Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, August 21, 1993 TAG: 9308210083
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: FRANK VEHORN LANDMARK NEWS SERVICE
DATELINE: CHAPEL HILL, N.C. LENGTH: Medium
Walk down Franklin Street, or through this picturesque campus, and almost everyone says coach Mack Brown is about to mess up what could be one of the school's greatest seasons by not choosing a starting quarterback.
They think Mike Thomas should be told that the job is his. With Thomas' strong arm and athletic ability, the Tar Heels could win 10 games, maybe even beat Florida State, the theory goes.
Apparently, though, Brown isn't buying it.
Brown said again Friday that he has two starting quarterback - Thomas and Jason Stanicek, a guy who gets the job done without much flash or dash.
"We'll do what we did last season, when those two split playing time," Brown said during the ACC sportswriters' annual tour stop.
While North Carolina fans might complain, the Tar Heels' players seem to stand solidly behind their coach's decision.
Especially Holliday, a fifth-year senior who remembers when Carolina football was a joke after back-to-back 1-10 seasons.
"Having two good quarterbacks is a blessing," Holliday said. "I know how bad it was when we didn't have one good quarterback."
How bad was it?
It was so bad that Holliday remembers sitting down after his first year, when the only victory was over VMI, and asking himself, "What am I doing here?"
In the final game that season, the Tar Heels were beaten 41-0 at their own stadium by archrival Duke.
Most Carolina fans left during halftime, and Holliday said it was a good thing they did.
"I try to tell the younger players how bad it was in those days so they will work harder and won't have to experience such a season," Holliday said. "But you can't really tell anyone how bad it was. You had to be here and feel it."
Local radio stations awarded prizes for those who called in the best Carolina joke.
Brown, the butt of much of the humor, recalls one morning when he was driving his two young daughters to school.
"We were listening to the radio, and they had three Mack Brown jokes in a row," he said. "My daughters broke down and started crying."
Holliday said the campus newspaper printed many of the jokes.
Stuff like I-40, UNC 0.
And did you hear about the guy whose car was broken into? Yeah, he had two Carolina tickets in his ash tray. Someone broke in and left two more.
"We couldn't even pick up the campus newspaper and read it. It was full of basketball articles in the middle of the football season," Holliday said.
The Tar Heels changed that last year, giving their fans a nine-victory season that included a victory over Mississippi State in the Peach Bowl.
"I didn't enjoy going 1-10 my first year, but it made going to a bowl last year something special," Holliday said.
But that was last year.
The new season begins Aug. 29 against Southern California, and Carolina fans are worried that Brown is going to mess up things by playing two quarterbacks.
"Yeah, I hear that a lot," offensive lineman Shawn Hocker said. "Everyone wants to know who is going to start at quarterback.
"They think it should be Thomas because he's got such a strong arm and so much physical talent. Stanicek is different, but he moves the ball downfield."
Like Holliday, Hocker said playing two quarterbacks is not a big deal.
"It's kind of funny," he said. "Everyone outside of the football program thinks he knows what is best for us. I think it is good that we have two starting quarterbacks.
"If one isn't having a great game, the other one can come in and do the job."
It sounds good.
But down on Franklin Street, not many people are buying it.
by CNB