UNC football’s Mack Brown doubles down on Tez Walker’s NCAA situation
CHAPEL HILL – A week after North Carolina football coach Mack Brown announced wide receiver Tez Walker was denied immediate eligibility by the NCAA, Brown sounded off on Walker's case.
“We still haven’t heard any word on Tez Walker’s situation,” Brown said Wednesday afternoon inside the Bill Koman Practice Complex.
In less than three weeks, the 21st-ranked Tar Heels open the season against South Carolina at Bank of America Stadium in Walker’s hometown of Charlotte.
First-time transfers can play immediately, but two-time transfers have to meet certain criteria. Physical injuries or mental health conditions that necessitate a transfer are among the reasons the NCAA can choose to approve an eligibility waiver.
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Walker cited his grandmother’s health as one of his main reasons for making the move to join the Tar Heels. There remains no timetable on when the NCAA will respond to UNC’s appeal for Walker’s waiver to be approved.
UNC football coach Mack Brown wants NCAA to focus on Tez Walker's mental health
Brown “really likes” what he’s seen from NCAA president Charlie Baker, but he’d like to see the NCAA become better at addressing mental health.
“(Tez) feels really guilty that he’s brought negative attention to our program, which he shouldn’t,” Brown said. “He’s really struggling. I see him crying after practice. He came over to me and said, ‘Have you heard anything?’ And he does every day.”
Brown doubled down on the fact that Walker only played college football at Kent State and received support from the school to make the move to UNC. The preseason All-ACC selection had 58 catches for 921 yards and 11 touchdowns with the Golden Flashes last season.
“As I look at it, I see a mental-health issue — I see it at the highest level,” Brown said.
“. … You’re taking away his opportunity to play. You’re taking away a guy’s opportunity to play that’s on the watchlist for the best receiver in the country. You’re taking away an opportunity for a guy to play in the NFL — so you’re taking away an opportunity for compensation. And you’re taking away, most importantly, he needed to be back close to home and he needed his grandmother to see him play for the first time ever.”
Before Brown turned his attention to UNC’s position groups and continued preparation for the upcoming season, he reiterated his hope that the NCAA will allow Walker to play for the Tar Heels in 2023.
“I’m banking on Charlie Baker. If we are changing, it’s time to change. I’m banking on (Baker) stepping up and changing, because it’s what’s best for this young man. It’s not about us. He is a good player, but if I say I’m gonna take care of every player and treat them like I’d want my son to be treated, that’s what I’m trying to do in this situation,” Brown said.
“Tez needs to be able to play. That’s the only fair thing for him and people need to stand up for it. We went from everybody being eligible to nobody being eligible. Neither one of ‘em are fair, neither one of ‘em are right. So let’s do what’s right. Don’t say that we care about student welfare and don’t say that we care about mental health, unless we do. Here’s a great opportunity to show that we do.”
Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: UNC football: Mack Brown sounds off on NCAA about Tez Walker situation
