North Carolina's Tate out to prove he's not just a return man

NCAA Football Betting Lines

10/09/2007 -

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) -Brandon Tate has spent the first half of the season proving something to coaches who no longer are with North Carolina.

With every acrobatic catch and end-around rush, the Tar Heels receiver has tried to prove that his fired former coaches made a mistake by seemingly pigeonholing him as a kick and punt returner.

Finally given a chance to contribute by new coach Butch Davis, Tate has shown a knack for rolling up yards - and scoring touchdowns - in a variety of ways.

``When I go out there and make great plays, I told the coaches last year I could do it, and I guess they didn't believe me,'' Tate said Monday. ``But they see now.''

His breakout junior season is halfway over, and Tate already has scored three different types of touchdowns this year alone - receiving, rushing and on a punt return.

His 14 receptions are nearly three times as many as he had combined during two seasons under John Bunting - who cast him almost exclusively as a return man - and his 955 all-purpose yards has him in position to challenge Don McCauley's 37-year-old school record of 2,021.

Tate's latest highlight came in last week's win against Miami when he took an end-around 54 yards down the left sideline for the first rushing touchdown of his career. It stands with the three touchdown passes he caught this season, his two career punt-return TDs and the three times in his career in which he brought back a kickoff for a score.

``Reverses to receptions to kickoff and punt returns, he's a field-position changer,'' Davis said. ``Because of his speed ... potentially any play has a chance to maybe go to the house.''

Bunting's failure to involve Tate in the offense may be one reason why he's the Tar Heels' ex-coach since it appears that last season's offense - which was desperate for playmakers - might have had one hidden on the sideline.

Tate said he jokingly lobbied to last year's staff, begging for more involvement, ``because I didn't want them to get mad at me,'' but they never explained why he was stuck behind senior Jesse Holley on the depth chart and couldn't get on the field more often.

He finished last season with five catches for 72 yards, and closed the season against Duke by becoming the ninth player in NCAA history to return a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns in the same game.

``Sometimes the coaches would tell me I'm going in for certain plays, but they'd never call those plays for me,'' he said. ``They didn't ever say (why). I didn't really ask.''

When Davis arrived and began studying film, he wondered why Tate wasn't a bigger part of the offense. Now he hopes the receiving corps that also includes Hakeem Nicks and Brooks Foster can develop into a pick-your-poison scheme that someday might rival the collection of talent he had in Miami, which at one time boasted future NFL players Santana Moss, Reggie Wayne, Andre Johnson and Jeremy Shockey.

``As talented as Brandon was a year ago in all the kicking situations (he was) someone that maybe emerged earlier,'' Davis said. ``Not being here and not watching practices, I can't tell you why that maybe was ... We can't get stereotypical. The best teams I've been on have been teams where it's been very difficult to defend just one guy.''Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

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Eastern Conference Playoff Betting Trends

We all know by now that the “public” loves to put their money on the FAVORITES and the OVERS.  Just by taking a quick glance at Sportsbook.com’s “Betting Trends” it appears as is this tendency will continue as far as the Eastern Conference games are concerned.  For the inaugural games of the first round, 69% of the early money is on Toronto -4.5; 59% of bettors prefer Chicago -4.5; 84% are backing Detroit -9; and 56% think Cleveland -11.5 is the way to go.  As far as TOTALS are concerned, the only UNDER the “public” is backing is the Cleveland/ Washington game in which 83% are pounding the UNDER (190).  Remember, there is no better way to predict a possible line change than by monitoring MySportsbook.com’s “Betting Trends”.   By determining who the “public” is backing, you can get the most ideal line for your bet.  For example, if you are siding with the public you better place your bet before the line moves in the wrong direction.  On the other side of the coin, if you prefer the team that the “public” is betting against; you might be able to get and extra ½ or even more by placing your bet a bit later.  Under the “Betting Trends” section, Sportsbook.com also provides plenty of statistical data and trends in order for the bettor to make the most informed pick.  Below are some extremely important trends for the first round opponents of the Eastern Conference match-ups, more can be found at MySportsbook.com

New Jersey Nets vs. Toronto Raptors

Toronto was the most reliable covering team this season with a 48-33-1 ATS record but covered the OVER only 41.5% of the time.
The last 20 times these teams have played, the TOTAL has gone UNDER 16 times.
Versus Eastern Conference teams, Toronto is 33-19 ATS including 17-9 at home.
 New Jersey has covered four games in a row while Toronto has failed to cover their last four games.
When playing a team with a winning record during the second half of the season, New Jersey was just 5-13 ATS this season.
After scoring 105 points or more, Toronto has covered the OVER only 28% of the time this season. 
 
Miami Heat @ Chicago Bulls

Miami has failed to cover their last 7 games whereas Chicago has covered 6 out of their last 8 games.
Miami has covered the UNDER in four of their last five games whereas Chicago has covered the UNDER in five out of their last six.
When playing on Saturdays, Miami covered 80% of their games this season.
Away from home, Chicago is just 16-25 ATS this season.
At home, Miami covered the UNDER about 66% of the time whereas Chicago covered the UNDER about 61% of the time.
The last 13 times these teams have played each other, Chicago has covered 9 times.
In Miami’s last 11 road games, the UNDER covered 9 times. 
 
Orlando Magic @ Detroit Pistons

Detroit has covered 5 out of their last 6 games.
Away from home, Detroit is 28-13 ATS but just 14-26-1 ATS at home.
At home, Orlando covered the UNDER 64% of the time while Detroit covered the UNDER in 63% of their away games.
The last five times these teams have played in Detroit, the OVER covered each time.
Versus Eastern Conference teams, Detroit is 8-17-1 ATS at home but 17-9 ATS away.
Detroit covered the spread 5 out of the last 6 times they played Orlando.
After a Division game, Orlando covered the UNDER 87% of the time this season. 
 
Washington Wizards @ Cleveland Cavaliers

In a home game where the TOTAL is between 190 and 194.5 points, Cleveland is 9-1 ATS this season.
Washington has covered the UNDER in their last 6 games and in 8 of their last 9 games.
The last 6 times these teams have played each other, the UNDER covered each time.
When playing on 3 or more days of rest, Washington is just 18-37 ATS since 1996.
Since 1996, Washington is 28-16 ATS versus Cleveland including 11-5 over the last 3 seasons.
In their last 7 road games, Washington is 6-1 ATS.
Versus Eastern Conference teams at home, Washington is just 6-18-2 ATS. 
 
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