Tar Heels begin new era under Guthridge

DURHAM, N.C. (U-WIRE) - Although the Dean Smith era is over, it certainly does not mark the end of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's dominance in basketball.

In fact, this year's Tar Heel squad is as good as ever.

With four out of five starters returning and six of its top seven players back from a team that won the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament and advanced to the Final Four, the Tar Heels are viewed as one of the nation's top teams, with a No. 4 preseason Associated Press ranking.

But questions still linger for this squad.

While North Carolina does have one of the most talented teams in the nation, whether the Tar Heel's 60-year -old rookie coach Bill Guthridge will be up to the task of coaching in such a tough conference is up is a major question. He realizes that there are the inevitable high expectations after following a coach as accomplished as Dean Smith.

"Of course Dean did an unbelievable job," Guthridge said. "I'm following him, I can't replace him - no one can replace Dean Smith."

Dean Smith is the total embodiment of not only North Carolina basketball, but also basketball as we know it today. Many of his former players have played NBA basketball, and many of his former assistants are currently head coaches. Some of his prized pupils include Michael Jordan, Sam Perkins, Brad Daugherty, Phil Ford, Larry Brown, Roy Williams, George Karl, and the list goes on and on.

Smith also is the NCAA's all-time winningest coach, a record he set with his 877th victory over Colorado in this past spring's NCAA tournament. Under Smith's guidance, the Tar Heels have recorded 27 consecutive seasons with at least 21 wins. In addition, North Carolina has been in the NCAA tournament an NCAA record 23 consecutive seasons, a mark that begun in 1975. However, one thing people often forget is that Guthridge has been at Smith's side for years of coaching at Carolina.

"Instead of me having to give him suggestions and he deciding whether to accept them or not, he can give me suggestions and I have to decide whether to accept them or not," Guthridge said.

Although Guthridge has never been a coach, he knows his Xs and Os and has been able to learn from a legendary coach and teacher. He realizes that winning isn't something that is easily achieved - it will require effort from everyone involved.

"It was pretty certain that Dean Smith would do a great job coaching," Guthridge said. "Now we'll have to see how this coaching staff and these players can respond to the coaching staff. Of course I'm hoping it'll be good."

Although this is Guthridge's first season at the helm, expectations for North Carolina basketball are still very high-and rightfully so.

11-21-97