Tez Walker is hoping to be on the field for North Carolina in Week 2. In his Monday press conference, Mack Brown said that the Tar Heels will have Walker practice as if he is playing on Saturday against App State.

Walker is meeting with an NCAA appeals committee on Thursday, Brown shared. If the second appeal is denied, Brown said legal action could be taken.

“From what I understand, he (Walker) can have legal recourse, but we (UNC) can’t the way I understand it,” Brown told reporters. “I’m sure there are people looking into that.”

The North Carolina head coach hopes the matter gets resolved and Brown doesn’t need to go to court.

“I just got to hope that they (the NCAA) do what’s right,” Brown said. “I mean, he’s not like a double-transfer. He didn’t play at the first school, so that’s different, and we need to see it’s different. I look up, and I see guys that are in their fourth school playing Saturday.”

The circumstances of Walker’s case has led to fan and media outrage directed at the NCAA. Walker enrolled at North Carolina on Jan. 9, 2 days before the NCAA changed its rules on 2-time transfers. Walker’s first transfer was from a program that did not have a 2020 season due to COVID-19.

Walker is considered the top wide receiver on UNC’s roster. The Tar Heels were also without Nate McCollum, the No. 2 wideout, against South Carolina. McCollum is considered day-to-day heading into Week 2.