Julius Peppers is the best defensive end in college football right now. He's a Florida State-type of DE; strong, quick, explosive, with excellent instincts.
A virtual lock to be a top five pick in the NFL draft, Peppers realizes it is in his best interest to concentrate on the sport that should dominate his future for several years to come. He was surprisingly successful at basketball, but his future is definitely as a defensive end in the NFL.
Ronald Curry began his college career with a tremendous amount of hype, and he's had a solid, if unexceptional, career thus far. But for him to become a player that lives up to his own expectations, he needs to have a big year. To do that, he'll have to concentrate on football so he can put some good numbers up. Especially at the quarterback position, acute focus is very important.
The Carolina football program made great strides under Mack Brown, and finally got some respect in the late '90s. But ever since Judgment Day vs. Florida State, when the Seminoles buried them on national TV, you haven't heard much about Carolina football.
Maybe Peppers' and Curry's decisions can be a shot in the arm for the legitimacy of the football program at UNC. Look around the ACC: Georgia Tech has George O'Leary, Tommy Bowden's at Clemson, of course Bobby Bowden at Florida State, Virginia now with Al Groh, Maryland with Ralph Friedgen -- the conference is poised to make a move.
UNC had better get things headed in the right direction, because the conference as a whole is definitely improving.
Kirk Herbstreit is a football analyst for ESPN's College Gameday.
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