Meister der Farbe » ld, who finished with 19 goals in 55 ga

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Elijah Hood ran the ball with a tackler-punishing ferocity to put together one of the best statistical seasons in North Carolina history and make him one of the Atlantic Coast Conferences elite runners.Yet Hood is thinking as much about all the little mistakes he saw on his game film, the ones hes determined to correct this fall to have an even bigger season.I know for a fact I couldve done more, Hood said in an interview with The Associated Press. Ive looked at it on film. There were runs I left out there. Particularly, I counted like six touchdowns that I left on my own where I should have just stuck my foot in the ground . instead of getting tackled sideways and getting stopped at the 3 or something.The 6-foot, 220-pound tailback from Charlotte ranked third in the ACC with 1,463 yards rushing and second with 17 rushing touchdowns as a sophomore, and he averaged 6.7 yards on his roughly 16 carries per game. Those season totals ranked in the top three of UNCs single-season history, too.Yet Hood has spent the offseason preparing to fix mistakes that include misreading a running lane, missing a block or being a bit too impatient to let the play develop more fully. The first chance comes Sept. 3 against Georgia in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta.Its kind of like, `All right, that was good, but you still can do more, Hood said. Never cut yourself short. Live to the fullest ability that you possibly can. And if you dont, youre not putting your best foot forward, youre not truly showing what kind of football player you can be.If you rush for 150 yards but you shouldve had 250 yards, thats an OK day for you, but you shouldve had a great day.Hoods mother, Melica, said its an approach her son takes throughout his life, whether on the field or in the classroom as a two-time all-ACC academic pick and Eagle Scout. UNC running backs coach Larry Porter sees it, too, describing Hood as a very cerebral, very detail-oriented guy.Elijahs always the type of person who will go back over everything he does, Melica Hood said. Hes hard on himself. He will pick apart everything and is always striving to do better. Hes probably going to be that way pretty much about everything no matter what he does. Hes meticulous.Hood had eight 100-yard games that included a career-high 220 yards and two touchdowns against rival North Carolina State. That helped the Tar Heels match a program record with 11 wins while winning the leagues Coastal Division title to reach the ACC championship game, losing to then-No. 1 and eventual College Football Playoff runner-up Clemson.Just as importantly, he provided an edge to a high-scoring offense with a physical style rooted in his early years in football. Nicknamed Big Hot as a baby because of his size -- and the fact his parents carried a fan with them nearly everywhere to keep him from crying -- Hood played first on the defensive line and then at linebacker while sometimes matching up against older kids before moving to running back by high school.Years later, Hood still loves delivering hits.He can wear down guys because he really doesnt like to get tackled, head coach Larry Fedora said. He runs violently -- its the best term Ive come up with -- so when he is being tackled, hes trying to punish the tackler. Thats something he is very aware of: Hes going to make sure that guy knows that he tackled Elijah Hood.---Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap and the APs college football site at http://collegefootball.ap.org Cheap Johnny Pesky Jersey .25 million option on reliever Jose Veras. Cheap Fred Lynn Jersey . Takahashi, who had a 10-point lead after the short program, received 268.31 points after the free skate to finish 15 points ahead of second-place Nobunari Oda. http://www.cheapredsoxjerseys.com/?tag=cheap-tony-conigliaro-jersey . -- Stanfords Kevin Danser knelt on one knee and hardly moved on the sideline as Michigan State celebrated its Rose Bowl victory and his Cardinal teammates made their way to the locker room. Cheap Ted Williams Jersey . -- There were a lot of firsts for the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night. Cheap Carl Yastrzemski Jersey . How great will be revealed in the next couple of days at the board of governors meeting in Pebble Beach, Calif.Patrick Davison sat down with Jermain Defoe to chat about the pressure on his shoulders at Sunderland, how he learnt from Ian Wright, and his relationships with Dick Advocaat and Sam Allardyce... Theres always a food bus at Sky Live games. A double-decker where everyone can sit and eat a few hours before kick-off.It