It’s hard to imagine a more turbulent few weeks for Mack Brown and the Tar Heels. A four-game losing streak after a 3-0 start is bad enough, but the toughest challenges have come off the field.
Rumors swirled about Brown’s imminent resignation after his emotional postgame comments were – according to him – misconstrued post-James Madison. Then, the Victory Bell changed hands in a stunning 20-point collapse to Duke. And finally, the Tar Heels dropped two straight home games, the last coming to Georgia Tech after a long touchdown run in the final seconds.
But all that was rendered minor in the wake of Tylee Craft’s death. The late receiver had battled cancer for more than two years before his condition took a turn for the worse in the final few weeks of his life. Brown was informed of Craft’s death just minutes after the loss to the Yellow Jackets, and it fell to him to deliver the news to the players.
So the bye week – and UNC’s fall break – provided the Tar Heels a much-needed chance to process and decompress. Brown acknowledged it came at a “perfect” time for his team, and it allowed the players and coaches to travel down to Craft’s hometown of Sumter, South Carolina for his celebration of life last Sunday.
Now, though, with five more games to go and a bowl berth still very much up in the air, Brown said he knows it’s time to move football back into the forefront.
“We’re dealing with mental health with players and coaches,” he said. “We’re dealing with life lessons for sure. I feel like our program is as good as any in the country off the field. Now, we’ve gotta go back and start winning football games.”
Winning hasn’t been completely out of the question in Carolina’s last three games. The Tar Heels were close against Duke, Pittsburgh and Georgia Tech, but ultimately fell short in critical moments. Quarterback Jacolby Criswell said the open date provided time for himself and his teammates to do some soul-searching, and he thinks the program is all the better for it.
“I think a lot of guys took the time out of the bye week to do the same things I did: think about the positives, think about the negatives,” said Criswell. “What can we improve on? What can you improve on as an individual? What haven’t you done enough for us to be able to come out with these close wins? I think a lot of guys are taking strides. They’re being confident. They’re being critical of themselves, and that’s the next step.”
Receiver J.J. Jones called the open date “refreshing,” and showed the confidence Criswell referenced in forecasting the tail end of Carolina’s schedule.
“It’s a new season,” said Jones. “We’ve got this last stretch of games that are still very important. And we’re still capable of winning all the games. So we’re going in on Saturday, starting off fresh and getting that first W.”
Jones was one of Craft’s closest friends on the team, the two having known each other from their high school days in South Carolina. It was Jones who wore Craft’s No. 13 jersey against Georgia Tech two weeks ago, and that honor will be passed among the other members of the receiving corps for the rest of the year. Kenan Stadium will also add a memorial emblem to its turf for the final two home games of the season, and Virginia will wear Craft’s sticker on its helmets tomorrow afternoon.
More lasting tributes are also on the way. The nutrition room inside Kenan is now the Tylee Craft Nutrition Room, and plans are in place to install a plaque honoring Craft, as well as signs the players can tap as they run out of the tunnel. These steps are all part of the healing process, and Brown said he’s hopeful the inspiration provided by Craft’s story will fuel the Tar Heels to a positive finish to the season.
“We’re not going to forget about Tylee,” said Brown, “but we are going to move forward and grow with his legacy. But [also] make sure that we continue to grow as a team.”
Featured image via UNC Football on Twitter
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