ROANOKE TIMES 

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, August 19, 1994                   TAG: 9408190101
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Knight-Ridder/Tribune
DATELINE: CHAPEL HILL, N.C.                                 LENGTH: Medium

`HEELS: WE WON'T REPEAT FSU'S ERRORS

By virtue of its two-year domination of the ACC, Florida State has been the measuring stick by which all other league teams must compare themselves.

This season, though, off-field trouble at Florida State throws that comparison in a little different light.

``What happened at Florida State would never happen at Carolina,'' Tar Heels defensive end Marcus Jones said during Operation Football Thursday. ``We're disciplined on and off the field. It's more like a family than a program.''

With North Carolina's rising stature in football, the sorts of troubles that recently enveloped the national champion Seminoles suddenly would seem to be a danger here.

In Tallahassee, the scandal began with an agent-sponsored shopping spree at a local Foot Locker and has since encompassed many areas of the football program. Athletic director Bob Goin is on paid suspension for alleged improprieties. Kicker Scott Bentley was convicted for audio taping a sexual encounter and playing it for friends. Several players, including All-American linebacker Derrick Brooks, will miss the first couple of games while serving suspensions.

The incidents have sparked fear in many coaches' hearts, and North Carolina's Mack Brown responded by meeting with his team about the danger areas. ``We've already had three meetings about sexual conduct and social behavior and agents,'' Jones said. ``I just don't think our players would make those mistakes.''

Several Tar Heels, many of them underclassmen, said they have received calls from agents already. Team rules make it clear that any player approached by an agent is to report the call to Brown.

``We know that all of our teammates are counting on us,'' said cornerback Jimmy Hitchcock. ``We're not going to jeopardize that.''

Jones said that because the coaches have taken such a personal interest in the players here, the players won't be likely to do anything that would harm the program. 


 by CNB