2011 North Carolina Media Guide
Issue link: http://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/i/39383
A 10-year veteran with the Dallas Cowboys and the 2007 NFL Comeback Player of the Year, Greg Ellis set the career sacks record at North Carolina from 1994-97. GREG ELLIS, DEFENSIVE END, 1997 A defensive end from 1994-97, Ellis is the Tar Heels’ career leader in quarterback sacks. The Wendell, N.C., native had 32.5 sacks for 253 yards in his career. He anchored a defense that was second in the country in total yards allowed in each of his final two seasons. Carolina posted a 21-3 record in that span and had consecutive Top 10 finishes in the polls. Ellis is one of only four players in Carolina football history to be named first-team All-ACC three times. He was voted by his teammates as a team captain and the best overall senior. He was the eighth selection in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys. Year GREG ELLIS - CAREER STATISTICS T A Hits 1994 13 11 24 1995 38 33 71 1996 36 26 62 1997 47 40 87 Pres 2 11 38 32 Totals 134 110 244 83 TFL 5-29 9-64 QB 4-27 7-62 18-121 12.5-99 18-79 9-65 50-293 32.5-253 BRIAN SIMMONS, OUTSIDE LINEBACKER, 1997 An outside linebacker from 1994-97, Simmons was a major contributor in Carolina’s rise to the Top 10 in his final two seasons. A first-round draft selection of the Cincinnati Bengals, Simmons had 317 tackles over his last three seasons. He was named first-team All-America as a senior by the Associated Press, Walter Camp Foundation and Football News and was a first-team All-ACC selection and second-team AP All-America as a junior. The New Bern, N.C., native finished his career with 36 tackles for losses and 11 sacks. Year BRIAN SIMMONS - CAREER STATISTICS T A Hits 1994 14 9 23 Pres 1 1995 59 54 113 5 1996 41 44 85 12 1997 60 59 119 17 Totals 174 166 340 35 TFL 3-11 QB 1-4 11-25 5-14 9-41 2-20 13-27 3-14 36-104 11-52 JULIUS PEPPERS, DEFENSIVE END, 2000- 01 One of the top two-sport athletes in Carolina history, Peppers became the first Tar Heel defensive player to win a national college football award by winning both the Lombardi Trophy as the nation’s top lineman and the Bednarik Award as the nation’s top defensive player. In just three seasons, Peppers finished second at Carolina in career sacks and tackles for loss. In 2000, he led the nation with 15 sacks and established a school record with 24 tackles for losses. The fol- lowing year, Peppers led a defense that finished first in the ACC and 15th in the nation in total defense. He became just the second Tar Heel and the first since Lawrence Taylor to earn unanimous All-America honors. A forward on Carolina’s basketball team, Peppers averaged 7.1 points and 4.0 rebounds to help the Tar Heels claim a share of the 2001 regular-season ACC championship. He was the second overall pick in the 2002 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers. Brian Simmons was a standout linebacker for the Tar Heels from 1994-97, helping lead Carolina to back- to-back Top 10 rankings. He was named a first-team All-America in 1997. BRIAN SCHMITZ, PUNTER, 1999 Schmitz was named a first-team All-America in 1999 after averaging 47.8 yards per kick, an ACC and UNC record. He led the ACC and ranked second in the nation in punting average. Schmitz also set the ACC career record for punting average at 44.4 yards per kick. He had at least one 50-yard punt in all 11 UNC games in 1999 and 32 kicks of over 50 yards. He had 63 punts of 40 yards or more in 72 attempts on the season. Schmitz and backup punter Derrick DePriest combined to establish an NCAA single-season record for team punting average at 47.7 yards. Year BRIAN SCHMITZ - CAREER STATISTICS Punts Yds Avg Blk LP Inside 20 1996 2 1997 57 1998 75 1999 74 60 30.0 0 2278 40.0 4 3357 44.8 2 3538 47.8 0 Totals 208 9233 44.4 6 44 0 57 16 62 17 72 18 72 51 Defensive end Julius Peppers earned All-America hon- ors in 2001 and captured the Lombardi Award as the nation’s top lineman. Year JULIUS PEPPERS - CAREER STATISTICS Pri A Hits FC FR TFL QB 1999 38 12 50 1 1 10-47 6-36 2000 44 20 64 3 1 24-146 15-117 2001 46 17 63 1 0 19-74 9.5-56 Totals 128 49 167 5 2 53-267 30.5-209 FIRST-TEAM ALL-AMERICAS George Barclay ...............................................1934 Ricky Barden ...................................................1979 Harris Barton ...................................................1986 Andy Bershak ..................................................1937 Brian Blados ....................................................1983 Dre’ Bly .................................................1996-97-98 Pat Crowley .....................................................1989 David Drechsler ..........................................1981-82 Greg Ellis ........................................................1997 William Fuller .............................................1982-83 Al Goldstein ....................................................1958 Dee Hardison ..................................................1977 Irv Holdash ......................................................1950 Ken Huff ..........................................................1974 Marcus Jones ...................................................1995 Charlie Justice .............................................1948-49 Bob Lacey ........................................................1963 Steve Maronic ..................................................1938 Don McCauley .................................................1970 Julius Peppers .............................................2000-01 Ken Powell .......................................................1949 Ron Rusnak ......................................................1972 Brian Schmitz...................................................1999 Paul Severin ................................................1939-40 Brian Simmons .................................................1997 Lawrence Taylor ...............................................1980 Bracey Walker .................................................1993 Charles Waddell ..............................................1974 Art Weiner .................................................1948-49 Ron Wooten ....................................................1980 TarHeelBlue.com • 111