Duke, Featured stories, N.C. State, The skinny, UNC

Good move for ACC basketball to play more conference games

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Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner John Swofford announced Thursday that beginning in the 2012-13 season the league will play an 18-game conference schedule in basketball. Good move. In fact, it’s a shame there can’t be more.

The best days of conference play were when each team played the other twice, once at home and once away. You always knew you had another shot at the team and it built interest among fans. To go a year without playing another conference opponent at all is ridiculous but even this plan might not change that.

With the ACC expanding to 14 teams, in order to play all home and away, you’d have to play 26 conference games and that’s undoable. The days of smaller conference are gone but for those who remember, those were the days.

“Our member institutions have been talking about this increase for awhile and knowing our league will be expanding to 14 in the future, we’ve decided to move to an 18-game conference schedule next year, regardless of our membership number,” Swofford said. “The additional conference games create a more equitable schedule and we’ve received significant feedback from our fans for more conference games.”

Featured stories, N.C. State, The skinny, UNC

Tar Heels, Wolfpack are underdogs in bowl matchups

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Sporting News is predicting both local teams – UNC and N.C. State – to lose their football bowl games. A seven-person CBS Sports panel picks Missouri over UNC 4-3 while the same panel picks Louisville over State 5-2. The WhatIfSports simulation game predicts Missouri 26, Carolina 22 and Louisville 26, NC State 23. Football USA predicts Missouri 28, Carolina 24 and Louisville 21, NC State 20. Below are previews of the two games.

Monday, December 26, 2011
Advocare V100 Independence Bowl

North Carolina (7-5, 3-5 ACC) vs. Missouri (7-5, 5-4 Big 12) ESPN2; 5p.m.
Independence Stadium (49,147); Shreveport, La.

The Series: Missouri leads 2-0.
First bowl meeting
The Coaches: Everett Withers: 7-5 (1st year) at North Carolina and overall
Gary Pinkel: 85-54 (11th year) at Missouri; 157-91-3 (21st year) overall
Last Meeting: Oct. 2, 1976: Missouri 24, North Carolina 3 at Columbia, Mo.: The 12th-ranked
Tigers racked up 557 yards of total offense in handing the No. 14 Tar Heels their
first loss of the season. UNC earned a Peach Bowl bid that season and finished the season at 9-3.

North Carolina … The Tar Heels are 13-15 in all bowl games and 13-12 as ACC members. The Independence will be their fi rst postseason game in Louisiana and their first contest in the state since a 42-10 win at Tulane on Nov. 13, 1993. … ACC teams are 10-11 all-time against schools representing the Big 8/Big 12 at game time.
UNC has never played a Big 8/Big 12 team in postseason. … UNC is in a bowl for the fourth straight season, its longest streak of postseason participation since 1992-98. … North Carolina is one of five FBS teams with an 1,100-yard rusher (RB Giovani Bernard, 1,222) and an 1,100-yard receiver (WR Dwight Jones, 1,119). Missouri has played two of the other teams in that group of five, losing to Baylor and Oklahoma State. … Bernard is 43 yards from the second-highest freshman rushing total in ACC history. … The Tar Heels have held five of their past six opponents below the national average in total offense. … For theseason, six of 12 opponents failed to rush for 80 yards against North Carolina, which permitted an average of 3.14 yards per rush. … In four non-conference games, QB Bryn Renner has completed 67-of-88 passes (.761) for 958 yards, eight TDs and four INTs.

