INDIGNANT: North Carolina's Holley is annoyed that hometown Rutgers didn't recruit himBy Bill Cole JOURNAL REPORTER CHAPEL HILL Jesse Holley hasn't forgotten a perceived slight that occurred four years ago when he was being recruited, and the memory could spark his play on Saturday in North Carolina's season opener against Rutgers. Holley grew up in Roselle, N.J., only a short drive from the Rutgers campus in New Brunswick. He said that Rutgers ignored him during the 2002 high-school season and wasn't serious about wanting him, although he was one of the top receivers in the state and a SuperPrep All-America. Now he would like to deliver the message in person, helping the Tar Heels start their season with a win. "My main focus on Saturday is to help my team win," Holley said. "I want to help my team win, but in every game you have your individual goals and this game is personal to me for the fact that there is a small, bitter taste in my mouth for the way Rutgers recruited me." Rutgers did recruit Holley, who finished his high-school career as his school's all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards and touchdown catches. The manner in which Rutgers' coaches handled the situation, by making a late stab at signing him, is what upset Holley and still rankles him today. "The school is only 20 or 25 minutes from me and those guys didn't recruit me as heavy as other guys did," Holley said. "Other coaches from top universities were flying in week in and week out to sit in with me at my school. And Rutgers, who was a skip away and could easily drive down, it was like they never even really paid me no attention. It was like my 10th or 11th scholarship offer." Among the programs recruiting Holley then were Ohio State, Wisconsin and Virginia, in addition to North Carolina. But Holley wouldn't have stayed home to play his college football had Rutgers started recruiting him earlier and been more persistent. Had Rutgers offered him a scholarship at the beginning of the recruiting process, he wouldn't have accepted. "It's the principle," Holley said, breaking into a big smile. "They were late. And it's sad. There were guys like Coach Tressel (Jim, of Ohio State) and Coach Alvarez (Barry, of Wisconsin) and Coach Groh (Al, of Virginia), all those guys from big-time Division I football programs came to see me. "Coach Schiano (Greg, of Rutgers) and his staff were right up the road. And for those guys to not come in until like real late, that was disappointing." And when Rutgers' coaches finally came to Holley's home to talk to him, he wasn't willing to listen. "Let's just say I made our meeting real short and sweet," Holley said. Holley didn't grow up a Rutgers fan. He followed Nebraska back then. Rutgers' program was struggling at the time but Schiano's determined work and meticulous recruiting helped last season's team go 7-5 and play in the school's first bowl game in 27 years. Rutgers finished third in the Big East Conference, going 4-3. Coach John Bunting of North Carolina signed Holley with the help of Dean Smith, North Carolina's legendary basketball coach. Holley was an outstanding basketball player in high school and wanted to play basketball in college also. Bunting promised Holley the opportunity. Smith's insight into the basketball program, although he was retired in 2002, helped persuade Holley that his best future was in Chapel Hill. Holley was a reserve guard on North Carolina's 2005 NCAA Tournament championship team for Coach Roy Williams and won a national championship ring. Holley has 89 catches entering his senior season. He would need 89 catches, which would be the most in a season in school history, to break the career receiving mark of 177 catches, set by Jarwarski Pollock last season. He needs 18 to break into the top 10 all-time. Bunting said that Holley might have an NFL future because of his quickness and catching ability. "He is a very versatile athlete," Bunting said. "He is somebody that has a great work ethic. He reminds me somewhat of Sam Aiken (a former North Carolina receiver), who's been in the league for a long time now. He is a vicious blocker. He's got the competitiveness that you want in an NFL player. And he's still a young player in my mind. "He's one of those guys in our program who would have benefited from a redshirt year. He's still learning." • Bill Cole can be reached at bcole@wsjournal.com |
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