crest mahfouz: UNC focused on new season, not old NCAA questions

North Carolina

UNC focused on new season, not old NCAA questions

Published: 2012-08-04 17:38:00
Updated: 2012-08-05 00:22:21

Aug 5, 2012

Chapel Hill, N.C. ? At the annual "Meet the Heels" event in Chapel Hill Saturday, coaches, players and fans of the University of North Carolina football team were all rooting for the same thing: tough, smart, physical players who hit the books as hard as they hit their opponents.

A new face on the sideline, head coach Larry Fedora, could be a symbol that the Tar Heels have turned a corner. After two years of NCAA scrutiny, players and fans are ready to move on. Fans, Heels kick off new season

Freshman long snapper Conor Fry said,?"With Fedora coming to UNC, I think it's easy because he's brought so much good energy. Positive vibes are here, so I think everyone's mind is off of that."

"That" is the fact that even if they win all 12 regular season games, this year's team has no chance at an ACC Championship or a bowl game.

They are still paying the price for the Tar Heels who flouted NCAA rules about contact with agents, accepted gifts and got too much help from a tutor. In March, the NCAA vacated all 16 wins from UNC's 2008 and 2009 seasons. It imposed the one-year postseason ban on the team, along with?three years of probation, through March 11, 2015, and a loss of five scholarships in each of the next three?seasons.

Saturday's?combination practice, pep rally and autograph session put the focus back on the current players and their performance.?

"We're just going out there and doing our jobs, helping out the seniors, making sure they get a good season," said Miller Snyder, a sophomore kicker.

Fedora said his team would move forward, one step at a time.

"Right now all we're worried about is working hard during camp, preparing for the season and then getting ready for Elon," he said.

The Heels open against the Phoenix at Kenan Stadium Sept. 1 at 12:30 p.m.

Reporters: Kevin Holmes, Jason Jennings
Photographer: Bill Herrero
Web Editor: Jodi Leese Glusco

Most Recent Comments

RE: UNC focused on new season, not old NCAA questions

But so much new cheating has been discovered. There has been a system set up at UNC to keep athletes eligible via phone classes an AF/AM studies with advisors routing students to the fake classes. That is huge.?
- Posted by wrx44

Fact? ?- Posted by RextheSquare

Yep. That is a fact. ewenc was caught cheating,put on NCAA probation, AND then after all that prof. kangaroo created fake/questionable classes. That is a fact !?- Posted by TwKaMF

Just curious, why do you call him Prof. Kangaroo? I'm sensing some bias here...but maybe it's just me...nah, bias pure and hateful.

Knew you Red Ragers would come out of the tall grass in the Cow Pattie field on this one, it's all you live for. I'm smellin more nervousness out of the Red Rage contingent than a guy that cleans septic tanks smells IT. Or maybe it's the orderly took a day off and you Red Ragers have messed yourselves. No matter the day, collective fear, the Red Rage way.

RE: UNC focused on new season, not old NCAA questions

Yup, Klempsun REJECTED D. Jones. Yet he breezes thru a 4 year degree at the (poison) ivy of the south..............

RE: UNC focused on new season, not old NCAA questions

the Wolfpack athletic program will still be a second rate outfit and its supporters will still be the most uneducated and obnoxious in the ACC.?

LoLoL....I think Klempson fans might want in on this action...otherwise, GREAT POST! LoloLol +1982

RE: UNC focused on new season, not old NCAA questions

State fans are so fun. They revere a man who was notorious for, ahem, let's just say "relaxed" academic standards (i'll let yall look for yourselves at his multiple offenses over several years) and rarely actually even graduated players (not to mention players selling tickets and gear on his watch) and left the program in such a sorry state it took them 20 years to turn it around. They hang his name from the rafters and worship him as a hero (for one lucky title run, no less). And somehow still manage to act holier than thou in all of this. You guys do know the NCAA already has seen all this information that is being reported as "new" over the last few weeks right? I'm assuming not given the uneducated posts on here and other places. Blind jealousy leading you to want some police action to dismember a program simply because you know your athletic program can't surpass it on its own merit. How sad. But here's a news flash. UNC athletics can disappear from the face of the earth. And the Wolfpack athletic program will still be a second rate outfit and its supporters will still be the most uneducated and obnoxious in the ACC.?
- Posted by freeteddy

Wow, no offense to the State fans, players,etc., but that posting was definitely spot on!

RE: UNC focused on new season, not old NCAA questions

State fans are so fun. They revere a man who was notorious for, ahem, let's just say "relaxed" academic standards (i'll let yall look for yourselves at his multiple offenses over several years) and rarely actually even graduated players (not to mention players selling tickets and gear on his watch) and left the program in such a sorry state it took them 20 years to turn it around. They hang his name from the rafters and worship him as a hero (for one lucky title run, no less). And somehow still manage to act holier than thou in all of this. You guys do know the NCAA already has seen all this information that is being reported as "new" over the last few weeks right? I'm assuming not given the uneducated posts on here and other places. Blind jealousy leading you to want some police action to dismember a program simply because you know your athletic program can't surpass it on its own merit. How sad. But here's a news flash. UNC athletics can disappear from the face of the earth. And the Wolfpack athletic program will still be a second rate outfit and its supporters will still be the most uneducated and obnoxious in the ACC.?
- Posted by freeteddy

Amen!!!!!! Couldn't have said it better myself....