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Cloudy this morning with thunderstorms developing this afternoon. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High 78F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..
Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Low 57F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
Updated: May 18, 2024 @ 7:19 am
CHAPEL HILL — North Carolina and quarterback Sam Howell will have another trusted component on offense back next football season, with the return of veteran tight end Garrett Walston.
Coach Mack Brown said Monday the senior Walston has chosen to use the extra year of college eligibility made available by the NCAA, and will stay on to play for the Tar Heels in 2021, his sixth season in the program.
Walston had four catches in North Carolina’s loss to Texas A&M in the Orange Bowl during the weekend. Last month, he was recognized as part of the team’s Senior Day ceremonies for departing players prior to the Tar Heels’ final home game of this season.
Brown said “it’s huge for us” to keep Walston in the fold, citing his understanding of the offense (20 career starts) and proven presence that will allow younger tight ends in the program such as freshmen Kamari Morales, John Copenhaver and Kendall Karr to grow their development.
“So that really helps us,” Brown said, “because we’ve got some talented young tight ends and another one coming (in recruiting), but we don’t have experience like Garrett. He’s a vital part of our offense.”
Walston joins kicker Grayson Atkins, receiver Beau Corrales and linebacker Tyrone Hopper as seniors who will remain with North Carolina and play an extra season in 2021. Brown said Monday senior linebacker Tomon Fox also is considering returning.
Howell hit Walston with a touchdown pass to cap North Carolina’s opening drive of the season, an 11-yard score that cranked up its Sept. 12 victory against Syracuse. He finished with 19 catches for 255 yards and two touchdowns on the season, and ranked fifth on the team in receptions.
Only speedy Dazz Newsome was targeted on Howell’s throws more often than Walston during the 41-27 loss to No. 5 Texas A&M in the bowl game Saturday night, as the 14th-ranked Tar Heels were without go-to receiver Dyami Brown and superb running backs Michael Carter and Javonte Williams after their opt-out exits to enter the NFL Draft.
“I do think that weirdly enough losing that game the other night,” Mack Brown said of Walston, “he walked out of there saying, ‘This can be a really special place and we can have a great year next year, and I want to be part of it.’ And that was the conversation I had with him.”
Walston, a Wilmington product, enrolled in college at North Carolina in January 2016, before taking a redshirt season that fall as a true freshman. He has been on board for the team’s transition from former coach Larry Fedora to Brown, and the turnaround that has elevated the Tar Heels from 3-9 in 2017 and 2-9 in 2018 at the end of Fedora’s tenure, to 7-6 in 2019 and now 8-4 this season under Brown.
Walston informed Brown he’ll be staying with the Tar Heels by way of a text message exchange Sunday night, prompting the coach to say “we got great news last night,” as he made the announcement Monday during his session with reporters.
Brown said he spoke to Walston last week prior to the Orange Bowl, while the tight end wrestled with whether to move on from his college playing career or elect to use the NCAA option that provides an additional year of eligibility due to the uncertainty of conducting sports seasons in this time of coronavirus.
“He was struggling before the game about what he should do,” Brown said, “and I said we want you to come back, but this is on you. I have been in programs that convinced guys to come back that weren’t sure they wanted to and it did not work. So we want guys that consciously decide to come back on their on.”
This article originally appeared on Times-News: Mack Brown hails tight end Garrett Walston’s return to UNC as ‘huge for us’
