CHAPEL HILL – Jovan Dewitt coaches North Carolina’s outside linebackers and special teams, a unit that had a rough stretch early last season but came on in the latter part of the campaign.

Following Saturday’s scrimmage, Dewitt met with the media to field questions mostly about special teams and some about the guys in the OLB room. The full video of the interview is posted above, and below we will focus on some notes and quotes about what Dewitt had to say about Carolina’s special teams.

UNC Coach Mack Brown has placed a huge emphasis on these teams elevating their overall performance to where they can win games for the Tar Heels.

Collectively, UNC graded out at No. 83 in the nation last season on special teams, according to PFF. And in the NCAA rankings of the various groupings, the Tar Heels finished last season No. 116 in blocked punts allowed, No. 92 in blocked kicks allowed, No. 69 in kickoff return coverage, No. 78 in kickoff returns, No. 48 in net punting, and the Heels did not block a punt last season.

Part of the problem was with Dewitt being new, he didn’t have much time to instill the changes he wanted to make. But now that he’s had an entire offseason and a full spring session, UNC’s special teams are making progress across the board.

“It was actually really fun having spring ball with the boys and install conceptually,” Dewitt said. “I think so many times when people start talking about special teams, some of the things they do is they install specifically Xs and Os in assignments, so you lose a little bit of retention of knowledge from year-to-year because some of those players graduate, some of those players are back.

“So, one of the things we we're able to install over the course of spring and fall camp was a conceptual idea of how we wanted to operate, how we wanted to execute, over-arching themes throughout special teams. That way, if there’s a new guy going in, he understands the concept of what were doing and therefore can execute it a little bit faster when there’s an opportunity to make a play, when there’s not an opportunity to make a play.

“That was one of the main things that we were able to establish throughout the course of spring. And then as we progressed into the fall, there’s been a huge stress replaced on special teams in terms of having an extra couple of minutes during practice, an extra couple of minutes during walk thru. The attention to detail from the players has been phenomenal in that regard. I think you’ll find that we’re a lot faster on special teams than we were a year ago.

“Obviously, in the year of COVID that we had last year, you’re a little bit limited from time-to-time from what you could do, what you can do, and who you can use. And what’s really exciting for me now is most of those barriers have been eliminated for us.

“It’s been a lot more fun.”

*Dewitt said they have continued adding to the units because as the players understand conceptually what they are doing, it becomes easier to add elements.

“It allows us to look a little bit differently but still execute some of the same theories behind it,” he said.

*UNC’s surprising loss at Florida State was cause for concern on a few levels, notably special teams, which really had a rough night. The Seminoles blocked two punts in the first half in building a 24-0 lead and 31-7 halftime advantage in a game the Tar Heels eventually lost 31-24. Carolina Coach Mack Brown had to defend Dewitt and his unit some afterward, but it also gave him an opportunity to explain why special teams around the nation had so many issues last season.

However, the Heels’ did get markedly better on special teams as the season went on. Dewitt said it was because the kids started understanding some of the concepts but he also started better understanding them,

“Exactly right,” Dewitt said. “We do things a little bit differently. Some of the punt stuff we do is a little bit different. How we operate on punt returns philosophically, it’s different than a lot of other people do, and it creates problems. I think one of the things that we try to do is that we always try to find, ‘How can we gain an advantage numerically or field-space-wise in what we do, and how does that fit within our concept?’

“That’s a different type of approach as opposed to just plain old basic Xs and Os, ‘You line up here, you go there.’ We give the kids some freedom in that regard within the concept of what we do so they can take advantage of the situations that are presented to them. And I think that started to clarify for those guys as we approached the second half of the season. Some of the results were a little bit more obvious from that regard.”

*Okay, most UNC fans want to know who will be returning punts and kickoffs this season, so Dewitt was asked that question. Look for Josh Downs to be the main punt returner and Ty Chandler and perhaps even Ja’Qurious Conley to return kickoffs.

“At punt returner, obviously one of the most dangerous people that we’ll see is Josh Downs,” Dewitt said. “He’s really done a great job in terms of securing the ball, and conceptually there’s some new things that we’re doing that benefit.

“I looked back throughout the course of last season, and I want to say there were 43 punt returns over 20 or more yards in college football last year, and I went back and I analyzed what were the things that allowed those plays to return. Was it speed to the outside? Was it blocking, was it penetration, was it pressure?

“And we took those plays and some of the other explosive punt return plays and tried to adapt it under the assumption that Josh will be one of the top two guys for punt returner, and how can we adapt it.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing what he can get accomplished in terms of how we’ve changed a little bit on punt return. I think it plays into how well he moves at his normal position as slot receiver. We try to pattern some of our punt return stuff off how he operates as a slot receiver and a punt returner.

“In terms of kickoff return, I’m really excited about that one. Obviously, you’ve got Ty coming in, who’s got a lot of experience back there. I don’t think it would be unheard if all of a sudden JQ (Conley) is back there catching a couple of kicks.

“He’s as dangerous as anybody I’ve seen, and he’s a thicker body, he’s physical, and he is not afraid to throw it up in there. One of the things you talk about as a punt returner, especially as a kick returner, ‘run through the smoke and not to the smoke.’ So from that regard, JQ definitely fits that mold.”