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<p>The former Tar Heel is an “again” Tar Heel!</p> <div id= ...
<p>The former Tar Heel is an “again” Tar Heel!</p> <div id= ...
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><feed xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xml:lang="en"> <title>Tar Heel Blog - All Posts</title> <subtitle>Tar Heel born, bred, and working on that third thing</subtitle> <icon>https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49603/tarheelblog-fav.png</icon> <updated>2024-05-04T13:00:00-04:00</updated> <id>http://www.tarheelblog.com/rss/current/</id> <link type="text/html" href="https://www.tarheelblog.com/" rel="alternate"/> <entry> <published>2024-05-04T13:00:00-04:00</published> <updated>2024-05-04T13:00:00-04:00</updated> <title>UNC Basketball: Harrison Ingram invited to the NBA Draft Combine</title> <content type="html"> <figure> <img alt="NCAA Basketball: NCAA Tournament West Regional-Alabama vs North Carolina" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/kV844YAaT1Yy39jzwClnFj28cBg=/0x0:5198x3465/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73327229/usa_today_22892560.0.jpg" /> <figcaption>Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption> </figure> <p>The former Stanford player has a chance to show what he’s made of in front of NBA scouts. </p> <p id="qhO50F">It has been a few years since UNC has been represented in the NBA Draft Combine if we do not count transfers, but this year is the return of representation. Yesterday it was announced that Tar Heel forward Harrison Ingram was one of the players selected to participate in the combine. </p><div id="GxXWM7"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true" align="center"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The list for the 2024 NBA Draft Combine. <a href="https://t.co/cjxi8Ku6L2">pic.twitter.com/cjxi8Ku6L2</a></p>— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) <a href="https://twitter.com/JonRothstein/status/1786509973591031814?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2024</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </div><p id="pwaYzc">We have heard for a while now that Ingram could get drafted in the second round of the NBA Draft, and now his invite to the combine adds some validity to the claim. Members of the NBA vote on a pool of players that they would like to get a closer look at via workouts, measurements, and interviews in order to best determine who they are interested in drafting. Now that he has the invite, Ingram has a chance to show all of the scouts why he deserves to hear his name called in late June.</p><p id="EgbV9N">Harrison Ingram’s lone season as a Tar Heel was as impressive as anybody could’ve hoped for. He finished his season averaging 12.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game. He showed improvement in his overall field goal percentage (43%) from his previous seasons at Stanford, but shooting at a 38.5% clip from deep was his most impressive feat. Ingram was one of three primary threats from the perimeter for the Tar Heels, which was good enough to help win an ACC regular season title and make it to the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA Tournament. </p><p id="jb9awG">While we love statistics when we look at players, Ingram’s best trait is that he is hyper competitive and knows how to get the best out of the guys around him. When he arrived in Chapel Hill he brought a fire to the team that wasn’t there in the last two seasons. This team played with an edge, and Ingram was to thank for a lot of that. He loves to talk, he loves to push buttons, and he proved to be the ultimate teammate. He rarely tried to do things he shouldn’t be doing and tried to do everything that the team needed, and that kind of mentality should win over any NBA scout.</p><p id="L637r5">The NBA Draft Combine begins May 12th and will conclude on May 19th. What do you think about Ingram making the cut? Let us know in the comments below. </p> </content> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.tarheelblog.com/2024/5/4/24148769/unc-basketball-north-carolina-tar-heels-harrison-ingram-invited-nba-draft-combine"/> <id>https://www.tarheelblog.com/2024/5/4/24148769/unc-basketball-north-carolina-tar-heels-harrison-ingram-invited-nba-draft-combine</id> <author> <name>Brandon Anderson</name> </author> </entry> <entry> <published>2024-05-04T11:00:00-04:00</published> <updated>2024-05-04T11:00:00-04:00</updated> <title>UNC Football: A look ahead to next year’s NFL Draft</title> <content type="html"> <figure> <img alt="Duke’s Mayo Bowl - North Carolina v West Virginia" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/1JFpQF7NgUjqcgo3kij2OwWV95A=/0x0:4978x3319/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73327059/1888573662.0.jpg" /> <figcaption>Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images</figcaption> </figure> <p>He’s not a quarterback, but this fall’s UNC team will also feature a surefire next-level player on offense</p> <p id="0y6MZx">When I looked ahead at the next year for <a href="https://www.tarheelblog.com/2022/5/7/23058846/unc-tar-heels-football-nfl-draft-2023-early-look-prospects-josh-downs-myles-murphy-underclassmen">UNC’s potential draftees two years ago</a>, I was almost hilariously wrong. I said Josh Downs was a late first-early second rounder, and he slipped to the