was on the bus ahead of Tuesday nights game between Newcastle and Manchester City that conversation, predictably, turned to who might stay up. There was a variety of opinions, but only one player from any of the three teams fighting for their lives got a mention - Jermain Defoe.When I met with the man himself at Sunderlands Academy of Light training ground a few days later, it was the first thing I put to him. I wanted to know what its like, having the pressure of everyone expecting you to score, knowing youre the one team-mates rely on, that the clubs future might very well rest in your hands.He didnt look worried. Defoe loves being the main man.The goals now are more important than ever, says the striker who already has 141 of them in the Premier League.But its good pressure. I want to be the one who makes the difference, who wins us games which are so big.I keep that in my mind when Im out there on the pitch and I wait for my chance. Defoe says he is not surprised by the rise of Harry Kane or Tottenham after their impressive season Hes been like this for as long as he can remember. As a kid, endlessly watching and re-watching video tapes, just to see goals. Never happy, even when playing in the playground, if he didnt score.The boys used to laugh about it. JDs not going to pass it round the edge of the box. But if I was a defender or midfielder, Id want a striker like that.Even now, in training, if I score, Younes Kaboul and Sheasy [John OShea] say to me: Brilliant, keep adding to the tally, keep doing it. They know what it means to me to score. Maybe I was born that way.Defoe has worked hard to become a finisher. During those younger days, he would travel from his home in east London to the north of the capital to watch Arsenal - Sunderlands opponents on this weekends Super Sunday. Sam Allardyce believes Sunderland need three wins from their last five games tto avoid relegation He wasnt an Arsenal fan, he didnt even always follow the ball.dddddddddddd. He went to Highbury to watch Ian Wright.Back then people used to say Boring Arsenal, but they used to win 1-0 and Wrighty would score. To think now that Im the one the lads look to for the goal is a great feeling.A young Defoe didnt just watch football, he was, and is, a big boxing fan. Now, along with his team-mates, hes in a scrap of his own and drawing inspiration from those he watched in the ring.I remember being at my nans and watching the Benn v Eubank fights. There was such a buzz, not just the fights but the whole build-up. I was always fascinated by the pressure and how they would deal with it. Jermain Defoe celebrates scoring in the win over Norwich last weekend Im also a massive Floyd Mayweather fan. Watching him before some of the biggest fights ever and hes always composed and relaxed. Its knowing that, yes theres massive pressure, but if you have enough belief you will do well.At times, in print, Defoes quotes look a bit like some of Mayweathers - assured, maybe even to the point of cockiness. But see him speak, as anyone who watches his interview on Sunday will, and a warm, engaging team man comes across.An example of his willingness to sacrifice himself for his team came last season under Dick Advocaat. The two didnt always see eye to eye and the Dutchman didnt believe he was suited to the lone striker role.Defoe had to do a job for the team as a left-sided midfielder, at times playing more like an extra left-back as Sunderland escaped relegation.I told him Id scored a hat-trick playing for England against Bulgaria playing up front by myself, says the 33-year-old, who finished with 19 goals in 55 games for his country. Defoe discusses his younger days in football and how watching Ian Wright helped him to perfect the art of goalscoring. But for some reason he thought I couldnt do it. I never really said anything, I just let my football do the talking.This season, mainly under Sam Allardyce, faith in Defoe has been restored. The striker has managed 13 league goals in a struggling side, the last of them the vital second goal in a huge win at Norwich that kept Sunderland afloat.The new manager, he says, deserves credit. For his own turnaround and for the teams.Hes brilliant. A good guy and really funny. He knows how to do it. A manager can only do so much but he gives you the platform to go and win games. Hopefully we can stay up and then next season will be a good season.To escape, Sunderland will almost certainly need Defoes goals. And thats exactly the way he wants it.Watch Sunderland v Arsenal live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 1pm on Sunday. Also See: Big Sam: Defoe brainwashed Defoe: Fitness was big issue Sky Live: Sunderland v Arsenal Sunderland fixtures ' ' '