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Snubbed: Highsmith feels true vindication
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Published: September 20, 2009
CHAPEL HILL -- Freshman Erik Highsmith's eyes were smiling yesterday after he caught six passes in North Carolina's 31-17 win over East Carolina. The little black patches under his eyes were talking.
They were almost talking trash, in a soft and subtle way.
Football players, mimicking their baseball predecessors, once smeared black substances under their eyes to reduce the sun's glare. In modern times, smudges are out and stick-on patches are in. Some of the stick-ons serve as miniature billboards -- precisely what Highsmith had in mind when he plastered the number 252 under each eye.
That's the area code in Greenville, ECU's home base, the place Highsmith envisioned as his college address. He grew up in Vanceboro, 24 miles away in Craven County. There are just 898 people in Vanceboro, and some are sensitive about slights from urban centers such as Greenville and New Bern.
Highsmith feels slighted, so he pasted 252 under his eyes for the opener and again at Connecticut, where his vital catch on third-and-18 triggered Carolina's tying touchdown drive. Highsmith wanted to play for the Pirates, but they didn't want him all that much.
"I'm motivated because they didn't offer me a scholarship and I'm right down the street from them," Highsmith said. "It motivated me a lot.... They were recruiting me. I got letters and calls, but they never offered a scholarship. They offered a player from New Bern, a receiver, over me."
North Carolina noticed Highsmith as a junior and invited him to a one-day camp. On Halloween of his senior season at West Craven High, the Tar Heels popped the question. Highsmith jumped all over the free ride, and then he rode into the prep sunset as the state's most prolific receiver (1,543 yards on 90 catches, 14 for touchdowns).
Highsmith arrived as the No. 3 receiver in a strong class, behind All-America flashes Joshua Adams and Jheranie Boyd.
Coach Butch Davis needed replacements for first-round NFL pick Hakeem Nicks, third-rounder Brandon Tate and fifth-rounder Brooks Foster. Then, returnee Dwight Jones hurt a knee.
People tend to underestimate Highsmith, who weighed only 165 when Carolina got interested. He's now 6-2½, 184 pounds.
Even this summer, Highsmith underrated himself as the players gathered for team pictures.
They called out Highsmith's uniform number: 88, same as Nicks.
"Eighty-eight?" he said nervously. Teammates told him he had big shoes to fill. "I just had a lot of pressure," Highsmith said. "I didn't think Coach Davis would give me that number."
Davis gave Tate's No. 87 to Boyd, who deftly juggled a long pass from T.J. Yates and reeled in the 59-yarder for a touchdown.
"I don't know who is going to wear those numbers in the next 25 years," Davis said, "but whoever comes in, I would ask for No. 88. I would try to make sure that I'm the heir apparent to that."
Starting for the first time, Highsmith caught his first touchdown pass in the first quarter, a 16-yarder. He immediately drew his first flag for unsportsmanlike conduct. "Coach Davis got on me a little bit," Highsmith said. "I kissed the crowd. I blew a little kiss at them."
He snagged five more passes for a total of 113 yards, the first true freshman with over 100 receiving yards since Nicks.
"I'm not big and physical," Highsmith said, "but I'm strong for my size. I think I'm a veteran in a rookie body, so when I get my body some extra size, it's going to be scary."
No matter the size, he vows that the 252 under the eyes will not change. A guy from Vanceboro doesn't forget.
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