Morning Heel: UNC Tar Heels Daily News Links

Welcome to another edition of 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.  Have a link to suggest?  Send it keepingitheel@gmail.com


Jonathan Cooper’s talent, leadership helped UNC make the best of a bad situation
Jonathan Cooper’s effort to finish his UNC career on the field rather than the sideline was a simple gesture that likely went unnoticed by most. And yet, it was deeply symbolic of the commitment the Hoggard High graduate and his fellow seniors made to their team and school after the Tar Heels were slapped with a one-year postseason ban – among other sanctions – by the NCAA last March. (Wilmington Star News)

UNC coach Larry Fedora convinces recruit that he will remain Tar Heels coach
North Carolina coach Larry Fedora has declined publicly to dispel speculation about whether he might be interested in the head coaching vacancy at Tennessee, but a recent conversation with Fedora left one of his recruits convinced he’ll remain the Tar Heels coach. (Raleigh News & Observer)

Giovani Bernard is CBSSports.com’s ACC Offensive Player of the Year
Three years into Giovani Bernard’s collegiate career, he was one of the best backs in the country starring in new coach Larry Fedora’s uptempo, spread offense, and he has been named the CBSSports.com ACC Offensive Player of the Year. Bernard led the ACC in rushing, averaging 122.8 yards per game. (CBS Sports)

P.J. Hairston playing big role in smaller lineup
After a frustrating freshman season, North Carolina’s P.J. Hairston was hoping to play a bigger role for the Tar Heels this year. The 6-foot-5 shooter just never expected that would mean spending some time at the ‘4’ — a position usually reserved for bigger guys. “I do like it though — because the smaller lineup gives us more shooters on the floor, gives us a different look,’’ Hairston said Tuesday. (ESPN.com)

Bubba Cunningham Addresses Larry Fedora Speculation
“Neither Coach Fedora nor I are going to address rumors about individual jobs that are bound to happen each year. It’s been my policy since I have been a director of athletics not to comment or engage in discussions regarding a coach’s job until such time that there is a change in a coach’s employment status. Speculation about the future employment status of a head coach can be detrimental to an athletic program.” (GoHeels.com)

Harrison Barnes welcomes the sweat
It’s rare to walk into an NBA team’s post-shootaround period and find a rookie drenched in sweat. But the morning after Thanksgiving, there was Warriors rookie Harrison Barnes. “Look at him, he’s playing my son like it’s Game 7 of the NBA Finals,” Warriors coach Mark Jackson said. “He’s in a full sweat. He wants to be great. He just gets it.” (San Francisco Gate)

Sources: Butch Davis is Florida International’s top head coach candidate
Multiple sources with knowledge of FIU athletic director Pete Garcia’s thinking said Wednesday that they expect Garcia to attempt to hire former Miami and North Carolina coach Butch Davis. Garcia’s career began with Davis at the University of Miami and Garcia also worked with Davis with the Cleveland Browns. (Sports Illustrated)

ACC Announces First Coaches All-ACC Football Team
The Atlantic Coast Conference Wednesday announced the inaugural All-ACC Football Team as selected by the league’s 12 head coaches. UNC’s representatives are as follows. First Team: RB Giovani Bernard; OT James Hurst; OG Jonathan Cooper; DT Sylvester Williams; LB Kevin Reddick; Second Team: TE Eric Ebron; DE Kareem Martin; P Tommy Hibbard; (The ACC)

UNC Basketball: Recruiting Backlash
Once again I’m hearing the same complaints from Tar Heel fans “Roy has lost it” “We can’t get five star recruits anymore”. Oh how the memory has failed some of us, it’s sad really. Player rankings are very subjective, they are the opinions of people who run recruiting services or national websites, not the coaches who are fitting them into their system. (KIH)

Plenty of other football coaches for Tar Heels where Larry Fedora came from
Musical ACC membership chairs is already in full swing. Now we have musical ACC football coaching chairs. The latest in the ACC’s revolving door has Tennessee talking with current ACC coach Larry Fedora and future ACC coach Charlie Strong of Louisville. Why? Because of their records this year. (KIH)

North Carolina Basketball: 5 Changes Heels Must Make After Indiana Blowout
It is way too early in the season for fans, coaches and players to give up on the North Carolina Tar Heels after crushing losses to Butler and Indiana. But that doesn’t mean changes shouldn’t be made. Roy Williams knows that. (Bleacher Report)