The Tarheels

North Carolina’s spring football practice officially ended on Apr. 3, but Davis talked about the continued growth that his program has experienced in each of the past three spring sessions.
“Each spring has probably been a little better from the standpoint that our players have a greater understanding of what we’re asking them to do,” Davis said. “We also understand our players better, and things that they need to improve on and areas that we can get better in as a team.”

The 57-year-old head coach indicated that his squad made it through their NCAA-allowed 15 practice opportunities “with no major significant injuries,” while also praising the new additions to his staff in Allen Mogridge (tight ends), Art Kaufman (linebackers) and Troy Douglas (defensive backs).

“I think all three of them are great fits,” Davis said. “The players have really adapted to them, and from that standpoint, I think we’ve made some progress.”


If there’s one word that is synonymous with a Butch Davis-led program, then it’s speed. The third-year UNC head coach lifted Miami out of probationary ruin on the wheels of lightning-fast players across the roster, and with three full recruiting classes soon to be present in Chapel Hill, speculation has increased as to when this North Carolina program will move like the Hurricanes of old.
One thing that has changed since Davis’ tenure at Miami (’95-’00) is the incorporation of spread and single-wing concepts in offenses across the country. Florida – boasting two national championships in the past three seasons – is the poster child for the spread offense.

“It really puts a premium on having a fast, athletic defensive team,” Davis said. “I think that we’re moving in that direction. I think we’ve certainly got some guys that can run, and with each recruiting class, we hope to continue to add to that. And I think Jeff Connors has done a good job with our strength and conditioning program in helping our kids’ mechanics and helping them run better, so we’re making some strides there.”


While North Carolina did manage an 8-5 season in 2008 and has plenty of hype heading into 2010, Davis made it clear that his current program is nowhere near where Miami was during its heyday in the late-‘80s and ‘90s.
“That was the byproduct of 8-10-12-14 years of a program growing and building and adding players to the program every single year,” Davis said. “The concepts and the philosophies obviously are the same – we want to build a very, very fast athletic defensive team that can run. A lot of depth in the defensive line, and we would love playmakers at all five of the skill positions on offense.”

A significant portion of the building process is adding depth – not just bodies, but talented individuals who can step in and assure that there will be no drop off in execution or speed. Filling the cupboard has been a three-year task, and it’s not quite full yet.

“In 2007, we were paper thin,” Davis said. “We were one injury away at almost every single position from playing somebody that either wasn’t ready to play or didn’t have the ability to play. Last year, we had some depth at some positions, but certainly not enough at all of them. And we faced some adversity last year, losing the quarterback for six or seven games and we lost some other guys that were pretty significant contributors throughout the course of the season…

“As a program, we’re still not to the point that we’ve got the depth where the second- and third-team guys are every bit as talented as the starters. Hopefully, we’ll continue to recruit good kids and we’ll get there someday.”


With the NFL Draft only 10 days away, several questions on Wednesday focused on Davis’ absurd draft success at Miami. Twenty-eight Hurricanes under Davis’ tutelage were picked in the first round, including four (LB Dan Morgan, DT Damione Lewis, WR Santana Moss and WR Reggie Wayne) following his final season in Coral Gables.
That 2000 Miami squad also included future first-round draft choices OT Bryant McKinnie, TE Jeremy Shockey, CB Phillip Buchanon, SS Ed Reed, CB Mike Rumph, WR Andre Johnson, DE Jerome McDougle, DT William Joseph, RB Willis McGahee and second-round pick RB Clinton Portis. That ensemble of talent finished the 2000 season ranked second in the nation in scoring, fifth in total offense, fifth in scoring defense and eighth in pass defense.

Davis credits part of his success in talent evaluation to his days in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys (’89-‘94).

“[It] really opened my eyes an awful lot to the position-specific requirements that it takes for kids to excel at certain positions,” Davis said. “We kind of used that philosophy at Miami and used a critical eye in evaluating players – ‘What was going to be deceiving? What was going to be the upside of this player to recruit him and bring him into your program?’ And we did have some success. Certainly not every kid that we brought in was a first-rounder, but a lot of them were really good college football players.”

But Davis is not about to take full credit for the eventual star-studded resumes of his former standouts.

“God blessed them with great athletic ability, but they also had a tremendous amount of competitiveness and work ethic to push themselves to become great players,” Davis said.


