Mack Brown reveals when North Carolina knew Tez Walker would play

The status of North Carolina wide receiver Tez Walker was uncertain this weekend as the Tar Heels hosted Campbell after the wideout sustained a crushing hit the previous week in the fourth quarter of the team’s loss to Georgia Tech.

Walker was taken to a local hospital following the scary moment but was still able to suit up and make a major impact on North Carolina’s 59-7 win over the Fighting Camels. Following the game, Tar Heels head coach Mack Brown was asked when he knew Walker would be available for Saturday’s kickoff at noon.

“About 11:58,” Brown said getting a laugh out of the media. “We actually watched him in pregame and we said if he said he was sore we weren’t gonna play him, at all. But we also thought he needed to play because he didn’t need to have the tough hit at [Georgia] Tech and then play against Duke without having some balls thrown at him in a live setting. So he’s tough, tough young man and walked out there and not only did he play, he played really good.”

It sounds like Walker was the epitome of a game-time decision on Saturday, but ended up being a game-breaker when he did take the field. Walker only caught two passes on the day for 41 yards, but both were for touchdowns marking his fifth and sixth touchdown grabs of the season in just five game appearances.

“Adam it’s why I love these kids so much, they work so hard and they’re tough,” Brown said regarding Walker’s toughness. “They get hit, they get beaten up every day, they got school, they got girlfriend, they got girlfriend issues, they got class, they flunk a test. Nobody really understands how hard these guys work and how special they are and how tough they are.”

Walker stayed on the ground for quite some time following the hit he sustained versus Georgia Tech the week prior, as his teammates were praying over him as trainers continued to work on him. Making the resilience he showed and the performance he put on this weekend for the Tar Heels even more impressive.

“For Tez to want to get back out there, everyone’s talking about NIL and all this selfishness, we don’t have that. Tez could have very well said I’m just gonna go work with the scouts and I’m through, I don’t want to get hurt, I don’t want to hurt my draft status. He was fighting to get back and fighting to get back to playing a game he knew we were gonna win anyway because he wanted to get back out there and help his team,” Brown concluded.

Walker will look to continue making plays for the Tar Heels this Saturday, as North Carolina hosts rival Duke at 8:00 p.m. ET in a game airing on ACC Network.