CHAPEL HILL – With 21 true freshmen having enrolled early this semester at North Carolina, the program has decided to make each of them available to the media to learn more about them and allow fans to get some insight into the newest Tar Heels.
Sixteen of the newcomers were recently available at the Kenan Football Center to discuss their first few months at UNC. Five of the freshmen met with the media in December, as they arrived early enough to practice some with the Tar Heels during bowl prep.
So, here is an interview with Jack/OLB Curtis Simpson.
UNC’s bio on Simpson:
Curtis Simpson
6-foot-3, 210 pounds
Kings Mountain High School, Shelby, NC
• An early enrollee who is a three-star prospect ranked as the nation’s 22nd-best edge and the No. 15 player in North Carolina by Rivals • An all-state and all-conference performer • Named a team captain • Tallied 206 tackles, 46 sacks and 86 TFL over his final three prep seasons • Posted 83 tackles, 15 sacks, 21 TFL, three forced fumbles and two blocked punts as a senior • Named Big South 3A Defensive Player of the Year • Collected 73 tackles, 23 sacks, 36 TFL, an INT he returned for a TD and two forced fumbles as a junior • Added 50 tackles, eight sacks and 19 TFL as a sophomore • Also played basketball • An AB Honor Roll student •
Personal
Son of Holly Partlow and Corey Simpson • Birthday is Aug. 10.
*The new players love talking about the food at UNC and how they are eating much different than before arriving in Chapel Hill. Simpson, like the others, is following a nutritional play, and he likes it a lot.
“It’s way different. They’ve got a whole plan so I can get enough weight to at least get a chance to see the field, get a chance to play. So they have me on the whole nutrition plan.”
*The focuses to eat that maybe he didn’t eat before:
“Just eat a lot.”
His goal is to get to 220 by the start of spring practice March 19, and 230 by the start of fall camp at the beginning of August. He arrived at 209 pounds, and at the time of the interview had reached the 220 goal.
*All of the newcomers have had their oh-wow moments, the reality moment in time they are a part of a major college football program. What was Simpson’s?
“I would say probably our first couple of workouts, and I was like, ‘wow, this is like totally different.’”
Some of the differences?
“Probably just the intensity of it. Us being in the weight room, breaking down our workouts; are totally different from high school, of course.”
*Simpson signed with UNC thinking he would play in Gene Chizik’s defensive scheme, but UNC and Chizik parted ways and now Geoff Collins is running that side of the ball. Simpson didn’t know a lot about the previous approach, but he has been griding learning Collins’ scheme.
“It’s not hard to understand, I’ve just got to understand it on a college level so I can feel (it) and make better plays, and have an understand it on a level where I won’t have to think too much.”
*Most players understand they must have a longer-term view of when they will get on the field, how does Simpson view his process from right now to when he gets on the field?
“I would probably just say me working. I’ve got to continuously work, stay to their plan, make sure I’m not ahead of myself, stay the right course, don’t get demotivated. Just stay right.”