Missouri … The Tigers are 12-16 in all bowl games and are playing their fi rst postseason contest against an ACC member. … Missouri is in a bowl for the seventh
consecutive season and for the eighth time in nine years. … The Tigers are making their third Independence Bowl appearance, having defeated South Carolina in 2005 and lost to Arkansas in 2003. … In all action, the Tigers are 4-4 against the ACC. … The Tigers enter on a three-game winning streak that concluded the 2011 regular season. … Four of their five losses have been by 10 or fewer points. For the season, they have gained 2,835 yards rushing and 2,834 by passing. … RB Henry Josey amassed 263 rushing yards on only 14 carries in a win over Western Illinois on Sept. 17; the yardage total is the fifth-highest by an FBS player this season. Josey is 12th nationally with 116.8 rushing yards per game. … QB James Franklin is one of only three FBS players with 800 or more rushing yards and 2,000 or more passing yards in 2011; the others are Chandler Harnisch of Northern Illinois and Denard Robinson of Michigan. … The Independence is one of three bowls in which both teams have one of the nation’s 25 leading rushers; the others are the Rose (Oregon-Wisconsin) and the Alamo (Baylor-Washington).

Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Belk Bowl

NC State (7-5, 4-4 ACC) vs. Louisville (7-5, 5-2 Big East) ESPN; 8 p.m.
Bank of America Stadium (73,667); Charlotte, N.C.

The Series: Louisville leads, 3-0
First bowl meeting.
The Coaches: Tom O’Brien: 32-30 (5th year) at NC State; 107-75 (15th year) overall
Charlie Strong: 14-11 (2nd year) at Louisville and overall
Last Meeting: Sept. 29, 2007: Louisville 29, NC State 10 at Raleigh, N.C.: After allowing eight
touchdown passes and 925 yards of total offense in the previous two games, the
Cardinals forced five turnovers and pulled away for a victory over the Wolfpack. Coach Tom O’Brien’s first team, struggling
to find an offensive flow because of injuries to quarterbacks, was still a couple
of weeks away from hitting its stride. A four-game late-season winning streak
helped the club finish at 5-7.

NC State … The Wolfpack is making a bowl trip in consecutive seasons for the fi rst time since 2000-03. … State is 13-11-1 in all bowl games and 13-10-1 while in
the ACC. … NC State is 2-2 against the Big East in bowl games. … This is the program’s second appearance in the Bowl game in Charlotte; the Pack defeated South Florida 14-0 in the 2005 Meineke car Care Bowl … To qualify for postseason, the Pack won its final two regular-season games, defeating No. 8 Clemson 37-13 and Maryland 56-41. The triumph over the Tigers was the program’s first against a Top-8 opponent since the 24-7 result over No. 2 Florida State on Sept. 12, 1998, and in overcoming a 27-point
defi cit against the Terrapins, they delivered the largest numerical comeback in the program’s history. … QB Mike Glennon threw eight TD passes and one interception in
those contests. … The Pack is one of 10 FBS teams with multiple INT and fumble returns for scores this season. … CB David Amerson has tied the ACC’s single-season
record and is the nation’s leader in interceptions with 11. That’s four more than any other player in 2011 and the most by any individual since Wisconsin’s Jim Leonhard
had 11 in 14 games in 2002. Even if Amerson does not pick off a pass against Louisville, his average of 0.846 interceptions per game will be the highest since 2000.

Louisville … The Cardinals are 7-7-1 in all bowl games, including a 1-1 mark against the ACC; they lost to Virginia Tech 35-24 in the Gator Bowl on Jan. 2, 2007 and
defeated Wake Forest 24-13 in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 2,2007. … The Cardinals are 11-10 against ACC teams in all contests. … Louisville earned a share of the Big East title with a 5-2 record in 2011 and won five of its fi nal six regular-season outings. … The Cardindals are 10th nationally against the run, having allowed 103 yards a game,
and 14th in scoring defense (19.17 points per game). Louisville has held six of its opponents to 17 or fewer points. … LB Dexter Heyman has three interceptions
and four sacks on the year. … Louisville’s opponents have returned 12 punts for a total of fi ve net yards in 12 games. … Special teams were key to two Big East victories
for Louisville: an 82-yard TD return of a blocked field goal produced a 10-point swing in an eventual 38-35 win at West Virginia and an 100-yard kickoff return highlighted
a 14-point triumph over Connecticut. … In third-and-1 and third-and-2 situations, the Cards’ opponents have converted only 55.6 percent of the time. … PK Chris
Philpott is one of two FBS kickers with field goals of 50 or more yards in consecutive games; he made a 51-yarder against Cincinnati and a 52-yarder vs. Rutgers.

