Roy Williams turned down his alma mater in the summer of 2000. From afar, he watched North Carolina struggle.

It tore him up.

"It was so tough to watch," Williams says. "I always said: There's no bigger North Carolina fan than me."

Now that No. 1 fan will sit in the No. 1 chair. After former Williams assistant Matt Doherty was forced to resign after last season, Williams accepted the job -- and all of Tar Heel Nation felt better.

"He's going to get after us, but he's going to understand us and listen to us at the same time," junior forward Jawad Williams says. "We can handle it, because he's going to tell us the truth the whole time."

The truth is, with Williams at the helm, these Tar Heels are talented enough to put two consecutive seasons of sitting out the NCAA Tournament behind them.

FRONTCOURT:

Doherty might still be the coach at Carolina had center Sean May not broken a bone in his left foot in late December. May made a brief appearance late in the season, but his return at full strength will be the most important element in giving the Heels an inside presence. When he was healthy, May showed why he's so important. He has soft hands, quick feet and polished post moves that make him an effective scorer on the block.

With May back in the lineup, Jawad Williams will be able to move back out to the wing, where he is more comfortable. Williams tried to bulk up again in the offseason, but he's still spindly, and that hurts him as a rebounder. Still, he's a capable scorer and may be the Heels' best leader.

David Noel is the best bet as the other starting forward. Noel, who committed to Carolina as a wide receiver, is the team's best athlete and the player most likely to provide Vince Carter-like highlights. He's also a tenacious defender whose impact should be even more pronounced now that he's comfortable that playing basketball full time was the right decision.

The Heels' main problem up front: What if May gets hurt again? There's almost nothing behind him. Byron Sanders is a decent defender but offers nothing offensively. Damion Grant is a huge presence but wasn't healthy enough last season to show whether he'll be able to spell May for long stretches.

Freshman Reyshawn Terry should see time on the wing, though he's not likely to take significant minutes from Williams or Noel.

BACKCOURT:

The best player in the ACC could be Carolina point guard Raymond Felton, who might have a T.J. Ford-like impact on the college game this season.

Felton started every game last season and was at his best by year's end. He can score, but he understands the role of a true point -- to distribute. From a basketball standpoint, Felton may benefit from Williams' arrival more than any Tar Heel.

"We're going to play fast," Williams said.

Felton will be able to keep up. Carolina fans are already wondering how he'll compare to Phil Ford, the Heels' all-time leading scorer and the best point guard in school history.

Rashad McCants, who set Carolina's freshman record for scoring average, is the Heels' most explosive scorer. More than any other Carolina player, McCants struggled with Doherty's in-your-face approach, and his mood has turned around with the new coach.

McCants has 3-point range, can take defenders off the dribble to finish strong and has a long enough wingspan that he's an excellent post-up threat. Call him an off-guard or a small forward: He's a scorer.

That description doesn't fit Jackie Manuel, but that's OK. Manuel's jump shot is awkward and often ugly. But he's lanky, lean and at his best when he buys into the role of defensive stopper.

Melvin Scott provides depth in the backcourt at either spot, though he's better at knocking down 3s than he is at running the team.

FINAL ANALYSIS:

It's hard to overstate the level of optimism in Chapel Hill since Williams' arrival.

"He just gives you confidence right away, just listening to him," Scott said.

It is confidence that used to come merely by putting on the Carolina uniform. But the team Williams inherits doesn't have a player who has played in a single NCAA Tournament game.

This March, that will change.

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