David Hale, ESPN Personnel Editor
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — North Carolina‘s offense had modest hassle adjusting to month with out its govern two huge receivers, as Heisman Trophy contender Drake Maye threw for 269 yards and two touchdowns in a 31-17 victory over South Carolina.
However that didn’t secure Maye from expressing frustration in regards to the NCAA’s ruling that averted switch wideout Devontez Walker from enjoying on Saturday.
Maye wore Walker’s jersey — spun backward to turn Walker’s nameplate — when addressing media nearest the sport, and Maye stated the NCAA used to be punishing a participant from attaining an entire life dream, all within the identify of creating a remark.
“He lives five or 10 minutes from here, grew up in Charlotte,” stated Maye, who shared an emotional past with Walker coming off the farmland nearest the win. “We love Tez. He’s an awesome dude, and it’s a shame what’s happened.”
Walker, a two-time switch who arrived at North Carolina in January, used to be denied a waiver by means of the NCAA this summer time, and his enchantment used to be denied on Thursday — simply two days ahead of the sport.
North Carolina additionally used to be with out forming slot receiver Nate McCollum, departure Maye with a receiving corps he hadn’t labored broadly with during fall camp or the pace future of follow.
The verdict on Walker’s eligibility follows a unused rule handed in January to restrict a couple of transfers by means of the similar participant previous to commencement. In Walker’s case, alternatively, his first switch from North Carolina Central got here in 2020 nearest that faculty canceled its season because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and his 2d switch from Kent Order to UNC happened ahead of the unused rule used to be handed.
A 2d committee of representatives from Section I faculties will meet once more this Thursday to build a last determination on Walker’s availability in 2023, and Maye stated he “hopes they’ll make the right decision.”
On Friday, North Carolina educator Mack Brown issued a harsh remark crucial of the NCAA’s ruling, pronouncing he spent a lot of the future anxious about Walker’s psychological condition.
“He really didn’t handle it well during the week,” Brown stated of Walker. “He struggled during practice. I don’t know that he would’ve played well if he had played because there’s so much pressure on him.”
Brown stated Walker had greater than 30 public contributors attending the sport, together with his grandmother, who helped lift him.
North Carolina fan and nation tune big name Eric Church donned Walker’s jersey at the sideline all the way through the competition next offered Walker with a sport ball within the storagefacility room nearest the win.
Brown stated the honour used to be deserved, noting that Walker made some extent of rallying teammates at the sideline, together with fellow huge receiver Gavin Blackwell, who dropped two passes all the way through the sport.
“I was so pleased that he was talking to Gavin and saying, ‘Come on, man, you’re good,'” Brown stated.
