CHAPEL HILL, NC - Bryn Renner welcomes the chance to play in any football game at Kenan Stadium, even if it’s against his own teammates.
The Tar Heels’ spring game on Saturday will be the public’s first glimpse of Renner, a redshirt freshman who is the program’s quarterback of the future.
As the QB of the White team in Saturday’s scrimmage, Renner will be going against senior starter T.J. Yates, who will lead the Blues. Renner said Wednesday he isn’t approaching the game as a direct competition with Yates, who has held the starting job for three seasons.
“I’m more concerned with getting better,” Renner said. “The more experience I can get, the better I’ll be as a player.”
Renner has impressed everyone in the UNC camp, coaches and players alike, with his arm strength and energy. At 6 feet 3 and 195 pounds, he also has good mobility.
That combination of raw talent has prompted coach Butch Davis to re-examine the starting job, although the coach has been clear that it’s Yates’ job to lose before the Sept. 3 opener against Louisiana State on national television.
Even Yates, who described Renner as his “little brother,” said there’s no getting around Renner’s natural ability.
“He’s got a really good arm,” Yates said. “He’s got so much energy, he’s definitely a fun guy to be around.”
Renner has been trying to balance football practice with his first baseball season at UNC.
The NCAA limits the number of hours of participation in single day and over the course of a week. Playing for the baseball team has cut into Renner’s time with the football coaches. He doesn’t think playing two sports has hurt his chances of supplanting Yates.
“I don’t think so,” Renner said. “I try to balance my day. I think it’s worked out great.”
ESPN on the way: With ESPN in town Saturday to televise the spring game (3 p.m.), the Tar Heels get a national showcase.
On the flip side, with college basketball’s season over and the kickoff of football still five months away, the cable giant needs programming hours. ESPN already has carried the spring game for LSU, UNC’s opponent on Sept. 3, and will show Alabama’s scrimmage on April 17, Penn State’s on April 24 and Oregon’s on May 1.
UNC and LSU will open the college football season at the Chick-fil-A Kickoff. The game will be shown by ABC, which like ESPN, is owned by Disney. The chance to promote that game, said Dave Brown, ESPN’s vice president of programming, offset the fact that UNC had only about 2,000 spectators at last year’s spring game.
“It’s a natural opportunity to talk about the LSU game,” Brown said. “With all the guys [UNC] has coming back, it was an easy choice for us.”
Injury update: Freshman tackle T.J. Leifheit will miss Saturday’s scrimmage with an injury. He is scheduled to have surgery on his left ankle today.
He is one of three offensive linemen who won’t play on Saturday, joining guard Alan Pelc (shoulder) and tackle Carl Gaskins (knee).
Houston sitting it out: Running back Ryan Houston, the team’s leading rusher, will also miss the game. The senior has not practiced this spring in order to concentrate on his academics.
NewsObserver.com
jp.giglio @ newsobserver.com or 919-829-8938
Modified Thu, Apr 08, 2010 12:25 AM
