The bus has left, but many weren’t on it

UNC has released the list of who is going to Atlanta for the season opener against LSU, who isn’t, and who still has a chance to make it to the game even if a day late. The six ineligible for the Tar Heels are, of course, defensive tackle Marvin Austin, who was suspended a couple of days ago, followed by cornerback Charles Brown, cornerback Kendric Burney, wide receiver Greg Little, defensive end Michael McAdoo and defensive end Robert Quinn. That alone takes a huge chunk out of the power house that Carolina could have been, but there is more. Six others, tailback Shaun Draughn, defensive end Linwan Euwell, safety Brian Gupton, tailback Ryan Houston, safety Da’Norris Searcy and safety Jonathan Smith, will be withheld from Saturday’s game. And finally three more players did not leave with the team today, but the University is working with the NCAA to determine their eligibility and they might join the squad down in Atlanta on Saturday. Reading the column by Robbi Pickeral at the News&Observer the players still up in the air to play or not are four (not three): line backer Quan Sturdivant, line backer Bruce Carter, safety Deunta Williams and running back Johnny White. [Update] White is on the plane for North Carolina.

Well, like it or not, it seems that North Carolina will be going into their first game of the season basically without their entire defense, and that could be a recurring theme for this squad that had most of the analysts salivating at the thought of seeing these young men playing. I am not sure what to say or think about all of this other than of course the usual “the season that could have been”. Joe Schad is also saying that there could be more players not seeing the field when UNC squares off in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game against LSU. At this point would it really matter is what I can say to that story. This team is going to win or lose based on how much the second string players have worked and learned in their time at Chapel Hill. Like it or not this year it is going to be the non-stars that will determine what Carolina does on the gridiron.

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