Former Tar Heel offensive lineman and current director of high school relations Kevin Donnalley joined The Clubhouse with Kyle Bailey in Charlotte on Wednesday afternoon to discuss a multitude of topics. After some talk about the Carolina Panthers the focus shifted fully to Tar Heels and here is what Donnalley had to say.
One of the biggest topics that was focused on during the interview was the possibility of college football being played this fall. Despite all of the recent news from schools like Clemson, Kansas State and Texas, Donnalley still remains positive that the season will be able to start on time. “I’m real confident. I think it’s going to look different in different parts of the country for different programs and at different levels,” Donnalley told Bailey. “There are programs that are handling this thing absolutely right. You can look in our backyard with UNC-Charlotte, they are doing a fantastic job with bringing their guys back in and no positive tests.”
Donnalley then turned his focus to the Tar Heels and how they have been handling everything during this time. “With Mack Brown and the Tar Heels, our full team is back in there with the full staff and with no positive tests for COVID-19.” This is a huge step in the right direction towards having a 2020 season for the Tar Heels, who seem to have done everything right during this time to set themselves up for a healthy return to campus. “It just comes down to spacing and wearing masks and I think there are programs all over the country doing that, we’re just hearing the ones like Clemson that have nearly 40 (personnel) with it and the Alabama’s and different players around the country. It’s bad news and we seem to just gravitate towards that when we see that.” Donnalley closed his answer to this question by encouraging people to social distance and wear a mask if you want a football season this year, something that he says Mack Brown has been preaching during this time.
Donnalley also touched on how he thinks Mack Brown has been so successful on the recruiting trail since returning to Chapel Hill despite some people doubting his chances at success after his time away from the sidelines. “He’s coming from a place where he’s saying this will be my last stop,” Donnalley said of Brown. “Believe me, I’ve got enough energy to see this thing through and will be here five, six, seven years. It’s not a one or two year, get it started and then retire. I’ll get messages from him at 6 in the morning and something else that night at 11 o’clock at night. He’s got energy to burn.” Donalley also touched on the fact that he believes that that combination of energy and his genuine nature are what recruits are buying into. “What he’s telling you is the truth. He cares about you. He’s really honest where guys stand in the recruiting process and I think that is a breath of fresh air for these guys.”