We are coming to you LIVE from Kenan Stadium on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for today's intersquad spring football contest. The Tar Heels are wrapping up spring practices with their annual Blue/White game, which will be seen today nationwide starting at 3 p.m. on ESPN.The Tar Heels, coming off a heartbreaking loss to Pittsburgh last December in Charlotte at the Meineke Car Care Bowl, is almost certain to be ranked in the preseason Top 25 and returns a number of key players, including starting quarterback TJ Yates and wide receiver Greg Little. Carolina's defense was a team strength last season, with the likes of Deunta Williams, Robert Quinn, and Marvin Austin holding the line.
We'll bring you conversations, updates, and hopefully some photos along the way as we follow this afternoon's football game. We also home, press box room permitting, to provide live Blog coverage of the second half of a great doubleheader of sports action, as the diamond Heels will be hosting North Carolina State at newly rebuilt Boshamer Stadium later this evening.
Special thanks to our college sports correspondent Matt Laws, as well as the UNC Athletics Communications Office for the opportunity to provide this special coverage today. Go Tar Heels!
Update #1: Asheville High School and Carolina running back Johnny White sprained his ankle in yesterday's practice and will not be playing today. That's a bummer, as there have been some buzz during the spring on how he has stepped up in that role. We'll have to wait to see him in September I guess.They teams are coming out of the tunnel and the game is set to kick off!
Update #2: Heels white team QB Bryn Renner hits WE Greg Little for a nine-yard TD pass. The PAT is good to give the White squad a 7-0 lead. A 13 play, 71 yard drive took 7:21 off the first quarter clock to tally the first points of the game.
Blue team will get its first possession of the game coming up!
Update #3: The Blue squad, led by starting QB Yates, picks up one first down, but is eventually forced to punt. White's second offensive series results in a three-and-out, forcing a punt.
Blue team's second series starting at its own 22-yard line. First quarter in the books, and the White Heels lead the Blue Heels 7-0.
Update #4: Running backs Shaun Draughn and Anthony Elzy have the bulk of the carries at the running back position thus far, and Michael McAdoo has registered three sacks in just over a quarter of action.
Update #5: Renner is replaced at quarterback for the White team by Braden Hanson to open the first offensive drive of the second quarter. Hanson is actually playing at quarterback for both teams during this quarter. Hanson as the Blue quarterback throws an interception to Mywan Jackson. White takes over possession at the Blue 25-yard line. Hanson connects on a pass to the Blue 6-yard line. Elzy pounds the football to the two-yard line. Elzy hurdles the defensive line on the next play for a two-yard score. The point after try is good and the White squad holds a 14-0 lead with 5:09 to play. The drive took three plays to move 25 yards over just 1:23 of game time.
Update #6: Renner has re-entered the game for the White team and throws an interception to give Blue the possession as it looks to cut into the 14-point deficit. Yates returns to the quarterback spot for the Blue to close out the final two and a half minutes of the first half.
Update #7: Yates completes a 49-yard pass play to Zach Pianalto to advance to the White 23-yard line. After a run play the Blue team takes a time out with 58 seconds left, hoping to put some points on the scoreboard before intermission.
White snuffs out another Blue drive when McAdoo adds an interception to his three-sack first half. White decides to run out the remainder of the half as the White leads the Blue 14-0 following two quarters of action.
Update #8: TJ Yates was 7 of 13 in the first half for 77 yards with an interception, while taking three sacks. Bryn Renner was 8 of 11 for 92 yards in the first two quarters with a touchdown pass.
Update #9: Blue was unable to score with its first series, but forced a turnover on an interception to get the football back inside the White 35 yard line. The Blue squad threatened to score but Jackson intercepted a Hanson pass attempt for his second pick of the game. Blue squad is held scoreless again as the White squad takes over with 1:08 to play in the third quarter. 14-0 White leads it.
Update #10: Renner hits Dwight Jones on a 55-yard pass play to march the White players to the Blue 20 yard line as the third period ends. 14-0 White leads and is threatening. Also announced than an estimated 29,500 fans attended this afternoon's scrimmage, a great crowd out to support the Heels.
The White team adds another three points on a 23-yard field goal by Trase Jones to cap a 9-play, 74-yard drive that elapsed 5:57 of possession time. 5:50 remains in the contest and the White leads the Blue 17-0.
Update #11: McAdoo picks up a fourth sack for the White team as the defense has kept the Blue team in check for most of the day. On a 4th and 12 from the White 37, Yates throws deep but overthrows his intended receiver to give the White possession on the turnover on downs. White defeats the Blue 17-0 for the win.
Great effort and many high hopes for the Heels headed into the fall regular season, which opens in Atlanta on September 4th with a matchup against LSU.
That's gonna do it from Kenan Stadium. We may be back from Boshamer for the State/Carolina baseball game, if space permits. Thanks for reading!
