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Tom Shanahan is an author and college football integration historian honored by the FWAA for his story on the 1962 Rose Bowl.

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CARY — Tyler Thompson’s football progression from Panther Creek High School to earning a University of North Carolina scholarship seems a simple path. He’s a 6-foot-5 defensive end with quickness and speed built to rush the quarterback.

There’s a backstory, though, that takes time to tell — sort of like his younger years assembling a Lego project.

“I used to sit a room for hours trying to figure it out,” Thompson said

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