“You kind of see the softer side of Mack you don’t see a lot,” Howard said.
The normally brash and outspoken Hollins didn’t have much to say — for once. The leader of UNC’s wide receivers is usually never short for words.
Perhaps it comes from how hard he’s had to fight to make the team. The former walk-on who was dubbed ‘the unlucky kid’ by his father, who endured injuries and disappointment, who wears No. 13 to laugh in the face of the circumstances that tried and failed to drag him back to obscurity — Hollins has come a long way to be here.
“He comes from just working,” Howard said. “He’s always positive, he’s always pushing you. He’s not the type of guy to be satisfied with just one good game.”
Hollins always had a retort to whatever life threw at him. He never leaves the house without the proverbial chip on his shoulder.
Before North Carolina’s 37-35 win over Florida State earlier this season, he and fellow receivers Howard and Ryan Switzer warmed up in bathrobes because Hollins felt the nation was sleeping on the Tar Heels’ wide receiving corps.
Yet Hollins isn’t just talk. One doesn’t go from walk-on to third in UNC history in touchdown catches without work.
The first place Hollins made his impact was on special teams, and No. 13 was UNC’s best special teamer until that fateful play in Miami. The culture of hard work he embodied permeated the entire North Carolina receiving corps.
Hollins never knew that until he saw Howard wearing his jersey. But the signs were everywhere after that.
Junior transfer Jordan Cunningham caught a pass to convert a 3rd-and-22 and set up the Tar Heels’ first touchdown of the afternoon. Former walk-on Thomas Jackson caught a wide-open touchdown in the back of the end zone to give UNC a two-score lead in the third quarter.
And Hollins’ replacement at outside receiver, Austin Proehl, caught another long touchdown to punctuate the final 35-14 margin against Virginia.
“Of course it hurt us ...” Howard said of Hollins’ injury. “But we got young guys who can come in and know exactly what needs to be done.
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“They held their weight pretty good today.”
Players who weren’t starting at the beginning of the year stepped up when given the opportunity.
Down three preseason starters, the reserves on the offensive line paved the way for 178 rushing yards, and young players on defense helped the Tar Heels continue the resurgence on that side of the ball.
“Regardless of who wears his jersey or not, Mack’s with us,” Switzer said. “We’re going to honor him with our play.”
And so after seeing his teammate wearing No. 13 and carrying on his legacy, Hollins looked at Howard and said something he’d never said before — “Bro, I love you, and I appreciate you.”
Nothing else had to be said.
“It really felt good to hear him say those words,” Howard said.
“Because he don’t ever say it.”
@loganulrich
sports@dailytarheel.com
