Meet UNC Guard Derek Dixon, Football Chaplain Mitch Mason's Battle

Plus: Basketball GM Jim Tanner interview, Football recruiting updates, Volleyball downs State, Drake Maye beats his hometown team, Ben Griffin at the Ryder Cup

UNC Football Chaplain Mitch Mason Counsels a Player | Photo: UNC Athletics

It may have been an off week for UNC Football, but there was still plenty going on. Today we meet UNC freshman guard Derek Dixon, share an emotional account of football team chaplain Mitch Mason’s medical battle, and hear from basketball GM Jim Tanner. Plus, football recruiting updates, Volleyball beats NC State, and big weekends in the NFL and Olympic sports.

Football

This past weekend was an open date for UNC Football as they prepare to host the Clemson Tigers next Saturday at Kenan Stadium.

And while while Tar Heel football may not have been at the top of our minds this weekend, one person who should be is UNC Football team chaplain Mitch Mason, who continues his courageous and painful battle against idiopathic small fiber neuropathy.

Former Daily Tar Heel Sports Editor Shelby Swanson wrote a must-read piece for the Raleigh News & Observer about Mason’s fight, influence, and inspiration:

“This will be the first time I’m publicly sharing what’s really going on,” Mason told the N&O recently. “A lot of players don’t even know. I’ll tell you: I’m running out of time.”

Another football spotlight over the weekend was a profile on UNC long snapper Spencer Triplett, by Jeremiah Holloway at Inside Carolina. Long snappers play a thankless position and rarely receive attention unless they make a mistake, so I thought Triplett deserved some kudos for the simple fact that many fans have never heard of him (because he’s that good).

In the NFL, several Tar Heels had big weekends according to the weekend roundup from R.L. Bynum at Tar Heel Tribune:

• Drake Maye threw two touchdown passes, including one to former UNC walk-on Mack Hollins, in New England’s 42-13 win over the Carolina Panthers.

• Omarion Hampton had 12 carries for 128 yards, including a 54-yard touchdown run, and 5 receptions for 37 yards in the Chargers’ 21-18 loss to the Giants.

• Titans linebacker Cedric Gray tallied 10 tackles, seven assists, one tackle for loss, and a quarterback pressure.

And according to the Patriots’ media team, Drake Maye is already in some elite company:

Football Recruiting

The football recruiting trail was quiet this weekend with no home game for recruits to attend, but Don Callahan at Inside Carolina has provided his outstanding weekly roundup of all the highlights, including big games from UNC safety commit Julian Burns, cornerback Keegan Chapman, tight end Cooper McCutchan, and others:

Friday and Saturday were full of highlights: Julian Burns made plays on all levels, Keegan Chapman took the opening kickoff 80 yards to paydirt, Jamarrion Gordon intercepted a pass, and Cooper McCutchan might see himself on SportsCenter Top-10.

Basketball

On the hardwood, the Tar Heels continue to practice behind the scenes, but the program continues to introduce us to the many new faces of the Carolina family.

On the Carolina Insider podcast last week, Jones Angell and Adam Lucas introduced UNC fans to freshman guard Derek Dixon, who says he’s likely to being the season as the Tar Heels’ backup point guard behind Kyan Evans.