Since we’re on the topic of the Miami Hurricanes, it’s looking as though the program’s 14 consecutive years with a first-round draft pick may come to a close on Apr. 25. When asked about playing a part in that run, Davis pointed out that he simply followed the philosophy set out by Howard Schnellenberger and Jimmy Johnson of utilizing pro-style offenses and defenses that would better prepare their players for the NFL.
“The schemes that you run certainly have a lot to do with helping those players make the transition from college football to the NFL,” Davis said. “… When a pro scout comes in and watches [a player], they value what he’s learned in college

 

Number of scholarships “currently” occupied for 2009, including all 09 signees: 92 (or 7 "over" the NCAA maximum).

Notably, however, between now and August of 2009 there will be certain attrition due to medical hardships, qualification/discipline issues and/or transfers from 3rd/4th year players who have not yet cracked the 2-deep that will cause more scholarships to be available.

Because of the annual limit of 25, at least 4 of the 7 players necessary to be attritioned out will come from among the 29 2009 signees

Spring Practice Depth Chart:

Quarterbacks:
13 TJ Yates (6-4, 215, Jr-4) (38; 3 star)
7 Mike Paulus (6-3, 215, So-3) (11; 4 star)
14 Braden Hanson (6-5, 195, Fr-2) (34; 3 star)

Tailbacks:
20 Shaun Draughn (6-1, 205, Jr-4) (24; 3 star)
32 Ryan Houston (6-2, 245, Jr-3) (20; 4 star)
5 Jamal Womble (5-10, 220, Fr-2) (13; 4 star)

Fullbacks:
4 Bobby Rome (5-11, 245, Sr-5) (UR; 2 star)
6 Anthony Elzy (5-10, 205, Jr-4) (62; 3 star)
45 Devon Ramsay (6-2, 245, So-3) (6 FB; 3 star)

Flankers:
8 Greg Little (6-3, 210, Jr-3) (12; 4 star)
82 Todd Harrelson (6-1, 190, Fr-2) (77; 3 star)
34 Johnny White (5-10, 205, Jr-4) (41; 3 star)

Split Ends:
83 Dwight Jones (6-4, 225, So-2) (16; 4 star) OR
3 Joshua Adams (6-4, 200, Fr-1) (42; 3 star) OR
85 Rashad Mason (6-5, 225, So-3) (14; 4 star)

H-backs:
33 Christian Wilson (6-3, 240, So-2) (7: 4 star)
49 Ryan Taylor (6-3, 240, Sr-4) (46; 3 star) - out for spring
84 Vince Jacobs (6-6, 240, Jr-4) (28; 3 star)
86 Randy White (6-5, 240, Fr-2) (UR; 2 star)

Tight Ends:
17 Zach Pianalto (6-4, 260, Jr-3) (21; 4 star)
80 Ed Barham (6-3, 260, Jr-4) (73; 2 star)

Left Tackle:
72 Kyle Jolley (6-6, 300, Sr-5) (UR; 2 star)
71 Carl Gaskins (6-5, 300, So-3) (UR; 2 star) (lt/rt?)

Right Tackle:
66 Mike Ingersoll (6-5, 300, Jr-4) (UR; 2 star) (lt/rt?)
77 Kevin Bryant (6-7, 340, So-3) (27; 4 star) (rg/rt?)

Right Guard:
70 Alan Pelc (6-6, 325, Jr-4) (UR; 2 star) (rg/lg/rt?)
67 Greg Elleby (6-5, 305, Jr-4) (UR; 2 star)

Left Guard:
64 Jon Cooper (6-3, 295, Fr-2) (42; 3 star) (c/g?)
73 Aaron Stahl (6-2, 290, Sr-5) (UR; 2 star) - out for spring
68 Mike Dykes (6-4, 300, So-3) (67; 3 star) (lg/rg/rt?)

