CHAPEL HILL– The big news for Carolina football this week is the loss of quarterback Bryn Renner for the remainder of the season. The senior signal caller started 32 games for the Tar Heels in his career and is just the third player in Carolina history to reach 8,000 career passing yards.

But the show must go on, and going forward, the Carolina football team is hoping to continue to build on their recent successes. But how were these counted out, undermanned Tar Heels mired with a 1-5 record able to right the ship?

A lot of the credit has to go to the senior leaders. Although small, they are mighty in spirit. Senior offensive lineman James Hurst has started more games as a Tar Heel than anyone else on the team.

Hurst says the team just needs to keep the focus and intensity through four quarters of football.

“You know any play can be that big play that makes or breaks a game. That was our mindset, and I think we did a great job of focusing and playing all four quarters,” Hurst says.

Hurst says he really appreciated the way a lot of the younger players were really fighting to send out the seniors on a high note. And Hurst says the win against N.C.State will be a cherished memory of his.

“It’s definitely going to be a lifetime memory. I’m never going to forget something like that. You know that’s all I could ask out of my teammates is to play really hard. You could feel that they were playing for the seniors, which is a really good feeling,” Hurst says.

Hurst says he feels like he has been able to help some of the young offensive lineman build confidence in the game plan going into live action on Saturdays.

“I feel like I’ve been able to help them with the game plan and understand what we are trying to do so when they go out there on Saturdays you don’t have to think as much. It’s a little more natural. Hopefully, those guys feel like I’ve been doing a good job of that. Just going out there on Saturdays, and those guys having confidence is what I’m worried about,” Hurst says.

As far as the task at hand for Homecoming, Hurst says the playing level of the Virginia Cavaliers is far superior to their 2-7 record.

“You know you look at their record, and you see that they aren’t having that great of a year. But if you watch them on film, it’s a little different story. You see that they have a lot of potential. They’re definitely going to bring it,” Hurst says.

 

Related Stories
‹
UNC Football Single Game Tickets Go On Sale Monday
Beginning on Monday at 9 a.m., single-game UNC football tickets for the 2021 season will be available to the general public. Season tickets have already sold out according to the school, as the Tar Heels look to meet the high expectations awaiting them for the upcoming campaign. Limited quantities are available, with pricing starting at […]
Sam Howell Selected to Davey O'Brien Award Watch List
Preseason accolades continue to roll in for UNC junior quarterback Sam Howell, who was named earlier this week to the watch list for the Davey O’Brien Award. Howell was one of 30 players on this year’s watch list for an award which has been presented annually to the top quarterback in the country since 1981. […]
Ty Chandler Selected to Watch List for Doak Walker Award
Ahead of his first year with the Tar Heels, Tennessee running back transfer Ty Chandler was named Wednesday to the watch list for the Doak Walker Award. The award is presented the top running back in college football. Chandler arrives in Chapel Hill ranked fifth in Tennessee history with 3,245 all-purpose yards — 2,015 of […]
Former UNC Kicker Noah Ruggles Transferring to Ohio State
Through a post on Instagram earlier this week, former UNC kicker Noah Ruggles announced he has accepted a scholarship offer to take over the kicking position at Ohio State. Ruggles will join the Buckeyes as a graduate transfer with two years of eligibility remaining — filling a desperate need on special teams for one of […]
Kick-Off Times and TV Info Revealed for Five UNC Football Games
The UNC football program revealed Thursday that it has received the game times and TV information for five games in the upcoming 2021 season. First is the season opener in Blacksburg against Virginia Tech, which will kick off at 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 3 and air on ESPN. The Tar Heels then move on […]
UNC Agrees to Home-and-Home Football Series With South Carolina
UNC announced Monday that it has agreed to a home-and-home football series against South Carolina, with the games set to take place during the 2028 and 2029 seasons. The first of the two games will happen in Columbia, SC on Sept. 2, 2028. South Carolina will then make the return trip to Kenan Stadium for […]
New York Jets Select Michael Carter In Fourth Round of NFL Draft
Day Three of this year’s NFL Draft began very similar to Day Two, with a Tar Heel running back taken off the board early–as the New York Jets selected Michael Carter with the second pick of the afternoon and 107th overall. Carter’s partner in the UNC backfield last season, Javonte Williams, was taken with the […]
Javonte Williams Selected No. 35 in NFL Draft by Denver
UNC junior running back Javonte Williams became the first Tar Heel off the board in this year’s NFL Draft on Friday night, as the Denver Broncos selected him in the second round with the No. 35 overall pick. Williams ran for 2,297 yards and 29 touchdowns during his three years at UNC, including setting a […]
Washington Football Team Selects Dyami Brown in Third Round of NFL Draft
In the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft, the Washington Football Team used the 82nd overall pick on UNC junior wide receiver Dyami Brown. Brown spent each of the last two seasons as the top deep threat for UNC quarterback Sam Howell, and became the first UNC receiver to ever post back-to-back seasons of […]
UNC Football Game at Notre Dame to be Nationally Televised in Prime Time
The UNC football program announced Thursday that its game at Notre Dame on Oct. 30 will be nationally televised on NBC in prime time at 7:30 p.m. It is likely to be one of the toughest games of the season for the Tar Heels, who are expected to begin the year among the top 15 […]
›