Deeper And More Gifted Up Front Standing Out To Chizik
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CHAPEL HILL – Not a lot is being asked of Gene Chizik in year one of his second stint at North Carolina, other than to do it again.
Chizik has been down this road before, taking over the Tar Heels’ defense following a disastrous 2014 season that saw the unit routinely shredded and play uninspired more often than not. Chizik immediately delivered.
Fast forward seven years, and the task is again the same, as Chizik takes over for Jay Bateman, whose units worsened each season statistically, and appeared to lose faith in the scheme as his third season closed out. A poor performance in the loss to South Carolina in the bowl game was the final straw, and UNC Coach Mack Brown decided to make a change.
Enter Chizik.
Interestingly, while Chizik inherits one of the worst defenses in the nation, as he did the first time around, this group has more talent. It is deeper and more experienced, the two-time national champion said during a summer press conference Wednesday at the Kenan Football Center.
“I hate comparing teams then and teams now, like everything has changed in a lot of ways,” Chizik replied when asked about similarities and dissimilarities between the Carolina units he has inherited. “But the first thing, when I walked in the door, that looks different to me, is the depth in the defensive line.
“That’s the glaring difference to me. And, it’s not only big-framed guys that are very athletic, it’s the depth and the numbers of those guys.”
In 2014, the Tar Heels finished ranked No. 117 in total defense allowing 497.8 yards per game. They were No. 117 in rushing defense, No. 115 in pass efficiency defense, No. 116 in scoring defense allowing 39.0 points per game.
They were also No. 122 in third-down defense, No. 109 in red zone defense, and No. 116 in first downs allowed.
The Tar Heels were a mess on that side of the ball, similarly to how they were for much of this season. So, what did Chizik do in year number one?
They improved by 60 yards a game allowed, moved up to No. 42 in scoring defense allowing 24.5 points per game, and the Tar Heels forced 26 turnovers. They also went 11-3 that season, winning 11 consecutive games after losing the opener, and playing top-ranked Clemson in the ACC championship game. A contest Carolina was an onside kick in the final minute away from possibly pulling off the upset and landing in the College Football Playoff.
Nobody is talking CFP around Chapel Hill right now, but dramatic improvement is the mission, and really is the mandate. Chizik’s return is a major part of that process. But he is admittedly entering a better situation than in 2015.
“I think Mack has done a fantastic job, and (defensive line coach) Tim Cross has done a fantastic job of building a nucleus of defensive line that has a chance to be really, really good,” Chizik said. “Now, the depth is there, I think the talent is there, and now the next step is making sure that we perform at a level that’s consistent with their body types, body frames, and athletic ability. And we’re not there yet.”
Like with the 2015 squad that included linebacker Jeff Schoettmer, Shakeel Rashad, M.J. Stewart, and Des Lawrence as its top players, none of whom were linemen, the 2022 Tar Heels have to fix many things that weren’t right a year ago.
Communication and consistency are at the top of the list, and both are expected to improve due to a more simplified scheme in every aspect. But this group has numbers and talent up front in a manner unlike the 2015 squad.
“We have told them repeatedly that if we don’t have a defensive line, we don’t have a defense. And that’s just facts,” Chizik said. “So, we are going to rely on them to be a huge part of stopping the run, rushing the passer – all those things their bodies are equipped to do, and now we’ve got to be productive in getting that done.
“That’s probably the biggest glaring difference in the two. And then I think the depth in the secondary and the experience in the secondary would probably be the next thing that jumps out at me, if you’re going to compare the two times.”
None of this means UNC will experience a similar turnaround as the 2015 Heels did from the year before, but the foundation, vision, and leadership certainly increase the probability of it happening.