Center:
69 Lowell Dyer (6-4, 290, Sr-5) (UR; 2 star)
65 Cameron Holland (6-2, 300, So-3) (78; 2 star)

Nose Tackles:
93 Cameron Thomas (6-3, 330, Sr-5) (52; 3 star)
97 Aleric Mullins (6-2, 300, Jr-4) (31; 4 star)
98 Darrius Massenburg (6-4, 300, Jr-4) (40; 3 star) OR
96 Tavares Brown (6-0, 300, Sr-4) (78; 3 star)

Rush Tackles:
9 Marvin Austin (6-3, 300, Jr-3) (1; 5 star)
91 Tydreke Powell (6-3, 300, So-3) (10; 4 star)
78 Jordan Nix (6-4, 300, So-3) (JC; 2 star)

Strong side defensive ends:
42 Robert Quinn (6-5, 270, So-2) (19; 4 star)
94 Michael McAdoo (6-7, 250, So-2) (48; 3 star)

Weakside defensive ends:
92 E.J. Wilson (6-3, 280, Sr-5) (UR; 2 star)
90 Quinten Coples (6-6, 250, So-2) (21; 4 star)
55 Linwan Euwell (6-2, 230, So-3) (68; 3 star)

Strong-side Linebackers:
54 Bruce Carter (6-3, 230, Jr-3) (64; 3 star)
57 Dion Guy (6-4, 230, Fr-2) (UR; 2 star) OR
35 Herman Davidson (6-2, 230, So-2) (19; 4 star)

Middle linebackers:
52 Quan Sturdivant (6-2, 230, Jr-3) (9; 4 star)
36 Kennedy Tinsley (6-0, 230, Sr-5) (UR; 2 star)
48 Kevin Reddick (6-3, 230, Fr-1) (12; 4 star) - out for spring

Weakside linebackers:
47 Zach Brown (6-2, 230, So-2) (Prep; 4 star) OR
58 Ebele Okakpu (6-2, 230, So-2) (11; 4 star)

Free Safety:
27 Deunta Williams (6-2, 200, Jr-4) (14; 4 star) - out for spring
10 Melvin Williams (6-0, 200, Sr-4) (JC; 4 star) (ss/fs?)
25 Matt Merletti (5-11, 200, Jr-3) (UR; 2 star) (fs/ss?)

Strong Safety:
21 Da'Norris Searcy (6-0, 200, Jr-3) (8; 4 star)
28 Jonathan Smith (6-2, 200, Jr-3) (35; 2 star) (ss/fs?)

Boundary Corner:
23 Jordan Hemby (5-10, 185, Sr-5) (29; 3 star) OR
12 Charles Brown (5-10, 200, Jr-3) (UR; 2 star)

Cover Corner:
16 Kendric Burney (5-9, 185, Jr-4) (46; 3 star)
37 LaCount Fontroy (5-11, 185, So-3) (UR; 2 star) OR
29 Brian Gupton (6-3, 200, So-3) (UR; 2 star) (fs/cb?)

Kicker:
11 Casey Barth (5-11, 160, So-2) (20; 2 star) OR
18 Jay Wooten (6-3, 185, So-3) (17; 2 star)

Punter:
39 Grant Sherlock (6-7, 225, Jr-4) (walk-on)

Deep Snaper:
51 Trevor Stuart (6-3, 250, Jr-4) (UR; 2 star)

09 signees scheduled to arrive this fall:
QB Bryn Renner (6-3, 195, Fr-1) (8; 4 star)
QB Donovan Tate (6-2, 205, Fr-1) (18; 4 star)
ATH A.J. Blue (6-1, 205, Fr-1) (PS; 4 star)
TB Jerrell Rhodes (5-9, 180, Fr-1) (89; 3 star)
WR Jhay Boyd (6-3, 180, Fr-1) (7; 4 star)
ATH Vincent "Ray-Ray" Davis (6-1, 190, Fr-1) (80; 3 star)
ATH WR Erik Highsmith (6-2, 170, Fr-1) (UR; 2 star)
WR Joshua McKie (6-0, 175, SC) (126; 3 star)
TE Prizell Brown (6-4, 260, Jr-3) (UR, 2 star)
OT Brennan Williams (6-6, 275, Fr-1) (9; 4 star)
OG Johnnie Farms (6-2, 305, Fr-1) (11; 4 star)
OT Travis Bond (6-7, 330, Fr-1) (29; 3 star)
OT David Collins (6-7, 300, Fr-1) (62; 3 star)
DT Jared McAdoo (6-3, 300, Fr-1) (29; 3 star)
DE Donte Moss (6-4, 240, Fr-1) (1; 5 star)
LB Justin Dixon (6-3, 230, Fr-1) (4; 4 star)
LB Hawatha Bell (6-1, 230, Fr-1) (15; 4 star)
LB Shane Mularky (6-2, 210, Fr-1 (76; 2 star)
S Angelo Hadley (5-11, 190, Fr-1) (44; 3 star)
ATH Hunter Furr (6-0, 200, Fr-1) (97; 3 star)
S Curtis Campbell (6-2, 205, Fr-1) (UR; 2 star)
DB Terry Shankle (5-11, 175, Fr-1) (30; 4 star)
DB Gene Robinson (5-10, 160, Fr-1) (28; 3 star)
DB Mywan Jackson (5-11, 170, Fr-1) (67; 3 star)
DB Josh Hunter (6-1, 175, Fr-1) (64; 3 star)
DB DJ Bunn (5-11, 190, Fr-1) (129; 2 star)
P CJ Feagles (5-11, 180, Fr-1) (UR; 2 star)
__________________________________________________

