UNC notes: No decision on starting TB

CHAPEL HILL — North Carolina sophomore Greg Little doesn’t see himself as competing for the starting tailback position with Shaun Draughn, who ran for over 100 yards against Connecticut on Saturday, instead, Little said, “he’s pushing me, and I’m pushing him … to try to make each other better.”

Draughn, a converted safety, came in on UNC’s second offensive series of the game and rushed 19 times for 109 yards and a touchdown. Little, a converted wide receiver, made his fifth consecutive start in the backfield but rushed only three times for six yards.

“It’s kind of like basketball,’’ Little said. “When somebody’s on and having a good night, making all their shots, you’ve just got to keep passing them the ball. It’s like when you’re on, you’re on, and that’s the type of respect I have for Shaun. When he’s on, I’m willing to let him play, let his light shine. And I’m hoping he has the same respect for me. And I know Coach Davis is going to, if [someone] is having a game like that, let him play.”

Asked if he was going to start Saturday against Notre Dame, Little said Wednesday afternoon: “I think I am; I haven’t been told different.”

Davis said Wednesday evening he has not decided who will start at tailback.

CAM’S THE MAN: Last week, Davis said he wanted to play both quarterbacks in the UConn game. But after junior Cameron Sexton led the Tar Heels to their second straight victory, Davis said Wednesday that redshirt freshman Mike Paulus will play “if the opportunity presents itself.”

Davis was impressed with Sexton’s success at Miami, when he threw for two fourth-quarter touchdowns in the come-from-behind victory, and his game management against the Huskies.

“I think [with] that the continuity, I think we’re going to stay in the situation, although we give Mike more reps during the week than maybe the backup quarterback sometimes, always gets.” Davis said.

KENAN NEEDS WORK: Davis may not have to work quite so hard to raise funds for the proposed three phases of Kenan Stadium renovation.

Potential donors only had to be at Saturday’s win over No. 24 Connecticut (when a bank of lights went dark because a breaker broke) or the season-opener against McNeese State (when there was a small fire in the P.A. booth, the elevators to the press box got jammed, and a small chunk of concrete fell into the stands) to realize something – or things – have to change, he said.

“It is personal living proof that we need stadium expansion and renovation,’’ Davis said Wednesday, smiling when asked about the latest malfunction. “We get validation every single game. Something happens, the scoreboards and the elevators and the stadium deal [concrete] falling off and the lights. If anyone needs to know why we’re trying to fix it, all you have to do is show up Saturday.

“… It’s not like we’re crying wolf, you know.”

Phase One of the project, which will add two stories to the pre-existing Kenan Football Center, is scheduled to begin after this season.