CHAPEL HILL – Dre’ Bly’s passion for coaching started when he was playing for the Denver Broncos 12 years ago.

His oldest son was starting out in Little League baseball and Bly, who played one season on the diamond for the Tar Heels when he was in school in the 1990s, was his coach. And then, after he retired following the 2010 campaign, Bly realized he wanted to coach football.

The course he’s taken brought him to UNC when Mack Brown was hired, and he’s now an integral part of the staff, not just coaching the cornerbacks, but in recruiting.

He plays an important role in helping UNC recruit two of the most important and fertile areas in its region, Charlotte and the Tidewater area, also known as the 757. Bly grew up in the Virginia Beach area but has lived in Charlotte since he retired from the NFL and is where he’s raised his family.

Bly met with the media Wednesday at the Kenan Football Center to discuss how he got into coaching, recruiting and more.