third (though his rookie year production sides with me over the NFL). I called Myles Murphy a sure draft pick in 2023; he basically was never better than in his first season playing and is now an undrafted free agent with the Cardinals. I thought Tony Grimes and Ja’Qurious Conley were likely draft picks with a change in defensive coordinator helping revitalize them... turns out I was only playing myself by trusting Gene Chizik to do much of anything. And I called Antoine Green and Cedric Gray long shots — Green put together a fine season in 2022 and worked himself into the 7th round in 2023, and Gray, of course, was All-ACC two years in a row on his way to getting drafted early in the 4th round this year. I wasn’t totally wrong on Gray, to be fair; I said he was clearly an excellent player but might need more than one full season before he declared for the draft, and that’s what happened. I do think he would’ve been draftable last year, though.</p><p id="jRsj12">All that preamble is to say that basically everything about the <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nfl-draft">NFL Draft</a> is a crapshoot. Teams are wrong way more often than they’re right; even the most educated fans are wrong even more often than that; and then there’s me, who’s far from educated on football. I’m bad enough at evaluating UNC’s draft prospects when the NFL’s already deemed them draftable; trying to call them a year out makes me even more likely to be wrong. But it’s fun for me and hopefully informative for you even if it doesn’t end up being accurate, so let’s do it — here’s a rundown of everybody I think has a legitimate chance to hear their names called at the end of next April.</p><h2 id="JZeIny">The Locks</h2><h3 id="BDaAWT">Omarion Hampton, Running Back</h3><p id="GjaklY">While Hampton won’t have the kind of buzz and attention this fall that Drake Maye had throughout the 2023 college football season and into this draft process, he’s no less outstanding a prospect at his position than Maye was at his. The 2023 Doak Walker Award finalist broke out as a sophomore, fixing basically everything that was keeping him on the bench as a physically-ready freshman: he ran with improved vision, became a willing, decent pass protector, and cut down on the fumbles. With the trust of the coaches, he was able to let his physical gifts shine as he became one of the best running backs in the country. Hampton’s combination of speed and power is a rare one — he’s a big back, listed at 6’0, 220, and he uses it effectively to punish defenders at the second and third levels by initiating contact, driving his legs, and never going down easily. But he also has breakaway speed, as a high school track athlete who’s reportedly been laser-timed with a sub-4.4 40-yard dash. I think that’s probably a little hyperbolic, but a time in the 4.40-4.42 range wouldn’t surprise me at all. He’s not a perfect prospect; he gets hit early a lot because he doesn’t do very well to get skinny through a crease and present a smaller target, and his hands are reasonable but not natural in the passing game to go with route-running that’s rudimentary at best, but I could see a lot of that getting ironed out with another year of development after seeing how much his game improved from Year 1 to Year 2. </p><p id="tl2WDQ">Running backs, except for the elite of the elite, are pretty devalued in the draft, and I don’t think Hampton is the kind of prospect to break that trend. <strong>But I’d expect him to be a top-5 back in next year’s class and be taken between the mid-3rd and early 5th rounds.</strong></p><h3 id="iop7XC">Alijah Huzzie, Defensive Back</h3><p id="cpYMYu">I was pretty surprised Huzzie didn’t declare for the draft after this season; I thought he had the tape to be picked on Day 3 even though he was playing out of position and away from his strengths for most of the year. The decision makes a lot of sense, though, now knowing that the UNC staff is fully planning on keeping him as an outside corner in 2024, where I expect he’ll shine. The 5’10 Huzzie is a lockdown cornerback who plays physically in coverage and in the run game, and he now has a year’s worth of experience playing nickel in case his size makes that a better fit for him at the next level. Right now, though, his skills really show themselves when he gets matched up with a receiver on the boundary, where he plays with great technique whether he’s playing press-man, press-bail, or off, in zone and in man. He’s a tremendously skilled player whom I hope can return to his peak form from early in the season — it was seriously dismaying watching his play grow more timid as Chizik’s coaching influenced him more and more. If that happens, and he can blossom as a legitimate cornerback, I think size is the only thing that will stop his name from being called early-mid Day 2. <strong>Ultimately, I’ll prognosticate him as an early Day 3 pick.</strong></p><h3 id="TWi3JJ">Kaimon Rucker, Edge Rusher</h3><p id="Ztwhry">“The Butcher,” as he’s fondly come to be known, had a real breakout season with 8.5 sacks as a full-time starter for UNC. He’s got fantastic hands, bend, and speed-to-power conversion to have his way with college offensive tackles, and he plays with an absolutely relentless motor. He might not have NFL measurables, at 6’2, 265 pounds with a pretty squatty build, but I find it hard to bet against him making his way onto a roster because he’s just a really, really good football player. I think it’s almost a guarantee that <strong>some team falls in love with him on Day 3. </strong>He’s a football guy’s dream on the field.