Tudor: Resilient Heels Never Gave up on Season

DURHAM - A 7-5 record wasn't what North Carolina and EE Quickly Would have Declined - if Offered - When the 2010 football season Began.

On paper, this Tar Heel team Once Had the feel of a double-digit winner, ACC championship contender and prime-time postseason Participant.

But after 12 of the most frustrating, tormenting and Uncertain games in the school's football history, seven wins capped by Another marginally comfortable win over Duke, 24-19, can not be deemed distasteful.

"It's a cherry on top," said senior safety Deunta Williams.

Sure, there'll Always Be a 'what-if "association with the calamitous season of '10, and more precisely with the players, the WHO Did not play in all of the games. That is fact-heavilly accented by close losses Thurs NC State, LSU and Georgia Tech.

Would not it have Taken much at all for the 4-4 ACC Record to Have Been 6-2.

That still Would have left the Heels two games behind Virginia Tech in the Coastal race, relegating Them to a Spectator's Role for Saturday's league title game Between the Hokies and Florida State in Charlotte.

But for all the Tar Heels were and were NOT, They never caved. They never Gave up on the cause, Even on the grand vision became an impossibility.

"They've Been unbelievably resilient all season long," UNC head coach Butch Davis. "Every time there's been a challenge, Somebody Stood Up."

For Determination That, There Will Be at Least the reward of a bowl trip and the Opportunity To finish with a win more memorable note the methodical and Sometimes uneven regular-season finale in Wallace Wade Stadium on Saturday against the Blue Devils (3-9, 1-7).

Although the official bowl lineup for FINALIZED Will not Be Another week, there's a chance Carolina will go to Nashville, Tenn. for the Franklin American Mortgage Company, Music City game at 6:30 pm on Dec. 30.

If so, the Opponent Would not come from the Southeastern Conference - possibly Tennessee (6-6) - In a double twist of Irony. Carolina's schedule Began with the LSU of the SEC.

Tennessee and Carolina had occurred Agreed to play in 2011 and 2012, But Vols athletic director Mike Hamilton Announced in mid-August That was his school Canceling the series.

"The reality is We're not back to Where we Want to be back yet," Hamilton said at the time.

That was before it became Known That Carolina's Future Would Become mysterious as the result of the NCAA and school Investigations into the off-field issues.

Much of the Defense HAD To Be Restructured patched over and is on the run. After Saturday, the Heels are one game away from life without quarterback TJ Yates, running back Anthony Elzy and the bulk of the defensive backfield.

The win over Duke Came with one of the Heels' best Defenders, linebacker Bruce Carter, sidelined by an injury That they suffered a week EARLIER in an emotional loss Thurs NC State.

Given the events of September, October and November, there's Reason to think Davis' Program Might Not Now look so menacing to a Tennessee athletic director and first-year coach Derek Dooley.

Whether the Tar Heels face Tennessee in Nashville or Another Opponent at Another locale, the bowl appearance Will not Make The Past Several weeks go away or Become irrelevant.

It will, HOWEVER, be an Opportunity To salvage one more positive from 2010. That chance, the Tar Heels will gladly accept.