As the clock ticked toward zero in UNC’s 31-13 win against Minnesota, a sound started ringing around the dwindling crowd in Kenan Stadium. It started quietly at first in the student section, but quickly picked up steam. Soon, it became so loud even the players on the field acknowledged it.
The fans were chanting something. A simple call to action: “Free Tez Walker.”
Walker’s eligibility fight has become a national story. And although the transfer from Kent State and preseason first team All-ACC honoree is unlikely to play for the remainder of the season, he’s all anyone wants to talk about. The Tar Heels showed up for the traditional pregame Bell Tower walk wearing Tez Walker shirts. Walker was made an honorary captain two weeks ago against Appalachian State.
As soon as the players realized what fans were chanting, they mobbed Walker on the sideline. Fellow receiver Kobe Paysour tried to give Walker a helmet. Out on the field, Drake Maye egged the crowd on. Linebacker Power Echols called it a “beautiful thing.” Walker himself looked a little embarrassed, though he was clearly having fun.
Head coach Mack Brown said afterward he didn’t hear the chants initially, but appreciated the fans’ support of the embattled receiver.
“The message is that this university, from our athletic director to our chancellor to our trustees to our coaching staff, cares about young people,” Brown said. “And he is one of ours. And as we’ve said many times, you want to treat the young man like you would want your son to be treated. And that’s what we’re doing.”
Brown’s outspoken support of Walker and rebuke of the NCAA’s decision-making made almost as many headlines as Walker’s case itself. It landed the Hall of Famer in some hot water during the week, as the NCAA alleged it had received threats – some possibly criminal – from angry Tar Heel fans.
Brown strongly supported prosecution against those threats, but didn’t let that stop him from continuing to support Walker.
“What [athletic director] Bubba [Cunningham] hired me for is to make sure that I do what’s best for our student-athletes, and that’s what I’m doing,” he said. “Did we have way too many transfers a couple years ago? Absolutely. Did coaches – including me – say we need to tighten up the transfer rule? Absolutely. Did I ever say that we need to say that everybody that transfers twice is ineligible without a waiver system? Absolutely not. We need to have some common sense, and that’s all we’re asking for with Tez.”
Walker will still be able to suit up for the Tar Heels next season, but that will likely come as Maye is debuting in the NFL. One reason scouts and ACC voters were so high on Walker was their belief in Maye’s ability to elevate Walker’s production. Without the ACC Player of the Year, Walker’s pro stock will almost certainly take a hit.
Maye very likely knows this, and also knows the presence of Walker could elevate his passing numbers, too. So it’s no wonder he acknowledged the crowd when it chanted Walker’s name.
“It was pretty cool. It was a special moment,” Maye said after the game. “Those are the things that make college football special, something like that with Tez out there. He’s awesome on the sideline. Bringing energy, coming up and checking on me about every drive. I almost feel like it’s my mom and dad asking how school was every day. He’s checking up all the time. Great attitude.”
Any future actions taken by Walker against the NCAA will have to be on his own, without official representation by UNC. But those restrictions don’t say anything about wearing certain T-shirts, or saying certain things in press conferences, or chanting certain names in football stadiums. Wherever they can, the Tar Heels are fighting for Tez Walker.
Featured image via Associated Press/Reinhold Matay
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