</p><h2 id="B0hPv0">Probably-Maybes</h2><h3 id="7V3Rke">J.J. Jones, Wide Receiver</h3><p id="vKkVdx">I think Jones is pretty underrated. He was kind of under the radar last year after Nate McCollum’s breakout game against Minnesota and the Tez Walker saga from eligibility to statistical takeover, but he started every game and had 711 receiving yards on the season as mostly a secondary option. The way I see him talked about is as somebody who will do the job but not to the level of the stars who have been around him, and I think that’s a little unfair. I was impressed with the improvement in his route-running from 2022 to 2023 and he’s got really soft, natural hands to catch away from his body, though he does suffer from concentration drops sometimes. He has a chance to be UNC’s WR1 on the outside this year and be a featured part of the offense, and I think that’s something he’ll be able to handle and give the Heels a good amount of production. And he’s definitely got the physical traits for the next level. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see him taken in the later rounds, similar to Antoine Green.</p><h3 id="sHGprk">Power Echols, Linebacker</h3><p id="agBfpb">Echols is an old-school, two-down linebacker who ranges sideline to sideline and punishes ballcarriers, hitting hard and not missing many tackles until the end of last season, when both he and Cedric Gray were clearly feeling the effects of playing more snaps than any other defender in the ACC. He was atrocious in pass coverage in 2022 and improved to merely below average in 2023, so it’s yet to be seen if he can prove himself capable of being a modern NFL linebacker while playing a more coverage-heavy role — it’s been reported that he’s sliding into the position that Cedric Gray occupied the last two years. If so, I can easily see him being a 5th-6th round pick, but it’s a pretty tall order.</p><h3 id="j208Hg">Marcus Allen, Cornerback</h3><p id="t5Qr0f">I’m putting Allen here in the same way that I had Gray as a “long shot” 2 years ago. I think he’s every bit the prospect that Huzzie is, with lockdown potential, physical willingness and decent tackling ability in the run game, experience and ability in man and zone and whether he’s playing on or away from the line of scrimmage, <em>and </em>he’s got prototypical size for an NFL corner, listed at 6’1.5, 190. His consistency comes and goes and he can get a little grabby sometimes, but the first seems like a product of inexperience and the second’s easily fixed. My only question is <em>when </em>he’ll come out to get drafted, because he doesn’t really have the ball production to match how good he is — just one interception last year, though he did have 8 pass breakups. If that production comes, he could be an early Day 2 pick, but my hunch is that he’ll have another quietly excellent year before becoming the star of UNC’s defense in 2025 and <em>then </em>splashing onto the draft scene.</p><h2 id="L6XSc7">Long Shots</h2><h3 id="uLgbm6">Willie Lampkin, Interior Offensive Lineman</h3><p id="arN9c7">Lampkin took the mantle from Asim Richards and Joshua Ezeudu before him as quite good players on quite bad UNC offensive lines. I’m less sure about Lampkin as an NFL prospect than those two, though, and it really does come down to his size. The line of scrimmage is a place where technique can only get you so far against the frankly absurd bodies that are across from you at the next level, and I already feel like when Lampkin isn’t close to perfect, it ends up looking a lot more catastrophic than it would if he had the size to take advantage of his foot speed and recover. If he has a home at the next level, it’s probably at center, but the glimpse we caught of him snapping, in UNC’s bowl game last year, wasn’t very pretty. </p><h3 id="xsVNyn">Des Evans, Edge Rusher</h3><p id="BqN9uL">UNC fans collectively have been waiting on Des Evans’ high school pedigree and drool-worthy physical gifts to manifest into a star player on defense, but after four years, it seems unlikely to happen. Evans right now is a strong run defender who sets the edge well and has the speed to pursue running backs bouncing to the outside, but he’s an extremely inconsistent tackler. Worse still, his pass rushing just hasn’t developed at all, and while he showed glimpses last season of a spin move and improved bull-rush technique, it quickly went by the wayside within a few games. He’s already talked about how much better he feels about the new coaches in terms of positional coaching and defensive scheme, so <em>maybe</em> this year, things come together, and if that happens even a little bit, those physical gifts could turn him into an NFL prospect very quickly. Based on playing time and impact trends towards the end of last season, I expected to hear Beau Atkinson’s name pop up more in spring practice reports as somebody coming for Evans’ job, and that didn’t really happen — maybe some change is actually afoot.