Tag Archives: Eric Ebron

ACC 2012 Spring Practice Expectations: North Carolina Tar Heels

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Tailback Giovani Bernard Will Be the Motor That Runs the North Carolina Offense in 2012

As spring practices get under way, we’ll be previewing what needs to happen for the teams and players of the ACC, culminating with notes on all 14 spring games.

Today’s featured team: North Carolina Tar Heels

The Tar Heels’ spring practice preview couldn’t have had worse timing, really. While first-year head coach Larry Fedora will continue to implement his system, the NCAA’s ruling yesterday to ban his team from the postseason obviously looms large. Postseason aside though, Carolina’s offense alone should put them in line to contend for a Coastal Division championship they’re ineligible to win. As much as they’ll spend the spring trying to replace star receiver Dwight Jones, this team is built for a balanced, high-powered attack, even without the assumed first-round pick. In his first season as a starter last year, quarterback Bryn Renner racked up over 3,000 yards to go along with 26 touchdowns. In his own first season of college football, halfback Giovani Bernard recorded 1,615 total yards and 14 scores. So irregardless of who else participates, UNC should be okay as both players progress. That said, it’ll take some additional consistency from the running game outside of Bernard too, especially reserve A.J. Blue. Passing-wise, Brenner will spend the spring targeting seniors Jheranie Boyd and Erik Highsmith, who are both capable targets ready to pick up the slack for Jones’ departure. Continue reading →

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North Carolina Football Banned From 2012 Postseason

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Ineligible for the 2012 Postseason, North Carolina Players Like Eric Ebron Are Understandably Unhappy

#NewFocus is the new mantra of the 2012 North Carolina Tar Heels football team. That is, at least according to Heels’ tight end Eric Ebron. After the ruling yesterday that the team would be docked 15 scholarships and banned from this year’s postseason, the rising-sophomore immediately expressed his unhappiness with the following:

“We Appreciate The Adversity #NCAA That Wont Stop Us From KILLING Every Team This Season #NEWFocus“

It’s a shame to see an entire season derailed for a team sitting on the outside of our early top-25, but it also appears the punishment fits the crime. SBNation’s Carolina March offers this:

“As things go, the ruling was harsh but reasonably fair. The penalty is fairly similar to Ohio State’s, who had the same postseason ban and more scholarships revoked. In that case there was a head coach lying to superiors (and the NCAA prior to a bowl game) instead of an assistant, but also not the academic violations, so you can make your own judgment if you’d like.”

We took a look at Carolina’s schedule a few weeks back, and revisiting it, Ebron and the rest of the Tar Heels definitely have a right to be crushed. Three of the four non-conference games are sure victories. Just four of their eight ACC opponents finished above .500 in 2011, and they match up favorably with two more (Georgia Tech and Virginia). With a lower limit of eight wins or so, and a cast of characters on offense that include standouts like Giovani Bernard and Bryn Renner, this could have been a special team. Now, they may just be remembered along with the 2011 USC Trojans, 2002 Alabama Crimson Tide and others, as some of the best “ineligible” teams in the history of the game.

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