CHAPEL HILL – When North Carolina’s players talk about how much deeper they will be on defense this coming season, they aren’t just throwing out a narrative that simply sounds good. They are telling it like it is.
Consider: Seven of the top 11 defensive Tar Heels in snaps played during the 2019 season, Mack Brown’s first back at UNC, departed after the season. They did not play the following fall. However, nine of the top 10 Heels in snaps played a season ago are back for the 2021 campaign, and extending it out even more, 23 of the top 26 also return.
The total number of defensive snaps back from that group is a whopping 8,151 from last season alone. If one cares to average that out per each of the 23 Tar Heels, it comes to 354.4 snaps a player.
“Oh my gosh, the depth is there for sure,” said junior cornerback Kyler McMichael. “You definitely see maturity out of the group. It’s become more of a player-driven team, we’re holding each other accountable. I see a special group out of the players we have now.”
The breakdown is on each level of the defense. The combination of talent and guys who have been challenged in big situations is noteworthy. Ten of the 24 noted players are defensive backs, five are OLB-defensive end hybrids, two are middle linebackers, and six are defensive linemen.
Defensive coordinator Jay Bateman is pleased with how the Heels have the depth in each position group has increased, though the secondary and defensive line stand out more than the others. One could say those were also the areas most in need when the new staff arrived following the 2018 campaign.
“I think now, (cornerbacks coach) Dré’s (Bly) done a great job with the corners,” Bateman said. “I think we've got five corners I can play. They're all good players. So, I think we've made great strides with talent and now we need, as a defense, to implement that.”
Tony Grimes was a 5-star prospect in the class of 2021 who came in a year early an ended up starting the last four games. He clearly has star potential, which could be reached this coming fall. In fact, he was recently voted by the ACC media as a preseason first-team all-conference member. Kyler McMichael was the No. 53 overall prospect nationally in the class of 2018. He spent a year at Clemson before transferring to Carolina, and he started nine games a year ago.
Storm Duck will be an NFL player if he stays healthy, Brown said this spring, and he is back at full strength. Three corners who could play at the next level, and that’s not to mention Dae Dae Hollins or Obi Egbuna.
The defensive front, however, might be the most intriguing group on the roster, and it’s also one that could be most impacted by newcomers.
True freshmen Keeshawn Silver and Jahvaree Ritzie will play some this season, with Ritzie a candidate to play quite a bit and serve in a versatile role. They’re big, quick, athletic, and displayed advanced technique in the spring for such young linemen.
Then add veterans Ray Vohasek, Tomari Fox (missed the spring with an injury), and surging junior Jahlil Taylor, along with Myles Murphy, Clyde Pinder and a host of second-year guys the staff views favorably, and this group has gone from just four rotation guys two years ago to perhaps nine or more this coming season.
“Being behind guys like that, Clyde Pinder, who's explosive,” junior linebacker Eugene Asante said. “Myles Murphy, he’s a big guy but he has great quickness. Young bulls and Keeshawn Silver, who's out there busting his tail, explosive. And guys like Ritz (Jahvaree Ritzie) out there just tearing stuff up. And we're not even in pads yet.
“So, I’m really excited to be behind guys like that. And I can work with guys, the veteran leaders, like Ray Vohasek, Tomari Fox when he gets back. It's gonna be something special with the d-line and they're showing that they can be an elite group throughout this nation. So, I'm proud of the work they’ve put in and I'm proud to be playing with those guys. I'm just excited, super excited, to play with the boys.”
Even the hybrid position, which combines defensive end and outside linebacker duties, has mushroomed from a couple of years ago. Tomon Fox and Tyrone Hopper are back for their super senior seasons, but pressing them are junior Chris Collins, who says he’s ready to be a major contributor, and sophomore Desmond Evans, who is bigger but his teammates all say he fully understands the playbook now, and big things are expected. Sophomore Kaimon Rucker has proven he can line up in a number of spots and contribute.
More bodies that can help means a fresher bunch of Tar Heels. Seven times last season UNC’s opponents scored inside the final 1:28 of first halves. Boston College and Notre Dame kicked field goals as time expired, Duke booted one with one second left, and Florida State (:17 left), NC State (:54 left), Virginia (1:14 remaining), and Wake Forest (1:28 left) all scored touchdowns.
Brown said his team wore down late in both halves, citing Notre Dame’s and Texas A&M’s success running the ball in the fourth quarters of those games.
“We want to play better in the last five minutes of the half,” Carolina’s coach said.
North Carolina should be improved late in the second and fourth quarters this season, it should generate a more conventional pass rush from a fresher front line, and the Heels shouldn’t have much trouble absorbing injuries if they are afflicted this fall. All are signs of increased depth.
Everything about UNC’s defense is headed in the right direction because it is more talented and much deeper.
“I think we are closer,” Bateman said. “I think we do have more pieces in place to be able to play more parts of the defense than we ever had. Even last year we didn’t, so I feel like we’re much more prepared to use every page in the playbook, and I think that will help us tremendously moving forward.”
