UNC Football Visits UCF, Seth Trimble Talks Tar Heels, Cameron Holmes Visit, and Ludacris!

Plus: Professor Hansbrough brings Roy Williams to class, Mikai Gbayor honored, UNC vs. NC State baseball at the DBAP, major men's lacrosse commitment, and more

ACC Linebacker of the Week, Mikai Gbayor, jumps into the student UNC section | Photo: UNC Athletics

It’s been a big sports week. Carolina Football visits UCF, 5-star Cameron Holmes is set to visit, UNC and NC State to play Fall baseball at the DBAP, Men’s Lacrosse lands the No. 1 recruit, linebacker Mikai Gbayor honored, and Women’s Basketball hosts a big official visit. Plus: Updates on Professor Hansbrough, Roy Williams, Seth Trimble, and Ludacris(!). On to the updates…

Football

UNC linebacker Mikai Gbayor was named ACC Linebacker of the Week on Monday for his outstanding performance in the Tar Heels’ 41-6 victory over Richmond on Saturday, which included a 62-yard “scoop and score” off a fumble.

Carolina Athletics continues to go all in on improving the UNC Football game-day experience, announcing this week that…

“Three-time Grammy Award-winning rapper and actor Ludacris will take the stage in Polk Place Saturday, Oct. 4 before Carolina's football game against Clemson as part of the Chapel Thrill Concert Series.“

But before we look too far ahead, there’s still a tough game awaiting the Tar Heels in Orlando this weekend against the UCF Knights. Here are a few interesting pre-game notes (PDF file):

• A win would be UNC’s fourth-straight regular-season win in Florida and the first over a Big 12 program since Oct. 5, 2002, a 38-35 victory at Arizona State.

• Saturday is the first all-time meeting between UNC and UCF.

• Bill Belichick was the defensive coordinator of the New York Jets when the organization drafted now UCF head coach Scott Frost in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft.

• UNC’s Demon June ranks second nationally in freshman rushing yards (200) this season.

Carolina defensive end Melkart Abou-Jaoude, who had a breakout game against Richmond, almost never made it onto a college football field. He was working in a bagel shop in New Jersey after his senior season with no concrete plans for his future.

On the other end of the transfer spectrum, UNC wide receiver Aziah Johnson has left the team, per Inside Carolina, after playing just 5 snaps through the first 3 games. Johnson caught 16 passes, including two touchdowns for Michigan State last season.

Another transfer, former UNC defensive lineman Rodney Lora will line up against the Tar Heels for UCF on Saturday afternoon.

Basketball

North Carolina senior guard Seth Trimble met with the media Wednesday to discuss team chemistry, leadership, naming a new Ben & Jerry's ice cream flavor after Roy Williams, and more.

Former UNC and current Chicago Bulls guard Coby White held his annual basketball camp for kids at the Smith Center.

And it was apparently “Take your coach to work day” on Tuesday as Adjunct Professor Tyler Hansbrough was joined by legendary basketball coach Roy Williams in Hansbrough’s Media and Journalism 377 class.