any big hits the last few years. Those days are over.

Just listen to the players and coaches lately....they use the words speed, toughness, fast, hitting a lot.

If we get that on the field, then the Tar Heel football season will be a fun one to watch for a change. I for one will not miss a single game.

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The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has won 37 team national championships in five different sports, 9th all-time, and 51 individual national championships. The UNC women's soccer team has won eighteen national championships since 1981; the men's soccer team won the championship in 2001; the women's basketball team in 1994; the UNC Tarheels basketball (men's) team in 1924, 1957, 1982, 1993, and 2005; the UNC men's lacrosse team in 1982, 1986, and 1991; the UNC women's field hockey team in 1985, 1995, 1996, and 1997; the women's team handball team won in 2004; and the men's team handball team has won the last three National Championships in 2004, 2005, and 2006. The Carolina men's crew team won the 2004 ECAC National Invitational Collegiate Regatta in the varsity eight category. The North Carolina Men's Baseball team is also a perennial power, and in 2006 made it to the Championship round of the College World Series.