Featured stories, N.C. State, The skinny

Wolfpack has a chance to make a statement Saturday against No. 1 Syracuse

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The last time, NC State (6-3) hosted a top-ranked non-conference opponent, none of its current squad members were even born yet.

When the Wolfpack hosts top-ranked Syracuse (10-0) on Saturday at a sold-out RBC Center at 6:30 p.m., it will be the first time since 1979 that NC State has entertained a non-conference foe holding the top spot in the national polls.

Notre Dame was the last non-conference opponent to venture into Raleigh holding the No. 1 ranking. The Irish were coached by Digger Phelps and headlined by Kelly Tripucka, Orlando Woolridge and Bill Lambier. The unranked Pack, coach by Norm Sloan, was led by Hawkeye Whitney, Clyde Austin, Tony Warren and Tiny Pinder.

The Wolfpack had reached as high as No. 4 in the Associated Press poll earlier that season after capturing the Great Alaska Shootout title. State would fall from the rankings with four consecutive ACC losses, including a one-point loss to North Carolina on a Dudley Bradley’s steal and layup at the buzzer.

Against the Irish, the Pack fought back from a 46-37 deficit midway through the second half and held a brief lead in the final minute. But a pair of Tripucka free throws with six seconds remaining sealed a 53-52 Irish win.

NC State owns a 5-25 mark all time in against teams ranked No. 1.

Saturday’s contest will be broadcast on ESPN2 with Jon Sciambi handling the play-by-play duties and Hubert Davis providing the color commentary.

– News Release

Featured stories, The skinny

Bulls, Mudcats offer holiday deals in advance of season

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The Durham Bulls and Carolina Mudcats, the Triangle’s minor league baseball teams, are giving opportunities for last-minute Christmas gifts. The Bulls are offering two tickets, a hat and a t-shirt, normally a $50 value for $25. The Ballpark Corner store will be open this Saturday, Dec. 17 from 10am-4pm or you can go to the DurhamBulls.com to order the deal. Over in Zebulon, the Mudcats are offering 12 $10 game tickets, five box seat tickets, a discount coupon for a suite rental and, if you order by the end of today (the 15th), a t-shirt, baseball or hat all for just $35. For more go to CarolinaMudcats.com

Featured stories, The skinny

Ghost of John Kasay haunting Panthers

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Kicker John Kasay was the best, most consistent thing going for the Carolina Panthers. He was an original Panther. The new regime lets him go and signed a lesser veteran in Olindo Mare. After missing a couple of short field goals, the Panthers have signed an undrafted rookie (Nebraska’s Adi Kunalic) to compete against him – this on a team that would be in the Andrew Luck derby if not for the winless Colts.

Why put the blame on Mare? He has kicked 19 of 25 – that alone makes him better than a lot of kickers in the NFL. But add to it that two of those misses were blocks caused by poor offensive line play, and you have coaches making Mare a goat for a poor season.

Sure, Cam Newton is electrifying but he is also a turnover machine when the tough gets going. The defense can’t stop anybody. Yet you’re going to blame a kicker – the kicker you brought in to replace the legendary Kasay, who has gone on to a winning team in the New Orleans Saints. He has six field goals over 40 yards this year, including a 53 yarder and he ranks four in field goals made.

Kasay is certainly better off playing for a Super Bowl contender but it would have been nice to see a player go through his entire career with one team.

Featured stories, Redskins, The skinny

Former Tar Heel signs with Redskins

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Former UNC tight end Richard Quinn has been signed by the Washington Redskins. Quinn, a 2008 grad, played in 29 games, starting four, while with the Denver Broncos.

The Broncos drafted Quinn 64th overall but he reached an injury settlement with them in August have suffering a knee ligament sprain during training camp.

