CHAPEL HILL – Everything football continues moving forward for North Carolina, as the Tar Heels held their final full scrimmage of the preseason this past Saturday, have entered game-mode with the opener versus Syracuse in less than two weeks, and are now beginning to structure what roles players will have when the Orange visit Kenan Stadium on Sept. 12.
That and much more comprised Mack Brown’s zoom press conference Monday morning. The coach hit on a multitude of topics, all of which are in the video above.
Here are some notes and quotes from what UNC’s coach had to say:
*While the traditional fall camp technically was just four days due to classes starting earlier than usual, the Tar Heels were still in sort of a camp structure through this past weekend, at least as best as they could simulate given the school and other distractions. They held their second and last true scrimmage Saturday, and as of Monday are entering Syracuse mode.
So Brown’s team is now turning its attention toward actually playing a game. And as of right now, the game and season are still on.
“The next two weeks will be totally about our preparation for our game,” Brown said. “We'll practice on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, like we will next week going into the opening game of this season. We'll take Friday as a walkthrough and then we'll have a situation scrimmage this Saturday.”
*The NCAA rule that allows seniors to come back next season even if they play every game this fall and freshmen to not lose a year even if they play in every game has made things a bit easier for Brown with respect to using the whole of his roster. He doesn’t have to worry about burning redshirts or anything like that. So, a freshman who previously might have been concerned about playing more than four games on special teams and losing his redshirt won’t have that to worry about. The staff can also use its entire roster.
This will, however, complicate things after the season. How does the staff manage the roster moving forward? What seniors will want to return and how would they fit in?
“From the team itself, he eligibility rule is something that's really strange for coaches and for players because, basically, all of our players can play and it doesn't count as a year, technically,” UNC’s coach said. “So, you don't have redshirting or you look at it another way, they're all redshirted, but they can play. So, for a young offensive lineman like John Adorno, who's the backup center right now, he can play in four games, he can play in six games, he can play in all 11 games and can still be a redshirted freshman.
“So, it's really a unique situation for us. All of our seniors, if they decide that they don't want to go to the NFL or they can't get drafted at a high enough level, they can all come back and play next year. So, it's very unique when you're looking at roster management.
“So, we're trying to sit down and talk to every young man on our team right now about his status for next year, and obviously some of them won’t know that. But, it's a different situation than it's ever been. And none of the freshmen are asking about how much will I play? Can I redshirt? If I play four games on special teams, can I pull out then and redshirt? That's just not, it’s not a part of the formula that we've got.”
*Brown was quite pleased with the response by season ticket holders after the school announced the fan situation for this season.
“Our fans have been unbelievable, 70 percent of our season ticket holders have either donated their money back or rolled their purchase over to 2021,” he said. “Unbelievable number at a time where we are with our economy. So, I applaud our fans, I apologize to you that you won't be at the games, we're going to have to bring our own energy. But we know our fans will be sitting at home screaming at the TV. So, again, thank you for hanging in there and thank you for continuing to support the athletic program and the football program. I love that.”
*The in-game sideline rules are now clearer: The players can be on the sidelines in between both 15-yard-lines when previously they had to stay between the 30s. Also, players must wear either their helmet or a mask when on the sideline but don’t have to wear a mask or face shield when on the field.
“We're also having to try to figure out the guys that aren't going to play as much, where do they stand? How do they social distance? And the other thing that was more difficult the other day was with that sideline scattered out so much, trying to make sure that you can do a good job with your substitution plan and special teams because guys are scattered out a lot more than they normally would, you've got mask on, it's harder to hear,” Brown said.
“We will not have crowd noise, so that is one thing that will be a positive. But we're all having to look at making sure that our substitutions are staying and keeping attention, staying close enough but social distancing.”
*As for the team on the field, the defense remains ahead of the offense as it almost goes two-deep everywhere.
“Defensively, we’re closer to two-deep on defense than we are offense,” he said. “You can put two defenses out there right now and they don't look that much different, so that's really going to help us. And we can really run. We’re a much faster defense than we were this time last year. So, there aren't many guys that are playing that can't run at a high level.”
*Aside from Kamari Morales’ 20 snaps in the Mercer game last season, Garrett Walston is the only tight end on the roster who has played in a game. He’s also playing exceptionally well, Brown said. He had a few catches in the scrimmage Saturday and is blocking at a high level.
What about behind him? How’s Morales doing? Brown asked TE coach John Lilly that very question the other day.
“We had a long personnel meeting yesterday and I point-blank asked him, ‘If Garrett comes out of the game, can Kamari go in and do you feel very good about us not having a drop off?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ So, I do think Kamari’s ready to go.”
*Offensive line depth remains an issue. Ty Murray is still banged up so true freshman Jonathan Adorno is the backup center and walk-on Quiron Johnson is the third center. Johnson was originally on the defensive line but moved to OL. Brown said William Barnes continues to battle a variety of injuries as well.
Adorno will operate only at center for the next two weeks as the Heels prepare for Syracuse.
Brown still has tremendous confidence in the first six offensive linemen, which includes starters Asim Richards, Josh Ezeudu, Brian Anderson, Marcus McKethan and Jordan Tucker as well as key reserve Ed Montilus, who started eight games and played 509 snaps last season.
*Chazz Surratt continues to impress cross-training in the linebacker/defensive end hybrid role. It helps that Eugene Asante is playing so well the staff wants him on the field, but also Surratt is just getting it done. Brown called him perhaps the team’s best player. He then offered this gem:
“Coaching is really, really important,” Brown said. “Good players that are coached well are more important. And when you take a really fast, strong, athletic guy and put him over a tackle, you don’t have to coach him as hard as you do some of the slower ones. So he’s doing really well.
“And you just pat him on the back and say, ‘Good job, Chazz. Great, Chazz. Good again, Chazz.’ So that’s what we’ve done with Chazz.”
*Managing practice reps for the second and third-team players has been different in this preseason than years past for the reasons we’ve written and spoken about quite often. The possibility of going into a game without a certain number of players, including starters, because they test positive for COVID-19 is very real, so the contingency plan has been to train players at multiple positions and also get as many guys ready to step on the field as possible.
So how has it gone trying to get the white and grey team guys enough reps to achieve this?
“A lot,” Brown said, referring to the frequency they’ve gotten reps. “I’ve told the (assistants), ‘You better coach every one of them.’ And some of those guys are the ones that you cross train.
“It will be tougher on the road than at home because you’ll have fewer players, but I’ve told our coaches there are no excuses and no gripes, ‘You have to have your guys prepared. So if you lose three guys at one position, don’t come tell me ‘I can’t believe this, I’ve lost three guys at one position.’ I can count. I want a plan, I want something in their place.’ We’ve said, ‘No excuses and no regrets.’”
*With all elements of camp now over and the staff turning its attention toward Syracuse, Brown said “Everything I feel right now is we’re going to play.”
There are going to be daily hurdles just continuing to deal with the restrictions and rules in place for nearly everything, but this is what the team is facing, so they have no choice but to plow forward.
“I’ve told our players, ‘You want to play, so let’s welcome everything that comes with it. And the only thing we’re certain about is the uncertainty. So just get ready for it, understand it, and don’t gripe about it. Move forward with it and let’s go.”