2009 Roster by Class Year:

09 Seniors (11)
1. Melvin Williams (4 star: JC)
2. Jordan Hemby (3 star: #29)
3. Camaron Thomas (3 star: #52)
4. Ryan Taylor (3 star: #46)
5. Tavares Brown (3 star: #78)
6. Kyle Jolly (2 star: UR)
7. EJ Wilson (2 star: UR)
8. Aaron Stahl (2 star: UR)
9. Lowell Dyer (2 star: UR)
10. Bobby Rome (2 star: UR)
11. Kennedy Tinsley (2 star: UR)

09 Juniors (25):
12. Marvin Austin (5 star: #1)
13. DaNorris Searcy (4 star: #8)
14. Quan Sturdivant (4 star: #9)
15. Greg Little (4 star: #12)
16. Deunta Williams (4 star: #14)
17. Ryan Houston (4 star: #20)
18. Zach Pianalto (4 star: #21)
19. Aleric Mullins (4 star: #31)

20. Shaun Draughn (3 star: #24)
21. TJ Yates (3 star: #38)
22. Kendric Burney (3 star: #46)
23. Bruce Carter (3 star: #64)
24. Anthony Elzy (3 star: #62)
25. Vince Jacobs (3 star: #28)
26. Darrius Massenburg (3 star: #40)
27. Johnny White (3 star: #41)

28. Jonathan Smith (2 star: #35)
29. Charles Brown (2 star: UR)
30. Matt Merletti (2 star: UR)
31. Alan Pelc (2 star: UR)
32. Mike Ingersoll (2 star: UR)
33. Prizell Brown (2 star: UR)
34. Ed Barham (2 star: UR)
35. Greg Elleby (2 star: UR)
36. Trevor Stuart (2 star: UR)

09 Sophomores (22):
37. Christian Wilson (4 star: #7)
38. Tydreke Powell (4 star: #10)
39. Ebele Okakpu (4 star: #11)
40. Zach Brown (4 star; PG)
41. Mike Paulus (4 star: #11)
42. Rashad Mason (4 star: #14)
43. Dwight Jones (4 star: #16)
44. Robert Quinn (4 star; #19)
45. Herman Davidson (4 star; #19)
46. Quinton Coples (4 star; #25)
47. Kevin Bryant (4 star: #27)

48. Devon Ramsay (3 star: #6)
49. Michael McAdoo (3 star: #48)
50. Mike Dykes (3 star: #67)
51. Linwan Euwell (3 star: #68)

52. Cameron Holland (2 star: #78)
53. Jay Wooten (2 star: #17)
54. Casey Barth (2 star: #20)
55. Carl Gaskins (2 star: UR)
56. LeCount Fantroy (2 star: UR)
57. Jordan Nix (2 star: UR)
58. Bryan Gupton (2 star: UR)

09 Freshmen (19) (* = possible redshirt):
59. Donte Moss (5 star; #1)*
60. Justin Dixon (4 star; #4)*
61. Jhay Boyd (4 star: #7)*
62. Bryn Renner (4 star; #8)*
63. Brennan Williams (4 star: #9)*
64. Johnnie Farms (4 star; #11)*
65. Kevin Reddick (4 star; #12)*
66. Jamal Womble (4 star: #13)*
67. A.J. Blue (4 star; PS)*
68. Hawatha Bell (4 star: #15)*
69. Donovan Tate (4 star: #18)*
70. Terry Shankle (4 star; #30)*

71. Brendan Hanson (3 star: #34)
72. Jon Cooper (3 star: #42)
73. Joshua Adams (3 star; #42)*
74. Todd Harrelson (3 star; #77)

