'Fast Willie' almost quit football

Posted Dec 29, 2006

On the day his teammates unanimously chose him as the Steelers' Most Valuable Player, Willie Parker admitted that he nearly quit playing football several times in college. But whenever the young running back threatened to leave the University of North Carolina, his parents escorted him to church. And those visits to the family's place of worship in Clinton, N.C., were much more than "Fast Willie" kneeling down and praying that he'd catch a break with the Tar Heels. (Beaver County Times)

Related: Football Alumni

Audio: Hakeem Nicks Interview
Charlotte resident and Giants star WR Hakeem Nicks joined the guys to discuss the Super Bowl, his rise to stardom, and whether or not he...
Fri Jan 27, 2012

Coples, Brown lead next group of Tar Heels going pro
The pipeline from Chapel Hill to the NFL is alive and well, and evident at this year's Senior Bowl in the form of four Tar...
Fri Jan 27, 2012

Senior Bowl: Stock down for UNC's Dwight Jones
The latest notes from ESPN's Scouts Inc. crew featured two former North Carolina players, receiver Dwight Jones, and linebacker Zach Brown, as both struggled on...
Thu Jan 26, 2012

UNC's Coples sees a chance to bolster rep
Tony Pauline, draft expert for SI.com, said UNC coaches have been telling scouts that Quinton Coples played cautiously his senior season to avoid getting hurt...
Thu Jan 26, 2012