</p> </content> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.tarheelblog.com/2024/5/4/24148347/unc-tar-heels-football-nfl-draft-2024-2025-preview-season-prospects-omarion-hampton-alijah-huzzie"/> <id>https://www.tarheelblog.com/2024/5/4/24148347/unc-tar-heels-football-nfl-draft-2024-2025-preview-season-prospects-omarion-hampton-alijah-huzzie</id> <author> <name>Akil Guruparan</name> </author> </entry> <entry> <published>2024-05-04T09:00:00-04:00</published> <updated>2024-05-04T09:00:00-04:00</updated> <title>UNC Basketball: Jae’Lyn Withers confirms return for fifth year</title> <content type="html"> <figure> <img alt="NCAA Basketball: NCAA Tournament Second Round-Michigan State vs North Carolina" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/biT3DPtyXno1YxoI1rZKy_vX4ok=/0x146:3347x2377/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73326878/usa_today_22848344.0.jpg" /> <figcaption>Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption> </figure> <p>#24 is back.</p> <p id="JSncGU">Good news continues to develop for North Carolina men’s basketball as Jae’Lyn Withers officially confirmed his return to Chapel Hill next year on Thursday afternoon. The former Louisville Cardinal, who transferred into UNC this time last year, will use his additional year of eligibility in 2024-25 for the Tar Heels.</p><p id="nnX9yP">This wasn't necessarily a shocking announcement because Withers lacked NBA attention. That said, Withers had a handful of options after his one year in Carolina blue, and there was no indication of his future plans for over a month after the NCAA Tournament. All questions were answered when he reassured his commitment to Hubert Davis and North Carolina when Jon Rothstein broke the news earlier this week.</p><div id="uCLSPs"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true" align="center"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">JaeLyn Withers tells me that he's returning to North Carolina next season and will use his additional year of eligibility.</p>— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) <a href="https://twitter.com/JonRothstein/status/1786081774038049215?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 2, 2024</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </div><p id="C5Y1IT">The 6-foot-9 forward from Charlotte averaged just 4.2 points in his inaugural year with the Tar Heels. It was a rollercoaster year for his stock and role, but towards the end of the season Withers proved that his athleticism could be a large spark off the bench. He showed promising flashes throughout ACC play that found him in a consistent role in the North Carolina rotation, and he played a much bigger part in the Tar Heels success than his stats indicate.</p><p id="ERGBka">Withers will be remembered for the ill-advised three-pointer against Alabama in the NCAA Tournament, but he will have an opportunity to blossom into an elite role player on another talented North Carolina roster next season. I presume Withers will still be in the ‘spark plug’ role with possibility of being the first option off the bench.</p><p id="X58qc9">Following the announcement of his return, North Carolina is down to three open scholarships. </p> </content> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.tarheelblog.com/2024/5/4/24148527/unc-basketball-tar-heels-jaelyn-withers-confirms-return-fifth-year"/> <id>https://www.tarheelblog.com/2024/5/4/24148527/unc-basketball-tar-heels-jaelyn-withers-confirms-return-fifth-year</id> <author> <name>Jack Morris</name> </author> </entry> <entry> <published>2024-05-03T11:00:00-04:00</published> <updated>2024-05-03T11:00:00-04:00</updated> <title>Check out this new shirt from BreakingT celebrating Seth Trimble’s return to UNC</title> <content type="html"> <figure> <img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/E5DExE4K_hUpN-0w-2YhdHC7khQ=/791x515:1657x1092/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73324980/SethTrimbleChapelHill_Square.0.jpeg" /> </figure> <p>Hubert gets back his best defender, we get a new shirt. It’s a win-win!</p> <p id="WmSbLO">Last week, it was announced that Seth Trimble is returning to Carolina for his junior season. His stay in the transfer portal was brief, as he soon realized that there wasn’t anywhere else that he would want to be than Chapel Hill. This is something he acknowledged on the <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/carolina-insider/id1153767411?i=1000653662790">Carolina Insider podcast</a>, and if you haven’t gotten a chance to listen to it you definitely should. Trimble gave a very thoughtful explanation about why he went into the portal, what made him leave the portal and return to campus, and his goals for the 2024-25 season.</p><p id="kyn58n">Our friends at BreakingT were excited to hear that Trimble was returning as well, and with that comes new t-shirts! Check out their latest offering: </p> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/AWDypLjuNOFK6hXfVcKMm2HoBdk=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25431094/SethTrimbleChapelHill_Square.jpeg"> </figure><p id="rB9sfU">BreakingT’s latest offering displays a quote from Seth Trimble’s instagram announcement: “My heart and soul belong in Chapel Hill.” Going back to the Carolina Insider podcast interview, Trimble talked about how he was always a Tar Heel, even before he committed to the program. One of his deeper roots is of course his half brother J.P. Tokoto, who also played for the Tar Heels, and it only fueled his desire to play basketball in a Carolina blue jersey. His commitment to the program is huge for Hubert Davis because it means that he not only gets to keep and develop arguably the best defender on the team, but someone who also took a huge step forward offensively this season. Fans everywhere celebrated the announcement, and now you can celebrate in style with BreakingT’s latest offering. </p><p id="TQWBgJ">In case you didn’t know, BreakingT makes some of the best t-shirts that I’ve ever worn. All of their shirts are very soft and comfortable to wear, and the print on the shirts is high quality. There are other brands that make shirts that might last you a couple of years before they start looking busted, but BreakingT shirts will last for a very long time. My closet is proof of that, and no we do not have to talk about how many shirts are hanging in there right now.