THI Newsstand: September 27

Talking UNC-Idaho with Robb Akey, Sept. 26 - ACCSports.com

Dave Nathan recently caught up with Idaho football coach Robb Akey on Glenn's afternoon radio show. Among the topics they discussed: How Idaho has progressed offensively since the season started; how the Idaho-North Carolina matchup came together; Idaho's future conference plans; the challenges of playing a game on the opposite side of the country; and what Akey expects from UNC on Saturday.

Thorp: UNC's standards for athletes will rise - Charlotte Observer

Chancellor Holden Thorp said Wednesday the university is planning to strike a new - and possibly groundbreaking - balance between athletics and academics at one of the nation's leading public universities. Among the coming changes: tougher admissions requirements for athletes. Thorp also said in an interview with (Raleigh) News & Observer reporters and editors that faculty members will have more oversight of classes that athletes take once they are on campus.

North Carolina's defense still a work in progress - Charlotte Observer

Sylvester Williams and his teammates on the North Carolina defense were hurting. It was halftime of the Tar Heels' eventual 39-34 loss at Louisville, and the Tar Heels had just allowed 360 yards of offense and 36 points. Louisville's offensive skill players had been allowed to run wide open, uncovered. The Cardinals broke through wide open holes in the Heels' defense, or sometimes ran through UNC's futile tackling attempts.

Stories from behind the mic - Durham Herald-Sun

After calling 1,805 football and basketball games for North Carolina over 40 years, Woody Durham finally decided to put his thoughts on paper.

Reddick Shining In Senior Leader Role - GoHeels.com

Senior linebacker Kevin Reddick doesn't take a day off after a notable game for the North Carolina football team. Against East Carolina, Reddick posted nine tackles, two of which were for a loss, broke up a pass and notched a sack in just four quarters of play. And quarterback Bryn Renner said Reddick was back in the Kenan Football Center watching film with the same "business approach" he takes to his game the very next day. Now all of Reddick's focus is on Saturday's matchup against Idaho.

UNC opponent preview: East Carolina - ESPN.com

The Pirates return two of their top three scorers in guard Miguel Paul (15.2 ppg, 5.9 apg) and forward Maurice Kemp (10.5 ppg). … This will mark the ninth straight season under Williams that UNC has played at least one home game against an in-state, nonconference foe.

Tudor: Idaho hopes to find a few fans on long road trip - Raleigh News & Observer

Like almost all Idaho alumni and fans, former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin is not expected to be in Chapel Hill on Saturday to watch her Vandals play a first-ever football game in North Carolina. "There aren't very many of us anywhere, much less in North Carolina," said U.S. Marine captain and Raleigh resident Matthew Erickson. A 2005 graduate of the school located in Moscow, Idaho, Erickson would like to be in Chapel Hill but might have duty priorities. Either way, his heart will be there for one of the most far-flung games of the college season.