75. Randy White (2 star: UR)
76. Dion Guy (2 star: UR)
77. CJ Feagles (2 star: UR)*

Likely 09 Redshirts (15):
78. Gene Robinson (3 star; #28)
79. Jared McAdoo (3 star; #29)
80. Travis Bond (3 star; #29)
81. Angelo Hadley (3 star; #44)
82. David Collins (3 star; #62)
83. Josh Hunter (3 star; #64)
84. Mywan Jackson (3 star: #67)
85. Vincent Davis (3 star: #80)
86. Jerrell Rhodes (3 star: #89)
87. Hunter Furr (3 star: #97)
88. Joshua McKie (3 star; #126)

89. Shane Mularky (2 star: #76)
90. DJ Bunn (2 star: #129)
91. Curtis Campbell (2 star: UR)
92. Eric Highsmith (2 star: UR)
_____________________________
Open numbers for 2009:

Skill Players: 1, 2, 11, 15, 19
Boyd (2), Renner (9), McKie (10), Highsmith (15), Feagles (18), Tate (32)

RB/CB/SS: 24, 26, 30, 31, 38, 39, 40
Robinson (1), Bunn (4), Jackson (5/8), Hadley (6), Blue (9), Furr (10), Shankle (12), Hunter (18), Rhodes (22)

FS/LB/DE: 41, 43, 44, 51, 53, 56
Mularky (5), Moss (9), Dixon (33), Bell (34), Campbell (44)

OT/OG/C: 60, 61, 62, 63
Farms (69)

DT/OT: 74, 75, 76, 79
Bond (75), Williams (78), Collins (79), McAdoo (81)

WR/TE/DL: 81, 87, 88, 89, 95
Davis (2), McKie (10), Highsmith (15), P.Brown (18), McAdoo (81)

 

Franchise, how much did IC go up?

 

I don't know, they just automatically renew on my amex, my wife just pays the bill. I know alot of people have complained about it here and on IC.

 

I'm well aware of that. There is no excuse for what he did. I'm not pretending what he did was ok. I just don't get why you are so happy to hear this. This has nothing to do with him going to UNC, that's just you trying to weasel your way out of being an overly pathetic NCSU fan. The fact that you are happy, perhaps even overjoyed to post about a UNC recruit getting in trouble shows that you care way too much about NC State and college football in general. Trying being a person instead of a fan.

 

The fact that you are trying to blow this off shows how out of touch you are. You are a delusional moron if you think anyone is happy that a kid commits statutory rape. It is pathetic that you can't get past that fact and try to make this about me when it is about a kid that Davis recruited who committed statutory rape. You are a pathetic waste who is putting football above a 14 year old who had felonious statutory rape committed on her. Seriously, you need to step away and look at the bigger picture if you can't see why this is an issue. No one is happy this happened but let's get real, this isn't a misdemeanor drug charge. This is a felony committed on a 14 year old.

Now, this does show the type of character that Butch is recruiting. Some of us have been warning y'all that you were doing some shady recruiting and this is just one proof of that. Dwight Jones being another (kid that Clemson stopped recruiting because he couldn't get into Clemson but Butch found a way....).

 

Yeah you seemed so upset.

I think in his case it was an error in judgement and nothing more. He hasn't been in trouble before on or off the field, it isn't like this is the latest incident in a long running string of negative activities.

It's hilarious that you try to make this about Butch Davis and the kids he is recruiting. Is this the part where you rip Jim Tressel, Mark Richt, Nick Saban, Ron Zook, and Urban Meyer who all actively recruited him and offered him a scholarship? What about Frank Beamer and Philip Fulmer who recruited Jones?

 

Jeez, the art of sarcasm is lost on many. Truly no surprise that there are many wal-marters on this thread.

He very well may be able to plead it down if he truly does have a clean record as y'all say. Doesn't change the fact that it is a felony and by the law, it is statutory rape.

And, oh yeah, Butch is still shady and this won't be the last criminal he brings on campus. Count on that!!!

 

How in the hell does this make Butch Davis shady? The kid had never been in trouble before, so there was no way in hell he could have known this would happen.

If you would do a little research, you would know that Butch Davis is a disciplinarian who actually cleaned up Miami football while he was there, so the whole premise of your argument is pure bullshit.

 

Oh haha you used the walmart line again. Pure brilliance. You should have added a couple UNC-Ch's and tar-hole references too.


Idiots like you make state fans look worse than any walmart unc fan does. That shit goes both ways..the only reasonable State fans I know went to school there.