UNC Wide Receiver Austin Proehl Embraces His Father's Legacy

Facing a crucial 4^th-and-6, the second of the drive, during the team’s game-winning march down the field against Pitt last Saturday, UNC quarterback Mitch Trubisky found junior wide receiver Austin Proehl for a first down on a perfectly executed comeback route.

The play capped a career day for the speedy, young pass-catcher–who has embraced the pressure of following in his father’s footsteps.

Any time you read or hear anything about Proehl, it’s become almost a requirement to add on the fact that he’s the son of Ricky Proehl—the wide receivers coach for the Carolina Panthers, and a 17-year NFL veteran with two Super Bowl rings.

Ricky Proehl with Austin on his shoulders after the St. Louis Rams’ Super Bowl XXXIV victory over the Tennessee Titans. (Photo by Albert Dickson/Sporting News via Getty Images)

Right now, Austin is in the midst of a season where, in just four games for the Tar Heels, he’s already just 100 yards shy of matching the amount he had in the previous two seasons combined. Against Pitt on Saturday, Proehl stepped into a larger role when Mack Hollins left the game with an injury and finished with a career-high seven catches for 99 yards.

As his playing time has increased, his talent has shown through and he’s started carving out a name for himself. Still, though, the constant comparisons to his dad don’t bother him as much as you might think.

“He’s gained that respect to the point where I’m Ricky’s son to reporters, I’m Ricky’s son to our analysts, I’m Ricky’s son to whoever’s doing the game,” Proehl said at Monday’s press conference. “A lot of people ask me if it bothers me—and it doesn’t.

“He’s earned that respect,” Austin continued. “And I love being his son. I love being associated with that.”

Watching Proehl out on the field, it’s tough not to notice the influence his father has had on his game. Despite being only 5-foot-10—two inches shorter than Ricky—and 175 pounds, he relies on superior route running and agility to make his mark.

Those same attributes are exactly how Ricky put food on the table while Austin was growing up.

Upon seeing the sharp cut his son made on his comeback route on that critical fourth down last Saturday—a move that left his defender grasping for air—the elder Proehl couldn’t help but be impressed.

“Somebody put a video on Twitter of Mitch’s comeback to me and my dad happened to see it,” Austin told reporters. “I got a text last night coming out of our meetings and he said, ‘Hey, great route. Call me afterwards, I got something for you.’

“It’s always that [type of reinforcement], and I love it,” he added. “Just him being able to critique me.”

Proehl’s route running and agility have helped get him to this point in his career. He credits his dad for always having feedback and critiques ready for him. (Grant Halverson/ UNC Athletics)

That kind of feedback has been going in Austin’s ear since he was just a kid running around in the backyard, and out on NFL fields with big-name players like Kurt Warner and Cam Newton.

He’s used that advice to find success despite not exactly fitting the physically dominant stereotype placed on most football players.

“I don’t have big hands, and I’m not a big guy obviously,” Proehl said. “Those things like route running and catching every ball that’s thrown to me—I take pride in because those are opportunities to make a name for myself.”

For some players, the pressure of living up to that kind of legacy can be too much to handle mentally. For Proehl, it’s a resource he takes advantage of to help him become successful in his own right—rather than trying to escape Ricky’s shadow altogether.

It’s clear that his role in UNC’s offense will only grow larger as this season goes on, before he becomes the program’s go-to-guy next year–when the team’s top three targets, Ryan Switzer, Bug Howard and Mack Hollins, each graduate.

Judging by Proehl’s work ethic and background, however, Tar Heel fans should feel comfortable knowing they’ll be in good hands.

UNC Wide Receiver Austin Proehl Embraces His Father’s Legacy

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