</p><p id="7rOh6c">You can buy your Seth Trimble shirt by <a href="http://breakingt.com/TarHeelBlog" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">clicking this link</a>. Happy Shopping, and Go Heels!</p> </content> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.tarheelblog.com/2024/5/3/24147644/unc-basketball-north-carolina-tar-heels-seth-trimble-t-shirt-breakingt"/> <id>https://www.tarheelblog.com/2024/5/3/24147644/unc-basketball-north-carolina-tar-heels-seth-trimble-t-shirt-breakingt</id> <author> <name>Brandon Anderson</name> </author> </entry> <entry> <published>2024-05-03T09:00:00-04:00</published> <updated>2024-05-03T09:00:00-04:00</updated> <title>UNC Baseball: Midweek Recap</title> <content type="html"> <figure> <img alt="MLB: APR 27 Guardians at Braves" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/7lA15eQ5mBaclhj0sDmA53X0gYI=/0x0:1937x1291/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73324597/2150190612.0.jpg" /> <figcaption>Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption> </figure> <p>The Tar Heels head into the exam break second in the conference. </p> <p id="69ZACs">The <a href="https://www.tarheelblog.com">North Carolina Tar Heels</a> (35-11, 17-7) head into the exam break leading the Coastal Division and just one game behind the conference lead. Carolina has a three-game lead in the division with eight games to go in the regular season. </p><p id="XEqEoa">The Tar Heels will be back in action on Tuesday, May 7th against Campbell, and will host Louisville next weekend. </p><hr class="p-entry-hr" id="pu4fZC"><p id="IoN4TT">With last week’s win over Gardner-Webb and the 2-1 weekend series win over Virginia Tech, UNC improved in all the national polls: </p><ul><li id="6LAHtU">D1Baseball.com: 12 (+3)</li><li id="JJt921">Baseball America: 7 (+5)</li><li id="keZgPA">NCBWA: 9 (+5)</li><li id="1bc63x">USA Today Coaches Poll: 12 (+2)</li><li id="nKO7hW">Perfect Game: 12 (+3)</li></ul><hr class="p-entry-hr" id="S1sZmo"><p id="mhOA9e">On Tuesday night, Carolina started on time and never looked back. Parks Harber started the scoring with a two-run home run to right-center. </p><div id="XDZ5za"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true" align="center"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">CAREER HOME RUN 5⃣0⃣ <a href="https://t.co/DPUbf2LNHj">pic.twitter.com/DPUbf2LNHj</a></p>— Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) <a href="https://twitter.com/DiamondHeels/status/1785448010312544515?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2024</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </div><p id="dQ0wpG">Alex Madera and Gavin Gallaher had RBI singles to extend the lead to 4-0. </p><p id="HljgAL">With Madera, Gallaher, and Luke Stevenson on base, Vance Honeycutt brought everyone in with a grand slam to left-center. </p><div id="IO2C8G"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true" align="center"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BASES LOADED, BASES CLEARED! <a href="https://t.co/VHDBHvojkg">pic.twitter.com/VHDBHvojkg</a></p>— Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) <a href="https://twitter.com/DiamondHeels/status/1785453082127773698?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2024</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </div><p id="HZwUSv">In the top of the third, Carolina got out of a bases-loaded jam to keep Charlotte scoreless. In the bottom of the inning, Colby Wilkerson had an RBI single to center to extend the UNC lead to 9-0. </p><p id="2voqFw">After a scoreless fourth, Wilkerson tallied two more RBIs off a double to the corner. </p><div id="aPFHU3"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true" align="center"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We have a double-digit lead! <a href="https://t.co/KU1bQ7Wdea">pic.twitter.com/KU1bQ7Wdea</a></p>— Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) <a href="https://twitter.com/DiamondHeels/status/1785472395064786948?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2024</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </div><p id="Ds6K1s">The 49ers scored their lone run in the top of the sixth. The Tar Heels responded in the bottom half of the sixth with a score off a wild pitch and a bases-loaded walk. </p><p id="Yftlzb">UNCC did not score in the seventh and Carolina earned a 13-1 victory in seven innings. </p><p id="VdGL2j">Cameron Padgett earned the win. He allowed just four hits in five innings of work. Kyle Percival was on the mound for the final two innings and struck out three of nine batters faced. </p><hr class="p-entry-hr" id="W3REds"><p id="7lhtin">Once again in action on Wednesday, Carolina scored enough in the first inning to go the distance, this time against William and Mary. And just like on Tuesday, Harber started the scoring with a home run. </p><div id="ZmoCMO"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true" align="center" data-conversation="none"><p lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/VAKzK2Xd0e">pic.twitter.com/VAKzK2Xd0e</a></p>— Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) <a href="https://twitter.com/DiamondHeels/status/1785796004383719597?