2009 ACC Football Legends: Kelvin Bryant, North Carolina

Oct. 20, 2009

Kelvin Bryant remains an All-American in every sense of the word.

Nearly three decades since he shattered records and dazzled opponents as a running back for the University of North Carolina, Bryant is right where he always envisioned being - back in his hometown, raising a family, active in his community.

Bryant is one of this year's Dr Pepper Atlantic Coast Conference Football Championship Game Legends who will be honored at this year's ACC Football Championship Game weekend. The Legends will appear at the ACC Coaches and Awards Luncheon at noon on Friday, Dec. 4, and will be honored at the "ACC Night of Legends" held at the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay on Friday evening. They will also be recognized during ceremonies at Raymond James Stadium for the 5th Annual Dr Pepper ACC Football Championship, which kicks off at 8 p.m., Dec. 5 on ESPN.

Those too young to remember Bryant running a blue streak through opposing defenders from 1979 through '82 can read the numbers. They know that Bryant ranks fourth all-time on the UNC school rushing list with 3,267 yards and that he is one of just three Tar Heels to put together three 1,000-yard rushing seasons.

They see that he still holds the school record for touchdowns in a game (six vs. East Carolina in 1981), as well as the NCAA record for touchdowns scored in two and three consecutive games (11 and 15 respectively).

That is the raw data. But those who saw Bryant at his peak or have access to the game films know that watching him perform on Saturdays - particularly those at the outset of his junior year in 1981 - bordered on magic.

Eight years of professional football followed UNC, a stint that included three 1,000-yard rushing seasons and two USFL titles with the Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars and a Super Bowl championship with the Washington Redskins in 1987. But the Tarboro, N.C., native always remained true to his roots and his hometown.

"I always knew I was going to settle down in Tarboro," Bryant said. "There's nothing like home, and even after I left for college and the pros and had the chance to travel all over, Tarboro was always my favorite place to be. My wife's from Princeville (a neighboring town in Eastern North Carolina's Edgecombe County) and she loves the area, too, so that was a big plus in me getting back here."

Bryant left the NFL in 1990, but "retirement" has hardly been the operative word. Since returning to Tarboro, he's found no shortage of things to keep him busy.

"It's varied a lot over the years - from a little business to stay-at-home Dad to community-type projects," Bryant reported. "I've enjoyed working with the youth and the elderly in a lot of capacities over the years. I'm the Director of Activities for Britthaven of Tarboro (a home for the elderly), which I really enjoy."

Those who don't remember Bryant's football exploits at North Carolina or at the professional level aren't likely to get an unsolicited first-hand update.

"I have always referred to Kelvin as `The Reluctant Superstar,' '' said Bryant's wife, Teresa, who offers good-natured proof.

"I think the fact that Kelvin married someone who went to NC State for college, Duke for law school, who does not like sports at all and has limited appreciation for his talent and career, is a good indication that he's not fixated on being adored for football," she said.

But from the days Bryant began wowing college recruiters at Tarboro High, there was no shortage of adoration for his football talent. Bryant remembers being heavily wooed by North Carolina assistant coach Cleve Bryant (no relation), and he eventually settled on the Tar Heels.

"Cleve Bryant did some pretty heavy recruiting," Bryant laughingly recalled. "But I fell in love with the school when I went to visit. Of all the schools I looked at, it seemed like the best fit, and that turned out to be right."

Though he had to compete with four-time 1,000-yard rusher Amos Lawrence for playing time during his first two seasons, Bryant was an integral part of the offense by his sophomore year. North Carolina finished 11-1 and posted an unbeaten record in ACC play en route to the 1980 conference championship. Lawrence rushed for 1,118 yards, while Bryant added 1,039. Each rushed for 11 touchdowns.

In addition to an explosive offense, the 1980 ACC title team was anchored defensively by All-American and future All-Pro Lawrence Taylor. Bryant was consistently surrounded by fellow talented players at UNC, as his teams finished a combined 37-10-1 and won four bowl games.