Quinn only caught 12 passes in college and only one pass in the pros but Skins coach Mike Shanahan doesn’t want him for that. “I liked him as a blocker,” Shanahan said. “I thought he was a dominating blocker coming out of college. I was very impressed with the way he moved defensive linemen and linebackers off the line of scrimmage. We’ll get a chance to evaluate him and see how he helps our football team.”

The Redskins need help at tight end after pro bowl starter Chris Cooley was injured early in the year, backup Fred Davis was suspended by the NFL for using a controlled substance and H-back Mike Sellers was injured last weekend against the Patriots.

Quinn, 25, was born in Alabama, went to high school in Ohio and now lives in Fayetteville.

Featured stories, The skinny, UNC

UNC’s Moran named to baseball preseason All-America team

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Sophomore third baseman Colin Moran was named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Preseason All-America Second Team on Wednesday. Moran earned Freshman All-America honors a year ago in addition to being named the National Freshman of the Year by Baseball America.

Moran paced the Tar Heels a year ago en route to the College World Series. Moran hit .335 on the year with a league-high 71 RBI to go along with 20 doubles and nine home runs.

The Rye, N.Y., native earned All-America honors from ABCA, Baseball America and Perfect Game for his stellar debut season for the Tar Heels. Moran also earned Freshman of the Year honors from Baseball America and was named the top freshman hitter by Perfect Game.

Moran and the Tar Heels will open the 2012 campaign Friday, Feb. 17 against Xavier at Boshamer Stadium.

– News Release

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Sports Club to honor veterans Wednesday; Duke women’s assistant to speak

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The Raleigh Sports Club will be honoring our veterans at its next meeting – Wednesday, Dec 7th – Pearl Harbor Day. Please note that the meeting will start 10 minutes early since there is a full agenda. Buffet lines open at 11:30 am so please get there early to avoid waiting in line.

Al Brown, the assistant coach for Duke Women’s Basketball, will be the guest speaker and is first on the agenda. Coach Brown is now in his 7th season alongside Head Coach Joanne P. McCallie. In the last 32 years, Coach Brown has produced numerous winning teams and is widely considered one of the best basketball minds in the game today.

Wesleigh Vick, St. Davids basketball player, will be recognized as the Student Athlete of the Week for his accomplishments in the community, classroom and athletics.

The small children at the church will be singing Christmas songs at the Dec 14th meeting. Please visit our website www.raleighsportsclub.org for the scheduled speakers and student athletes to be honored. The website has been updated with new speakers and pictures from the 2011 meeting year.

Featured stories, The skinny, UNC

Tar Heels miss 10 shots in a row; Henson blocked at the end

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In the second half, North Carolina disappeared offensively for five and a half minutes, missing 10 shots in a row. That proved too much to overcome I suppose as Kentucky beat the Tar Heels 73-72 in Lexington.

While Tyler Zeller hit six of six free throws and finished with 14 points, he also is still having trouble with fumbling the ball down low. Kentucky obviously watched game film as they collapsed on him with double teams to fluster him. At the end of the game, Marshall got the ball to Zeller midway down the paint in good position for a basket or a foul. But, as he has done too much this season, he fumbled with it and popped it up in the air. Henson got the rebound and had a short jumper for the victory, only to have his shot blocked.

For more on the game, please click here.

Featured stories, The skinny, UNC

UNC’s Bernard wins ACC Brian Piccolo Award

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North Carolina redshirt freshman tailback Giovani Bernard (Davie, Fla.), who rebounded from a severe knee injury to become the nation’s leading freshmen rusher, has been named the recipient of the 2011 Brian Piccolo Award, Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner John Swofford announced Friday.

The Piccolo Award has been given annually since 1972 in memory of the late Brian Piccolo to the “most courageous” football player in the ACC. Piccolo was the ACC Athlete of the Year in 1965 and played for the Chicago Bears before his career was cut short when he was stricken with cancer. His courageous fight against that disease was an inspiration to the Bears and the entire football community.

