Tuesday, September 14, 2010

UNC shuffles offensive line for Georgia Tech

Jonathan Cooper's experiment at center for North Carolina lasted one game. Cooper, who struggled in the Tar Heels' opener at center, will move to left guard, he said on Tuesday.

Cam Holland, who replaced Cooper after two errant snaps in the LSU loss cost UNC nine points, will start at center. Holland, a junior, started eight games at center in 2009.

With Cooper moving to left guard, senior Alan Pelc will flip sides and start at right guard, which moves sophomore Travis Bond to the bench.

"I'm happy [at guard] and I'm for any way I can help the team," Cooper said Tuesday.

Cooper said he had "first-game jitters" in UNC's 30-24 loss to LSU on Sept. 4. A poor exchange with quarterback T.J. Yates on UNC's second possession of the game gave LSU the ball at the 34-yard line. LSU turned the mistake into a 7-0 lead.

In the second quarter, Cooper snapped the ball from the 8-yard line over Yates' head and through the back of the end zone for a safety. Holland replaced Cooper on the next series. Cooper did finish the fourth quarter as UNC's center.

"Jonathan got off to a rough start," UNC coach Butch Davis said Monday. "He settled down and gained some confidence as the game went along."

-- J.P. Giglio

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

UNC-Cheat should shuffle half their team into the GT game in pinstripes. This is NOT the Carolina way!

David I said...

Anon 7:49pm, what an ignorant comment to make. There are 98 players on the UNC football team and twelve (12) of those 98 are in question at this time. No one has been found guilty of anything at this point in time. Some will, but right now none have.

Most importantly, this piece has absolutely nothing to do with ANY of the 12 players who are in question. It's one thing to be an ABCer, but some of you ppl are just plain sad with the amount of hatred you guys display towards kids who are between 18-23. Grow up.

Anonymous said...

Who had more players arrested this summer? If you said NCS, you would be right.

Anonymous said...

Not to worry UN-Cheat fans. 0-13 last year and 0-12 this year in football after the NCAA rules in a few weeks. Remember what your mama taught you: Cheaters never win.

Just think. Big Marv and his twitter account pulled back the veil of hypocrisy on Chapel Hill. Cheers!

Anonymous said...

Looks like Coach Davis and Coach Blake gave UNC the "business." UNC: To seem rather than to be.

Anonymous said...

Anon 10:15 - Cheaters do win. The lesson is 'cheaters never prosper.' But why should we expect the writer of such a brilliant comment to correctly dispense advice?

WDB said...

Sorry to troll here (because it really does annoy me when fans of one school/team post comments on another school/teams comments section that have nothing to do with the article - and yes that means I'm annoyed by what I assume to be a fellow Wolfpacker), but Anonymous 9:39, didn't Carolina have a LB arrested for possession of a controlled substance earlier this summer too?

I know someone did, I just honestly can't remember who it was. Do you think he'll be missing any time for it?

(And not to split hairs, but if we're talking about this summer, that would be you guys - our guys were stupid in the Spring)

Anonymous said...

WDB. I think you missed the word "more" Who had "more" players arrested. Good look on the spring versus summer but actually ncsuX had players arrested in the spring (for abusing geriatrics and other violence) and in the summer (four players three with multiple charges each)

WDB said...

Yeah - my bad, I missed the word "more" - good catch.

Any update on disciplinary action for the UNC LB?

AJ said...

WDB,
The player you speak of was arrested for simple possession of marijuana. That charge was reduced and prosecution deferred in return for the player agreeing to perform community service. In fairness, I also believe I read that the State players arrested had all charges dismissed bc of an improper search by the police.
On another note, I find it interesting that some of you out there expect the NCAA to hand out punishments harsher than those imposed on USC for what will likely turn out to be lesser infractions. Bush and his family accepted over $300K that has been identified, by agents. I hardly think that a few players accepting a trip to a party in Miami will come anywhere close to that! Yet you expect the NCAA to strip Carolina for two full years of games? And you have the nerve to accuse Carolina football players of being stupid? The stupidity of some of you out there is approaching legendary!

Anonymous said...

The NC STATE players were suspended from play for 1 full game. That was after their charges were dismissed. Sturdivant was still in contention to start if he was cleared by the NCAA. It's just UNC fans deflecting blame, issues, etc... It's their MO.

Get the facts before the attacks.

Anonymous said...

I think what you are missing with the Reggie Bush situation is that it was just him. Unfortunately, we have multiple players involved, along with the knowledge of coaches and people in the "compliance" department. Butch is getting a $300k bonus today to run UNC and the ACC through the mud. I would take a few possession charges that get dropped over name smearing on ESPN any day.

Anonymous said...

The tutor has been identified and is in hiding since Coach Davis knew that she helped the players cheat by writing their papers for them.

Anonymous said...