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2024</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </div><p id="UUoQ6x">Stevenson started a two-out rally by driving in Madera on a single to right. During the next at-bat, Stevenson initiated a double-steal, taking second while Gallaher stole home for the fifth run of the inning. </p><div id="78uRaY"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true" align="center"><p lang="da" dir="ltr">Stolen base + stolen base = run!!! ♂️ <a href="https://t.co/VvaNlv5LfR">pic.twitter.com/VvaNlv5LfR</a></p>— Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) <a href="https://twitter.com/DiamondHeels/status/1785798851531858079?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2024</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </div><p id="RWI0iB">Honeycutt’s second hit of the inning was an RBI single to left. Casey Cook drove in two runs, and then Harber capped the nine-run inning with his fourth RBI with a single to left. </p><p id="aKfVMk">Gallaher had an RBI single to left in the second to make it 10-0. </p><p id="4DfA2e">In the third, Honeycutt hit a solo shot to left. </p><div id="0yiHNz"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true" align="center"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Two away from the record. <a href="https://t.co/O2WZyc4CvQ">pic.twitter.com/O2WZyc4CvQ</a></p>— Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) <a href="https://twitter.com/DiamondHeels/status/1785809322645262767?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2024</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </div><p id="h36xfW">Later in the third, Cook scored on a wild pitch, and a bases-loaded walk scored Harber. A Wilkerson double to left drove in two for a 15-0 lead. </p><div id="3ZFt8z"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true" align="center"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Colby doubles down the line and drives home two. 15-0 at the end of three. <a href="https://t.co/y5b22L3bV6">pic.twitter.com/y5b22L3bV6</a></p>— Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) <a href="https://twitter.com/DiamondHeels/status/1785815260450246913?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2024</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </div><p id="tE9fp1">In the fourth, Jackson Van De Brake finished off the scoring with an absolute laser of a grand slam to left. </p><div id="MtVBtL"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true" align="center" data-conversation="none"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We are lovin' this moment <a href="https://t.co/TXBNXztYG0">pic.twitter.com/TXBNXztYG0</a></p>— Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) <a href="https://twitter.com/DiamondHeels/status/1785821738099679678?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 2, 2024</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </div><p id="4ZW65u">The Tribe broke the shutout in the top of the seventh, but once again the Tar Heels run-ruled the opposition and the game ended in seven innings. </p><p id="8Jhxp1">Ben Peterson earned the win. In five innings of work, he allowed just three hits and one walk while striking out five. </p><hr class="p-entry-hr" id="GEm3ma"><p id="gDa7Ok">Below are the individual leaders for UNC:</p><p id="V0gXQf">Batting (minimum 2 PA/G and 75% of games played):</p><ul><li id="FDSHTi">Batting average: .374 - Gavin Gallaher (9th in ACC)</li><li id="Gjd5IY">Slugging percentage: .733 - Parks Harber (6th in ACC)</li><li id="0sHW0i">Home runs: 18 - Vance Honeycutt (T-1st in ACC)</li><li id="Zr4BMc">RBI: 60 - Casey Cook (2nd in ACC)</li><li id="2ulW3q">Hits: 62 - Casey Cook (T-8th in ACC)</li><li id="8YIKGU">Runs: 64 - Vance Honeycutt (1st in ACC)</li><li id="VaPg01">On-base percentage: .450 - Gavin Gallaher</li><li id="ephtun">Stolen bases: 26 - Vance Honeycutt (2nd in ACC)</li></ul><p id="tnMk6l">Pitching (minimum 1 IP/G):</p><ul><li id="2LF6US">ERA: 3.40 - Shea Sprague (4th in ACC)</li><li id="oyMo7V">Strikeouts: 51 - Jason DeCaro</li><li id="UJJHEm">Innings pitched: 56.0 - Jason DeCaro</li><li id="0Si5PT">Wins: 11 - Matthew Matthijs (1st in ACC)</li><li id="3f8IrU">Saves: 5 - Dalton Pence (T-4th in ACC)</li><li id="ybY3Yy">Opposing Batting Average: .231 - Jason DeCaro (8th in ACC)</li></ul><p id="PmR0yn"></p><p id="DUerq8"></p><p id="DwQ3el"></p> </content> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.tarheelblog.com/2024/5/3/24147078/unc-north-carolina-tar-heels-baseball-midweek-recap-acc-ncaa"/> <id>https://www.tarheelblog.com/2024/5/3/24147078/unc-north-carolina-tar-heels-baseball-midweek-recap-acc-ncaa</id> <author> <name>Evan Davis</name> </author> </entry> <entry> <published>2024-05-02T11:00:00-04:00</published> <updated>2024-05-02T11:00:00-04:00</updated> <title>UNC