Devontez “Tez” Walker will serve as an honorary captain in North Carolina’s game against Appalachian State on Saturday, despite the NCAA ruling the wide receiver ineligible for this season.
Walker is a second-time transfer, and as a result, needs a waiver to play because he has not graduated. The junior wideout started his college football career at North Carolina Central in 2020.
However, over the past two seasons, Walker also played at Kent State before transferring to North Carolina ahead of the 2023 campaign to be closer to his grandmother and family. Saturday’s move by North Carolina comes days after coach Mack Brown expressed his displeasure about the NCAA’s ruling on Walker.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever been more disappointed in a person, group of people or institution than I am with the NCAA right now,” Brown said in a statement. “Plain and simple, the NCAA has failed Tez and his family and I’ve lost all faith in its ability to lead and govern our sport.”
It’s the home opener game day 🐏
— Carolina Football (@UNCFootball) September 9, 2023
Your Captains for today:
O: Corey Gaynor
D: Kaimon Rucker
ST: Ben Kiernan
And, our Honorary Captain is Tez Walker. He will join the guys for the pregame coin toss. #CarolinaFootball 🏈 #UNCommon pic.twitter.com/a89Wi9BynD
Multiple players across college football are playing in their eighth year. Even more, some are playing at their third and fourth program. That’s why Brown believes the NCAA has placed an “unnecessary burden” on Walker, who will not be eligible to play until 2024.
