How senior leadership has helped UNC get through a rough football season
Senior wide receiver Austin Proehl walked out of the end zone clapping his hands, then held them up to his mouth to make a faux mega-phone.
“Na-than Ell-iott,” he chanted, his breath visible in the cold, as the redshirt sophomore quarterback addressed reporters after a North Carolina football practice on Tuesday.
“Yeah,” freshman running back Michael Carter shouted, grinning back at his teammate.
The playfulness seemed to permeate the entire team – a stark contrast from UNC’s state the previous two months of the season, full of sullen expressions after each loss. But the Tar Heels (3-8, 1-6 ACC) earned back-to-back victories and their first home win after beating Western Carolina 65-10 on Saturday. For the first time this season, they have reason to be confident.
But how does North Carolina still have this fire after such a brutal stretch of months? With goals of the Coastal Division title and even a bowl game thrown out the window months ago, the season is effectively over. There is nothing left to play for except pride.
Each of UNC’s coaches has pointed to the same answer: senior leadership. Despite the disappointment, the seniors challenged the underclassmen to remain positive and work hard through the season.
For many of the seniors, that meant playing through pain. Proehl chose to return for the final two games after being sidelined with a broken left clavicle for most of the season. Graduate transfer offensive lineman Khaliel Rodgers decided to delay a surgery two weeks in order to finish the season. Graduate transfer offensive lineman Cam Dillard has played with his ankle wrapped in tape. And after returning against Duke to play with a broken hand, senior lineman Bentley Spain is currently battling through three injuries at once.
“A guy like (Spain) could’ve said, ‘OK, I’m done, I’m gonna rest and heal up and get ready for the next level,’ ” offensive coordinator Chris Kapilovic said. “But he’s out there. I’m starting to call him ‘patches,’ he’s got stuff tied up everywhere.”
Senior Donnie Miles, who broke his right forearm against Notre Dame, told the team before the Pittsburgh game to consider the last three games a new season – and to forget all the previous losses. Senior linebacker Andre Smith, who suffered a season-ending injury against Louisville, has also remained an active supporter.
“Calling it now, Heels win out,” Smith tweeted on Oct. 29, the day after UNC lost to Miami 24-19.
Proehl’s greatest contribution came from the example he set by working to hard to be able to play in the final two games of the season. But even as he was injured and couldn’t play, Proehl continued to lead the wide receivers who were striving to fill his role.
“I never really left,” Proehl said. “Obviously, with surgery, I was out for a week, but then as soon as I came back, I was around a lot, just trying to help out as much as I could, as much as they’d allow me. So I saw every step of the way.”
N.C. State (7-4, 5-2 ACC) presents the most formidable challenge yet in the Tar Heels’ quest to fulfill Smith’s prophecy. The Wolfpack rank No. 55 in the FBS for total defense, and all but two of their starting defenders are seniors, led by Bradley Chubb, who ranks No. 2 in the FBS in tackles for loss. Against UNC’s banged-up offensive line, N.C. State has an undisputed edge.
Still, the Tar Heels enter the contest carrying more momentum than they have all season, with a home win and a conference win under their belt. Win or lose, confidence will help keep them competitive. And thanks to the senior leadership, UNC still has the most important ingredient – motivation to keep fighting.
“We’ve got one game left, and we want to end this season right,” Carter said after the win over Western Carolina. “Coach says, ‘they’ll remember what you do in November.’ So we want to go undefeated in November.’”
This story was originally published November 22, 2017 at 2:01 PM with the headline "How senior leadership has helped UNC get through a rough football season."