Morning Heel: UNC Tar Heels Daily News Links
By Matt Hamm
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
Giovani Bernard Press Conference Quotes
“Not many kids have this opportunity to make this decision this early in life and it was a huge opportunity for me to really go on to my next level, go on and fulfill my dream of playing in the NFL, so I am forgoing my next two seasons here at UNC to go into the 2013 NFL Draft. It’s been a blessing to be able to play for this organization and I’ve been happy ever since I came here.” (Inside Carolina)
Gio Bernard is NFL draft’s top running back
By entering his name early in the 2013 NFL draft, Gio Bernard immediately improved a running back class that lacks first-round options. Bernard, a redshirt sophomore from North Carolina, is at or near the top of his class in several mock drafts. Mike Detillier, creator and owner of the annual Mike Detillier’s Draft Report, has Bernard as the No. 43 overall prospect in April’s draft and No. 1 running back in the class. (Charlotte Observer)
East Carolina at UNC: What to watch
Despite the rougly 100-mile distance, East Carolina has never played at North Carolina in men’s basketball. It took only a 15-minute phone conversation between Pirates coach Jeff Lebo (who played for the Tar Heels from 1985-89) and UNC coach Roy Williams (who was a Tar Heels assistant when Lebo played) to change all that. Lebo’s Pirates play at No. 21 UNC on Saturday. (ESPN.com)
On to the Next Level
Giovani Bernard simply couldn’t pass up the opportunity to take his abilities on to the National Football League, so on Friday afternoon he declared his attention to move on to the pros. “This was definitely a hard process and a hard decision to make. It was a huge opportunity for me to go on to the next level and fulfill my dreams to play in the NFL,” Bernard said in a press conference in Kenan Stadium. (Tar Heel Illustrated)
Tudor: Gio’s right to take the money and run
As much of a blast as it would have been to watch Giovani Bernard play football at North Carolina for two more seasons, he’s making the right move by turning pro after his third season in school. The red-shirt sophomore running back already has missed one season as the result of a serious knee injury and had to sit out two games in 2012. (Raleigh News & Observer)
UNC running game to get a makeover
While having to replace three starters on the offensive line is never easy, there is at least experience at running back waiting in the wings. It’s going to be even more difficult to replace Giovani Bernard on UNC’s special teams. T.J. Thorpe, who led the ACC in kickoff returns in 2011, returns after redshirting this year with a foot injury, but the staff isn’t sure if he can/will return punts (ESPN.com)
Leslie McDonald raising his game, confidence
Leslie McDonald said he stopped worrying about his surgically repaired right knee last summer, a year after he tore the ACL that forced him to miss all of last season. But if you saw McDonald in UNC’s first few basketball games this season, you may have a different opinion. McDonald appeared neither comfortable nor confident in the knee. He wasn’t the same player he was before the injury. (Fox Sports Carolinas)
Jeff Lebo brings 6-1 ECU to alma mater UNC on Saturday
Jeff Lebo is bringing his East Carolina program to the same court where he starred for North Carolina under Dean Smith and Roy Williams.Lebo’s Pirates (6-1) are making their first trip to Chapel Hill on Saturday to play the No. 21 Tar Heels, while Lebo is facing his alma mater for the second time in 15 seasons as a head coach. (GoHeels.com)
UNC Football: Life Without Gio
Today I’ve decided to answer some of the many questions I receive via email and twitter in a series of posts that I’ll publish over the next 48 hours. This question comes from Bob in Charlotte he asks what life will be like without Giovani Bernard. (KIH)