Bernard suffered a severe knee injury, tearing his anterior cruciate ligament on the third day of pre-season practice prior to the start of the 2010 football season which forced him to miss all of last year. After a year of rehabilitation, Bernard returned to lead North Carolina in rushing this year with 1,222 yards and 13 rushing touchdowns. He ranks 3rd in the ACC in rushing and has more rushing yards than any other freshman nationally. With still one game remaining in his season, his yardage total is the 3rd-best by an ACC freshman.

Earlier this year, he became the first Tar Heel football player since 1984 to record five consecutive games with 100 or more yards in rushing and has topped the 100-yard mark seven times this year. He was named ACC Rookie of the Week three times this year: on October 3 for rushing for 146 yards and a TD against East Carolina; on Oct. 31 for rushing for 154 yards and 2 TDs against Wake Forest; and this past week for rushing for 165 yards and a touchdown in UNC’s 37-21 win over Duke.

Coincidentally, Bernard played his prep football at the same high school as Piccolo. A running back who led the nation in rushing in 1965 with 1,044 yards, Piccolo played at Central Catholic High School in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Central Catholic was the predecessor for St. Thomas Aquinas High School, which is where Bernard played.

“Giovani is a special person and is a deserving recipient of this prestigious award,” said North Carolina head coach Everett Withers. “ I know he was disappointed he could not play last year after tearing ligaments in his knee on the third day of practice. However, he was relentless with his rehabilitation, never complained and came back stronger than ever. That’s the type of person he is. He came back in 2011 and had an incredible season for us.”

Bernard is the fifth North Carolina student-athlete to be honored with the Picccolo Award, joining former teammate Robert Quinn, who received the award in 2008, Danny Burmeister (1985), Jim Webster (1971) and Paul Miller (1970), as past Tar Heel honorees.

Previous Winners of the ACC Brian Piccolo Award

1970 Paul Miller, QB, North Carolina

1971 Jim Webster, LB, North Carolina

1972 Mark Johnson, QB, Duke

1973 Al Neville, QB, Maryland

1974 David Visaggio, DG, Maryland

1975 Scott Gardner, QB, Virginia

1976 Jeff Green, DE, Duke

1977 Ralph Stringer, DB, NC State

1978 Rex Varn, DB, Clemson

1979 not available

1980 Jack Cain, DB,Clemson

1981 Aaron Stewart, DB, Duke

1982 Kenny Duckett, WR, Wake Forest

1983 John Piedmonte, OLB,Wake Forest

1984 J.D. Maarleveld, T, Maryland

1985 Danny Burmeister, DB, N. Carolina

1986 Ray Williams, WR, Clemson

1987 no recipient

1988 Jerry Mays, TB, Georgia Tech

1989 Michael Anderson, RB, Maryland

1990 Marc Mays, WR, Duke

1991 Scott Adell, T, NC State

1992 Dan Footman, DE, Florida State

Randy Cuthbert, TB, Duke

1993 Scott Youmans, DL, Duke

1994 Chris Harrison, T, Virginia

1995 Warren Forney, DT, Clemson

1996 John Lewis, RB, Wake Forest

1997 Sam Cowart, LB, Florida State

1998 Anthony Poindexter, DB, Virginia

Corey Simon, DT, Florida State

1999 Chris Weinke, QB, Florida State

2000 Ed Wilder, FB, Georgia Tech

2001 Matt Crawford, T, Maryland

2002 Anquan Boldin, WR, Florida State

2003 Kevin Bailey, OL, Virginia

2004 Frank Gore, RB, Miami

2005 Ryan Best, S, Virginia

2006 Glenn Sharpe, Miami

2007 Matt Robinson, DE, Wake Forest

2008 Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina

2009 Toney Baker, RB, NC State

2010 Mark Herzlich, LB, Boston College,

Nate Irving, LB, NC State