Basketball: Hard to Leave</title> <content type="html"> <figure> <img alt="NCAA Basketball: NCAA Tournament Second Round-Michigan State vs North Carolina" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Svqxuc6UWI1galIeAJArmuo7P8w=/0x0:6012x4008/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73322628/usa_today_22847132.0.jpg" /> <figcaption>Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption> </figure> <p>I’ve only done it twice, but it’s tough each time</p> <p id="QxG5pH">It’s a special place. We all know that—anyone who’s been lucky enough to spend longer than a weekend in Chapel Hill can feel it. There’s something between the bricks and the low stone walls around campus, something that pools in the cool shadows under those old oaks in the quad and shines in the springtime sun. Maybe it’s the sky above, reflecting that perfect shade of blue from on high. Maybe it’s the way the breeze strolls down Franklin, carrying a refreshing warmth, not yet tipping into the heat of the summer.</p><p id="JXBaj4">Chapel Hill is a tough town to leave. I’ve only ever done it twice; once, headed for the high country of North Carolina and the promise of going to school in a town that wasn’t the one in which I grew up. After graduation, though, I found myself back in Chapel Hill, drawn back home like a magnet and slipping right back into the familiar rhythms of a townie in the southern part of heaven. The second time, far more recent than that ever-receding chunk of time spent in school, was to move to our first house in Raleigh earlier this year; a quick jaunt down I-40 but a world of difference in terms of rooting interests. </p><p id="1qCQGa">RJ Davis obviously feels at least some of that same affection for this college town. The reigning ACC Player of the Year is returning to Chapel Hill, opting to run it back one more time and delaying the start of what promises to be a lucrative career playing ball professionally somewhere. I don’t think NIL money can explain the decision completely; it’s good, I’m sure, but there is plenty of money waiting in whichever league he decides to join after next season. The way this past season ended probably has something to do with it; a disappointing outing for the star guard in the one game in which the Heels couldn’t afford anything less than what he had given all year. </p><p id="guI8GL">Those are things that RJ doubtlessly weighed as he came to his decision, but I have to think that the town also played at least a small part in this outcome. I mean, where else are you going to get a biscuit like they make at Sunrise? And while there are certainly other bars with novelty drinkware, there’s nothing quite like a Blue Cup from He’s Not Here. </p><p id="zs0BEb">RJ Davis gets to call Chapel Hill home for one more year. I can’t wait to watch a team that will greatly benefit from his continued leadership, even if his stats take a dip from the incredible heights he reached last season. He’s back in Chapel Hill, and I think we can all agree that’s fantastic news. I’d be lying, though, if I said I wasn’t a little bit jealous. </p> </content> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.tarheelblog.com/2024/5/2/24146782/unc-north-carolina-tar-heels-basketball-hard-to-leave"/> <id>https://www.tarheelblog.com/2024/5/2/24146782/unc-north-carolina-tar-heels-basketball-hard-to-leave</id> <author> <name>Max Sloan</name> </author> </entry> <entry> <published>2024-05-01T13:00:00-04:00</published> <updated>2024-05-01T13:00:00-04:00</updated> <title>UNC Football: Quarterback Jacolby Criswell returns to Carolina</title> <content type="html"> <figure> <img alt="NCAA Football: Auburn at Arkansas" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/SEigFHLUGQnr27GtwehG46i_smQ=/0x0:3487x2325/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73320485/usa_today_21876812.0.jpg" /> <figcaption>Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption> </figure> <p>The former Tar Heel is an “again” Tar Heel!</p> <div id="TO60Iq"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fCjsUxbNmIs?rel=0" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share;"></iframe></div></div><p id="4EeNH4">UNC’s quarterbacks room just welcomed a familiar face via the transfer portal. Jacolby Criswell is returning to Chapel Hill after a year at Arkansas.</p><div id="v6W1TS"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true" align="center"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Transfer quarterback Jacolby Criswell, who last played at Arkansas for the 2023 season, has committed to transfer to North Carolina, per ESPN sources. Criswell started his career at UNC, playing from 2020-22, and will have two seasons of eligibility remaining. <a href="https://t.co/SPhIhgIcB9">pic.twitter.com/SPhIhgIcB9</a></p>— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeteThamel/status/1785291402223423955?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2024</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </div><p id="c5Jt2v">Criswell was a backup for three years at Chapel Hill during a period when UNC suited up its best two quarterbacks Sam Howell and Drake Maye. After Howell declared for the NFL Draft following his junior season, Mack Brown and former offensive coordinator Phil Longo were both adamant that Maye and Criswell were neck and neck for the starting quarterback job for the 2022 season. Maye ended up winning the starting nod and never looked back.