Anon @ 9:52AM said, "I think what you are missing with the Reggie Bush situation is that it was just him."
Obviously you haven't read "The Fall of Troy" in today's Observer. Feel free to check it out.

http://secexpats.blogspot.com/2010/09/fall-of-troy.html

The big difference between the UNC and USC investigations is that not only did USC not cooperate, they went out of their way to be uncooperative. Their mentality was that "We're USC and shouldn't have to answer to anyone as long as we're winning!" UNC has been much more cooperative and despite what their critics are saying, the administration has taken matters very seriously and suspended players without any such suspensions coming from the NCAA.
I'm not advocating what may have happened at UNC, but I do wonder at all the negativity coming out of it in light of the other schools involved in the probe. I also wonder why its such a big deal when you consider that Michigan is under a serious investigation right now for coaching violations and excessive practices that are forbidden by the NCAA. Florida, the other USC/Carolina, FSU, and Georgia are all under the same investigation, but don't get nearly as much national press as UNC. I also wonder about the recent admission of Bruce Pearl, basketball coach at Tennessee, who has admitted while he and UT were under investigation for recruiting violations, that he LIED to and fabricated false statements to investigators! Yet nobody is screaming for further sanctions or for him to be fired. In fact, the UT President applauded him for coming clean! This was after he LIED a year ago to NCAA investigators!
Also, during the entire Duke / Corey Magette scandal a few years ago, no one raised this much of a stink.

Anonymous said...

All of this leads me to one of two possible conclusions:
1. Either other schools are given a pass when they cheat, because its expected of them, or assumed that in order to be consistently successful in football, a program has to be able to bend some rules. In the case of traditional football powerhouses, the NCAA gives a slap on the wrist and a pat on the butt to those types of programs, and other, less "historical" programs are held to a higher standard and "made an example of" when violations are found. The exception would be USC, which would probably gotten a much lighter sentence had they only acted appropriately ashamed in public, instead of so arrogantly.
Or 2. the other option is that all of us, UNC fans, alumni, and critics/rivals/ABC'ers hold UNC to a higher standard than other universities. We all recognize that for decades, our Athletic program has fared well, and won multiple championships in multiple sports, without the slightest hint of infraction. We not only appreciate that, but it hurts all the more when that trust is abused. The ABC'ers are right about one thing, we Carolina faithful HAVE been arrogant about running a clean program, and winning with it! We SHOULD be arrogant about it! Hell, those of you who rag us about it should be ashamed that you can't hold your own universities up to the same standards!
I may not be proud that this occurred at my beloved university, but I have to say that I'm proud with the way the administration has handled it! They have held players out even though some of those players may end up being cleared of any wrongdoing. They have uncovered other, possibly more serious, academic infractions, and reported those and launched an investigation of their own instead of lying or trying to cover it up. Not to say its right or make excuses, but I'm certain that there aren't many football programs that wouldn't uncover some sort of violations if they really dug down deep. The problem is that most of us really don't want to know what goes on in a major college football program. We'd rather keep our heads in the sand and cheer all the wins, make excuses as to why the player we got, who can run a 4.2 40, can't seem to score more than the bare minimum on his SAT or ACT. We should all be ashamed, bc the problems that are occurring at UNC, USC, UF, UT, UM, UGA and other universities, is a byproduct of fans, boosters, and the press' constant need to crown a team #1, with little regard to how said team got there.

Anonymous said...

Why must every bit of UNC FB info return to that subject of cheating, academic fraud, loss of administrative control,over paid coaches, etc. ? 12.2 % of the FB players have ruined things for the other 88% that work hard, graduate with some degree or another like African Studies, and proudly wear the light blue for the State of NC. This is all NC State's fault. They turned in Anchorman Austin because of jealousy. They will pay for this dearly when they come to Chapel Hill later this year.

Anonymous said...

Go Heels. more great coaching moves by Coach. Watch out Ga Tech, we got you and the rest of the ACC in our sights! ACC and National Champs will be ours. We don't need no stinkin rules to get in our way!

Anonymous said...

Kerliner Way, BABY! Deal with it!

Anonymous said...

I saw where ESPN reported some of the former UNC players involved in the scandal were busted for hauling drugs hidden in furniture purchased at the same hotel as the agent giving the parties. How coincidental is that?

I bet a story like that woud sell some papers if this particular newspaper would punlish it.

Anonymous said...

UNC always give GT a hard time in Chapel Hill, but I think the Jackest will beat the Hels easy this saturday. Hve you guys looked into getting Mia Hamm to be your kicker? UNC took a Miami guy and now the luster has tarneshed. Where is a Temo when you need him? HHAHA Temo can't spell the last name but he was so nice to me when I was at UNC Basketball camp when Jordan was a freshman, and the white Dourghaty was a High school senior that got an offer at camp. Dave colescot and mike O'Korn were my camp leaders. Is the Srunkin head beautique still there?