Kentucky: Will Chapman
Will Chapman was at times a very good football player at North Carolina, though his primary issue was struggling to stay on the field. Injuries got Chapman a couple of times, keeping him from posting far more impressive numbers and having a greater impact on the UNC program.
But when healthy, Chapman was a key component to a fantastic defensive front for the Tar Heels in 2001.
That team opened the season 0-3 with losses at top-10 teams Oklahoma, Maryland and Texas before playing a home game against No. 4 Florida State. UNC was supposed to play SMU in its home opener, but the game was slated for a few days after the 9/11 attacks and moved to December.
The Heels routed FSU, 41-9, and eventually defeated Auburn to win the Peach Bowl and finish the campaign 8-5. Carolina’s defense was its strength, in particular its front line.
Joey Evans was a borderline NFL player, Ryan Sims played nine years in the league and Julius Peppers just recently retired after a Hall of Fame career. The other guy on the line was Chapman.
“I'm not sure if there's a better defensive line than what we have on our first team,” UNC Coach John Bunting said in 2001. “I think it's hard to picture somebody better than Sims and Peppers and Evans and Chapman up front. That's a pretty stout group.”
Chapman played high school football at Episcopal in Alexandria, VA, but he was from Lexington, KY. He walked on at UNC and saw action at defensive tackle in every game of his freshman season, playing 211 snaps and finishing with 31 tackles, including eight for a loss of yardage. The following season, as a sophomore in 2001, Chapman earned a scholarship in the summer before fall camp and then a starting spot in camp.
He started UNC’s first eight games in 2001 and was playing exceptionally well before tearing ligaments in his knee and missing the rest of the season. He registered 29 tackles before the injury during a 38-3 romp at Clemson in October.
“I know Will will get back and play next year because I know his dad,” Bunting said after the game. “He’s got great bloodlines. Will loves to play and he’ll do everything he can to get back.”
The bloodlines Bunting spoke about referred to Chapman’s father, Bill Chapman, whom Bunting played with at UNC in the early 1970s.
In 2002, however, Chapman fell victim to another injury, this time wrist surgery at Virginia in the seventh game ended his season. He started all seven games recording 27 tackles while leading the team with three sacks at the time after moving from tackle to defensive end that season.
“Will is one of our leaders on defense and he means a lot to this football team,” Bunting said the following week. “His health is our top priority.”
Chapman didn’t play again for the Tar Heels, but when he did, he was a productive player.