</p><p id="N2u49u">With no realistic road to meaningful playing time in 2023, Criswell entered the transfer portal and went to Fayetteville, Arkansas, a mere two-hour drive from his hometown of Morrilton. Unfortunately, Criswell only managed to play in four games (17-27 passing for 143 yards, 3 passing touchdowns), as he was firmly behind starter KJ Jefferson in the Razorback pecking order. </p><p id="FzV4xK">Former and “again” head coach Bobby Petrino returns to Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium next season, and he plucked Boise State quarterback Taylen Green out of the transfer portal. When a new coach brings “his guy” to campus, it’s not hard to read the writing on the wall. It was time for Criswell to make a move.</p><p id="9Co15t">UNC has a legitimate quarterback competition this summer between returning sophomore Conner Harrell and Texas A&amp;M (and LSU) transfer Max Johnson. When redshirt freshman Tad Hudson left for the portal, it opened up a spot in the quarterback room for depth, so what better addition than somebody familiar with the program who showed plenty of arm talent and wheels during his time in Chapel Hill? Criswell is a great depth piece that can easily push both the starter and back-up.</p><p id="GqtaaZ">Welcome back to Chapel Hill and Kenan Stadium, Jacolby!</p><p id="rEDOWD"></p> </content> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.tarheelblog.com/2024/5/1/24145720/unc-north-carolina-tar-heels-football-quarterback-jacolby-criswell-returns-transfer-portal"/> <id>https://www.tarheelblog.com/2024/5/1/24145720/unc-north-carolina-tar-heels-football-quarterback-jacolby-criswell-returns-transfer-portal</id> <author> <name>Michael McKay</name> </author> </entry> <entry> <published>2024-05-01T11:00:00-04:00</published> <updated>2024-05-01T11:00:00-04:00</updated> <title>UNC Baseball: Folger Boaz is out for the season</title> <content type="html"> <figure> <img alt="North Carolina v Virginia" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/79N0XZds6znM7EuF0IA1oJMCUrI=/0x0:6764x4509/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73320115/1493276491.0.jpg" /> <figcaption>Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images</figcaption> </figure> <p>The freshman pitcher had exited a game with apparent injury two weeks ago.</p> <p id="NmuvUs">When Folger Boaz left the mound early in his midweek start against South Carolina with apparent discomfort, it wasn’t clear how serious that discomfort might be or whether Boaz would be able to return for the Diamond Heels anytime soon. On Monday, head coach Scott Forbes <a href="https://247sports.com/college/north-carolina/article/folger-boaz-north-carolina-baseball-season-ending-injury-230317777/">gave UNC fans the news</a> nobody wanted to hear: Boaz’s elbow injury will keep him out for the remainder of the season. </p><p id="oRjUlr">It’s obviously awful news for Boaz, who entered the season as the Friday night starter after Jake Knapp’s UCL injury before the season. The lefty was the first freshman to start opening day for UNC since 1998 and established himself as a bona fide ACC starter in his first several games, giving Forbes 4+ innings consistently without giving up too many runs. ACC play was more challenging for him, with rough starts against Virginia and Miami, but he did have a gem of a start against <a href="https://www.bloggersodear.com">Wake Forest</a>’s loaded lineup. He had led the team in starts with 9 before his injury, and compiled a 5.77 ERA with 39 strikeouts and 19 walks in his 39 innings pitched. Hopefully his recovery is speedy and complete, and he can come back next year ready to be even better.</p><p id="pTdahj">On the UNC roster side of things, the #12 Diamond Heels seem to have settled into a weekend rotation in Boaz’s absence of Jason DeCaro, Shea Sprague, and Aidan Haugh, all of whom pitched well against <a href="https://www.gobblercountry.com/">Virginia Tech</a> this past weekend. The weekday rotation is more in flux, however, with no fourth or fifth starting pitcher really taking the reins and forcing themselves into those roles. According to Inside Carolina, Olin Johnson and Ben Peterson will start this week’s games against Charlotte (Tuesday) and Gardner-Webb (Wednesday). Johnson has been erratic but occasionally effective, as you might expect from a freshman, and Peterson has struggled with command this season but has been a good pitcher for UNC in the past — starting might be good for him. It’s unfortunate that the team is still searching for a couple of starting-caliber pitchers as the season comes to its final few weeks, especially because we know they have two who have been sidelined due to injury in Boaz and Knapp, but that’s baseball. We can only hope that they’ll come back stronger next year.</p> </content> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.tarheelblog.com/2024/5/1/24144891/unc-diamond-tar-heels-baseball-folger-boaz-injury-out-for-season-scott-forbes-pitcher"/> <id>https://www.tarheelblog.com/2024/5/1/24144891/unc-diamond-tar-heels-baseball-folger-boaz-injury-out-for-season-scott-forbes-pitcher</id> <author> <name>Akil Guruparan</name> </author> </entry></feed> If you would like to create a banner that links to this page (i.e. this validation result), do the following:
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