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Rice hopes for better times in senior UNC season
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Published: August 21, 2008
CHAPEL HILL
Chase Rice knows exactly how glum he's going to be the day that his football career comes to an end.
He had a sneak preview last year, when a serious injury knocked him out of North Carolina's season except for a handful of plays in the opening game.
Rice, now recovered, is ready to put the misery of 2007 behind him and regain his starting spot at linebacker.
"It's been a year since I've played another team," Rice said. "There's a lot of excitement for me and a lot of time that's come up to this moment and a lot of work I've put in. It feels like I haven't played a game since high school."
Rice, a 6-3, 230-pound senior, is among the players on whom Coach Butch Davis is counting to solidify this season's defense. Rice won a starting job at outside linebacker last season and, in a win over James Madison, had made a tackle and broken up a pass that led to a North Carolina interception. Then the injury occurred in the second quarter.
A tendon in his left ankle was damaged and surgery was needed. Rice spent the rest of the season on the sideline, giving support to teammates.
His left ankle bears a three- to four-inch scar from the surgery, but he said he's confident that his health won't be an issue or problem this season.
Rice was ready for spring practice and said that he didn't miss one play the entire offseason.
He needed the spring practice time for an unexpected adjustment not related to his injury. North Carolina had changed defensive coordinators. Everett Withers, Minnesota's defensive coordinator, was hired to replace Chuck Pagano, who resigned after one season to return to NFL coaching.
Withers has his own way of running a defense, which Rice and the other defensive players learned is slightly different from Pagano's. Rice is battling with one of the team's best young players, Bruce Carter, for a starting job.
"We've had some small changes in the (defensive) calls here and there," Rice said. "It really hasn't changed a whole lot. They're still just trying to keep us simple.
"They wanted to keep it real simple just so we could go and fly around and not have to think when we're out there. When we think, that's not good for any defense."
Rice has noted that he is working harder in practices this summer, and not just because the younger Carter is pushing him. He said that the offense is playing in a much more physical manner and is dishing out as much punishment to the defense as it is absorbing.
Rice is confident that the defense will be stronger this season because the offense is making it work in practice each day. He said that the Tar Heels can live up to preseason expectations, which include being picked by the media to finish second in the ACC's Coastal Division despite last season's 4-8 record.
"For me personally, I'm going to keep doing what I've been doing," he said. "We can't really focus on what the press is saying about us. Nationally we're getting more recognition but that's because of Butch Davis, I think.
"We're the ones who have to perform on the field and back up what everyone's saying. It's good to get some credit but it'll be even better at the end of the year when we back that credit up. That's the main thing we focus on right now; not thinking we've arrived because we're getting some credit but that this is something to back up now."
This season might not be Rice's last at North Carolina. School officials are in the process of seeking a sixth year of eligibility for him. He was redshirted in 2004 when a freshman in part because of injuries.
He is hopeful that the NCAA will recognize that he missed almost two full seasons because of injuries and will allow him to return in the 2009 season.
"I have some minor pains here and there but overall my ankle is fine," Rice said.
"I've been looking forward to playing football again since the spring. It's going to be a lot of fun to be able to play again."
■ Bill Cole can be reached at bcole@wsjournal.com
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