CHAPEL HILL – With the University of North Carolina in the news the last couple of days after announcing it was moving to online classes after clusters of students tested positive for COVID-19, most of football coach Mack Brown’s zoom session with the media Tuesday focused on how that affects his team moving forward.
There was some football stuff, though, so we will focus on that plus some of the other COVID-19 effects in this report:
*The Tar Heels held their 11th practice of the preseason Tuesday morning and Brown was pleased as he has been throughout camp.
“We had a really good practice today,” he said. “They were upbeat, had fun. I really think that they’re getting to feel like this is more the norm, and we don’t know how long we’re going to have masks and shields and six feet apart, all of the things that we’re having to incorporate. So, we told them, ‘Win the day. Do the best that you can do today and let me worry about all the stuff outside, and you take care of your mental health, take care of your physical health, you make sure you’re doing well in the classroom.’
“Most of our guys were online anyway, so yesterday’s announcement doesn’t change much for us. ‘And at the same time, play football. There’s gonna be a time here where we’re going to be kicking it off against Syracuse and you do not want to be the guy who wasn’t prepared because you had so many distractions that you couldn’t get yourself in the right position to do all of this.’
Brown added several minutes later about Tuesday’s practice: “I feel like overall this was our best practice because they were upbeat, they had fun, I think they see that there’s a great chance that we’re gonna play.”
*Brown and the staff held a zoom meeting with parents Monday night to discuss how the move to online classes affects the team and season and to answer any questions parents had. An email address was also made available to parents who were uncomfortable asking questions in front of the other parents.
The team doctor, trainer, director of wellness, player personnel director, and several others were also on the call that lasted about an hour.
*Brown said the players are now testing once a week for the virus and will do so through the end of the football season. And by the time the games arrive, the tests will have 24-hour turnarounds for results. It previously took 7-10 days, has been trimmed since then and will soon be one day. The importance of this from a football perspective is so the staff can better plan for what players they will and won’t have for a game in a given week. Obviously, any player that tests positive will be quarantined and unable to play in at least that week’s game.
Right now, the players test on Mondays but will be tested on Wednesdays or Thursdays once the season formally starts.
*Carolina’s coach was asked if it’s too unsafe for students to be on campus why should football? His response: “That’s not my charge,” Brown replied. “I’ve got a lot on my plate and that’s not one of them. I was told we’re moving forward. And most of the kids were online, anyway. We’ve still got our graduate students going to class, but like I said, I’m excited that we’re still moving forward.”
*Asked if he’s confident they will still play the season in light of the school’s decision, Brown said, “I am confident that we will play and our people have moved forward with that thought.”
*Many starters have been cross training at other positions in case the Tar Heels find themselves heavily depleted in certain positions due to positive tests. Trey Morrison is working out at every spot in the secondary, most offensive linemen are becoming more interchangeable, and even Chazz Surratt is working out some as a rush end.
Brown has always wanted certain starters on past teams to learn other positions just in case, but this is different than what had been the norm for him.
*Brown expects his special teams will be much improved from last season. Jovan Dewitt came in from Nebraska and has changed the approach and mentality of the unit. The Heels are faster and there’s better competition among spots.
“We’re much faster, we’re a much faster team than we were this time last year – just overall,” Brown said. “And that’s a credit to the coaches and recruiting. And when you’re faster and you have more depth, that’s going to show up on the special teams probably first. , I really feel good watching our special teams that we have a chance to make a difference in games. Last year we didn’t and now we do.
“Now we’ve got (placekickers) Noah Ruggles and Grayson Atkins. Grayson has really got a strong leg. You’ve got Ben Kiernan and Jonathan Kim, both of them are punting and doing a good job punting.
“And we’ve got really fast returners. We’ve all been really impressed with Josh Downs, he’s so quick and he can fly. And he will help Dazz (Newsome) and Toe Groves in the return game. And then you’ve got Michael Carter and we’ve got some other backs that are fast we can put back there with Michael, too.
“I do feel like last year our special teams were middle of the pack, that we have a chance to be really good. And I’m also very impressed with the knowledge that Jovan Dewitt has brought to our special teams from Nebraska.”