"We always worked together," Bryant said. "We were a close team on and off the field. Our teammates looked out for each other, and wanted the best for each other. I think that was a key to our success."

As the 1981 season got under way, Bryant was clearly the Tar Heels' go-to guy. And in the first game of his junior year, he delivered what most remember as his signature performance.

North Carolina opened against East Carolina before a frenzied crowd at Kenan Stadium. Bryant, repeatedly breaking tackles or leaving Pirate defenders grasping at air, staked the Tar Heels to a 35-0 halftime lead. He eventually amassed 211 yards and the school-record six touchdowns, keying a 56-0 UNC romp that triggered the start of a 10-2 season.

But those in attendance most remember Bryant's fifth touchdown, a second-half scamper into the east end zone. As Bryant made his way across the goal-line, he spotted former teammate Steve Streater seated in front of the old Kenan Field House.

Streater had been a defensive mainstay as a hard-hitting Tar Heel safety and a pro prospect as a punter. His latter skills had earned him a free-agent contract with the Washington Redskins less than five months earlier. Tragically, just hours after signing with the NFL team, Steater was involved in an automobile accident that left him confined to a wheelchair, paralyzed for life from the waist down.

Bryant handed the ball to Streater, who smiled broadly and delivered an emphatic spike. The capacity crowd - even those clad in the purple and gold colors of the opposing team - stood and cheered in unison. Many openly wept.

Bryant, who also handed off to Streater after his sixth touchdown, spontaneously decided to make his friend a part of the record day.

"I never expected that gesture to receive so much press over the years," Bryant said. "I still can't say for sure what made me give him the ball. I just wanted him to be part of that moment - to let him know that he was still a part of the team, still a part of Carolina."

Three games into the 1981 season, North Carolina had outscored its opponents by a combined 161-21 margin, Bryant had his record-setting 15 touchdowns and Tar Heel fans were abuzz over what seemingly lay ahead.

Their dreams were seemingly doused on the afternoon of Oct. 3, when Bryant went down with a left knee injury on his fifth carry at Georgia Tech. He underwent arthroscopic surgery the following day to repair torn knee cartilage, and Dr. Timothy Taft, UNC's orthopedic surgeon, discovered there was also ligament damage.

Taft told Sports Illustrated he found it "unlikely" Bryant would play again that fall. "But maybe," Taft added, "he'll fool me."

Bryant fooled almost everyone. Just a few days after the operation, UNC's Sports Information Office reported Bryant had ridden a stationary bike and done some light underwater running in a pool. He missed four games. By Nov. 14, he was back on the field for a 17-14 road win at Virginia.

"I worked really hard with the hope of getting back as soon as I could,' Bryant said. "Dr. Taft is the best. He took care of me with the surgery and the treatment, and I had to do the rest. I can't say I was surprised when I was able to get back onto the field."

Bryant entered the season finale at Duke 232 yards shy of 1,000 and seemingly a long shot to reach the magic number for a second straight year. Bryant rushed for 247, then followed up with 148 yards in a win over Arkansas in the Gator Bowl.

UNC touted Bryant for the Heisman Trophy prior to his senior year.

"I'm always grateful for people who appreciate my talent and loved to see me play, but I was never - and even today I'm not comfortable - with a lot of attention," Bryant said. "I was honored my name was being thrown out there, of course."

Another injury - this time to his ankle - held Bryant back in 1982, but he still rushed for a career-high 1,064 yards and keyed the Tar Heels to a Sun Bowl appearance, where they scored a 26-10 win over seventh-ranked Texas.

Bryant put up numbers that still withstand the test of time, numbers that bad luck likely prevented from being truly astounding. But the humble tailback from Tarboro has never looked back with a sense of "what if?"

"It wasn't meant to be," Bryant said. "What was meant to be was, and I'm thankful for that. That's just how I see life in general. No regrets."