For every college football program, three games are usually the most emotional on its calendar: Homecoming, Senior Night, and Rivalry Week. For Carolina, all three of those events come tomorrow against Duke. It’ll be a perfect storm of emotion when the Tar Heels take the field, aiming for their fifth consecutive win against the Blue Devils.
It’s only the first of an old-school ACC home stretch, with road matchups at Clemson and NC State following up this weekend’s game. Head coach Mack Brown has made no secret of his disdain for the tail end of his team’s schedule this year, calling this stretch the “most emotional” he’s ever coached.
The collective fervor will be at a high before kickoff Saturday night, when UNC honors its senior class. And yet, there will still be a football game to play, and two more after that. Brown said sometimes the Senior Day ceremonies can get in the way of the larger goal: winning.
“It was interesting that some guys didn’t play well early, because they were so emotional. I always said, ‘If you’re gonna cry, cry after the game, man. Don’t cry before the game. I need you playing! Cry after a win. Don’t be crying and then lose.’”
But ultimately, this week and this game is about all of the players who will be appearing in Kenan Stadium for the last time. It’s the general consensus that redshirt sophomore quarterback Drake Maye is among that group. Maye is eligible to go pro this spring and is projected to be a top pick in the NFL Draft, so staying in school seems like a long shot. Still, Maye deferred any questions about his future on Tuesday and said he wouldn’t participate in the Senior Day ceremonies.
“You never know. I haven’t made a decision about what next year’s going for. That’s what’s best for me. I feel like that celebration on Saturday is meant for those guys for sure playing their last game.”
One of those is offensive lineman Corey Gaynor, who’s played two seasons with the Tar Heels after transferring from Miami. Gaynor could’ve gone pro after last season, but chose to come back to Chapel Hill for one final year of college football.
And though Brown called Gaynor one of the team’s most emotional players, Gaynor himself said the Hall of Famer won’t have to worry about any tears being shed before kickoff.
“I just feel like if I ever get caught looking back, I’m not gonna see what’s in front of me. I’ve had such a long ordeal in college football. There’s gonna be a time and a place for it. Just not now.”
Gaynor has proven to be a steady presence at center for Maye and the Carolina offense, and the Tar Heels have continued to be one of the most potent units in the country. Gaynor said he has no regrets about his decision to come to Chapel Hill.
“Everything happens for a reason. I truly believe that coming here was the best thing that ever happened to me in my life. It revamped my career. A fresh start was everything. The effect I’ve had on this building is second to none.”
Also playing his last home game is linebacker Cedric Gray. A true senior, Gray could potentially come back to Carolina next season, but unlike Maye has said definitively this will be his last year. And why not? Gray has turned himself into a potential first-round pick, leading UNC in tackles and looking like a sure bet for more All-ACC and All-America honors this season.
It would probably surprise most fans to learn Gray played wide receiver as a high schooler. It wasn’t until he arrived in Chapel Hill that he made the full-time switch to linebacker. Gray said Carolina was one of the few schools that believed in him, and that belief has paid off.
“When I was coming out of high school, one thing I always told recruiters and coaches is, ‘It doesn’t matter where you put me. I’m a football player. I’ll go get it. I’m a hard worker.’ And I think I’ve been able to do that here at Carolina. I’ve definitely been able to see the results of that.”
Aside from the emotions of Senior Day, there’s still plenty at stake for the Tar Heels. Carolina can keep its slim ACC title hopes alive with a win against rival Duke, and perhaps even more importantly keep the Victory Bell in Chapel Hill. Brown said it’s impossible to overstate the magnitude of this rivalry.
“Carolina-Duke is bigger than anything else. It is bigger than what happens at the end of the year, postseason, any of that stuff. This is a fun game that’s been played for so long and is really important to this state and to both schools. I would say this overrides everything.”
Featured image via Associated Press/Chris Seward
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