Morning Heel: UNC Tar Heels Daily News Links

Welcome to the Morning Heel, a daily feature here at Keeping It Heel.  Along with The Hub we want to bring you not only our original content but a collection of all the best UNC news from around the web.

Top 25 ACC players countdown: No. 14, Bryn Renner
UNC quarterback Bryn Renner will have one of the ACC’s best offensive lines protecting him, and he also has some background in the spread offense from his high school playing days. In his first season as a starter, Renner threw for more than 3,000 yards and a single-season, school-record 26 touchdowns — and he did it while playing with bone spurs in his foot. ESPN

Carl Carey, agent of Julius Peppers, on his time at UNC and counseling overwhelmed athletes
“We don’t criticize the general student for not being able to perform well in athletics. And so this focus on the fact that some student-athletes aren’t as talented as the general student in the population at a university, it’s unfair to them. That may not be their area of strength. We don’t ask the typical student to compete on the basketball court or on the football field.” Raleigh News & Observer

Travis Hughes: Linebacker in training
The higher the ranking out of high school, the higher the expectations at the next level. Such is the case for linebacker Travis Hughes, who expects to fit in and do his part to help a new defense this fall. Hughes arrived at North Carolina as one of the gems of the 2011 recruiting class. IC

Ranking Toughest Challenges on Tar Heels’ Path
Having an elite basketball program like that of the University of North Carolina means attracting top players, but it also means that every season is completely different. Top players don’t stick around most of the time, and teams are left relying on younger players and outstanding coaching. Bleacher Report

Kentwan Balmer Located, But Disappearance Not Resolved
Washington Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan said Saturday that defensive end Kentwan Balmer, who suddenly left the team nearly two weeks ago, has been reached by phone. Fredericksburg Free

UNC Football 30 Day Countdown: How Much of a Problem is the WR Depth?
The wide receiver position has taken a few hits and is by far the thinnest position on a team filled with depth issues for North Carolina. New head coach Larry Fedora will have to find creative ways to work around the depth issue at maybe the most important position in the new spread offense he is installing at UNC. KIH

Responding to the Roy Williams Debate
It’s nice to return to my “full-time” role here at Keeping it Heel, I’ve been busy with my other role as the founding editor of the newest FanSided website, Beyond the Flag! In coming back, I must get something off of my chest. And this is a fair warning that I am about to rant because I’m a bit furious about this subject. Are people as stupid as they apparently seem? KIH

Thoughts on the UNC Academic Scandal
This is a touchy subject here in Tar Heel Nation, what to make of the UNC Academic Scandal. An internal probe has found that 54 no-show classes between 2007-2011 that the NCAA missed during it’s investigation of the football program over the last two years. The department of African and Afro-American studies issued grades to student athletes for fictitious classes that never existed. KIH