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UNC has tough test
Defense must worry about talented Brown
AP File Photo
Donald Brown of UConn has rushed for 906 yards this season, and is averaging 181 yards per game.
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Published: October 4, 2008
Cameron Sexton is back in the saddle at North Carolina, ready to try to start a ride that will last the rest of the season.
Sexton will start at quarterback for the first time since Oct. 19, 2006, when North Carolina meets Connecticut at 7 p.m. today at Kenan Stadium.
He has been a reserve for 21 games and will be playing for only the second time since last season's opener. He got a promotion last weekend, when he came off the bench to lead a come-from-behind 28-24 win at Miami.
Sexton is smart enough to know that the plays that worked last week might not work today. But he's also eager to help his team to another victory in the absence of starting quarterback T.J. Yates, who is out until possibly early November because of a broken left ankle.
"I love this place; I love my teammates, and I really, really love my coaches," Sexton said. "I knew they were going to have us ready to play (at Miami). This coaching staff is excellent. I've got a lot of great friends here.
"I've thoroughly enjoyed my time here, not always on the field until now. I really enjoy playing here. I really love this place, and I couldn't see myself anywhere else. I didn't want to be anywhere else. I felt at this point in my career I wanted to stay and fight instead of maybe going somewhere else."
North Carolina is 3-1, and UConn is 5-0 and ranked No. 24 by The Associated Press. UConn is in almost the exact situation UNC was in last week -- its quarterback is out with a broken foot, and a reserve will make his first college start today.
Mike Paulus, the Tar Heels' starting quarterback last week, will play in relief today, Coach Butch Davis said. The play of the quarterbacks will be important, but the burden will rest on the Tar Heels' defense, which must stop Donald Brown, the nation's leading rusher.
Brown, a 5-10, 210-pound junior, has 906 yards rushing, an average of 181.2 yards, and has had at least 100 yards in all five games. He also has helped the Huskies to a rushing average of 255 yards per game.
Davis said he was impressed by Brown's ability to spot a hole when bottled up and burst free for big gains.
"The other thing that's very apparent is he's got outstanding balance," Davis said. "You see guys hit him on the thighs, you see guys hit him down on his legs and they don't knock him down. He'll spin, he'll jump, he'll bounce off guys."
Zach Frazer will take over at quarterback for Tyler Lorenzen, who was injured Sept. 26 at Louisville. Frazer came on in relief and completed 8 of 15 passes for 90 yards and a touchdown in his first college action, and UConn won 26-21.
It was Frazer's first game action since his senior year of high school in 2005. He signed with Notre Dame and attended school there in 2006 but didn't play. He sat out last season at UConn as a transfer.
Coach Randy Edsall of UConn told Frazer earlier this week not to try anything special against UNC. Edsall wants Frazer to execute the game plan and hand off to Brown.
"Zach can run the ball if we want him to, but Zach's a better passer than Tyler," Edsall said. "We always try to do things offensively based on our personnel and what their strengths are.
"He's an even-keel guy. He understands football and what he's supposed to do. He understands when he makes a mistake, but he can let it go. He won't worry about it."
■ Bill Cole can be reached at bcole@wsjournal.com.
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