Heels' Fall Camp Is Underway, And So Far So Good For Brown
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CHAPEL HILL – The good vibes and accountability North Carolina Coach Mack Brown emphasized in June and earlier in July he had seen and gauged from the Tar Heels’ offseason carried over into the team’s first practice of fall camp Friday morning at the Koman Practice Complex.
The football season is here; at least the hardcore training part of it. UNC opened fall camp earlier than most other programs because it begins the season in what is being called “weak zero,” as just a handful of games are scheduled for the weekend of August 27, which is when the Tar Heels host Florida A&M for an 8 PM kickoff.
Brown was also pleased with how his team got after it the first day.
“First practice better be good or you're going to have a long year, and we say that every year but this one was good,” Brown said following practice. “Guys are in great shape. You've got to thank the nutrition staff and the strength staff and the medical staff for working so hard all summer and since spring practice to get these guys ready to play today.”
Carolina’s coach emphasized the importance of getting in the work under the hot and sunny conditions that were present Friday. By the time practice concluded, it was 92 degrees outside, and even inside the breezy indoor facility, it was still rather warm.
“It was obviously very, very hot,” Brown said. “We've got two noon games in the first three. It was 86 degrees (to start) out there today on our turf. I checked it in Atlanta, where we'll be playing on turf with Georgia State at noon at 12:05, and it was 86 degrees. So, this is great preparation for the heat that we're gonna have down there.
“I did check Appalachian State and it was 73 so there's just a big difference but the kids have to understand that difference going forward, and then we'll check the heat every day at these times and we'll check the heat for the 8:00 o'clock game as well.”
UNC visits App State a week following the opener versus FAMU. Carolina is at Georgia State in its third game before getting an open date prior to hosting Notre Dame on September 24.
A constant at first practices around the nation is that optimism always abounds, but the Tar Heels have plenty of reasons to believe year four of Brown’s second stint could render better results than year three did. Last season at this time, Carolina was mentioned in some national circles as a possible sleeper for the College Football Playoff (CFP), and opened the campaign ranked No. 10 in the nation. But UNC turned in a disappointing 6-7 record that resulted in Brown making a change in defensive coordinators.
Gone was Jay Bateman and in is Gene Chizik, and he has a bevy of talent to work with on that side of the ball, in particular the defensive front.
Brown certainly liked what he saw on the defensive side of the ball Friday, and pretty much everywhere. He was quick to note, however, the players weren’t wearing pads. They were in shorts, practice jerseys, and helmets. The NCAA mandates they cannot don full pads and hit until the fifth day.
So, as much as the Carolina coach liked what he saw, he also sounded a familiar warning as he has each at the outset of fall camp the last few years. A staff doesn’t really know what they have until the guys start hitting at full speed, which will take place in the sixth practice next Thursday.
“You can't learn to swim without a pool, without water, so we've got a couple of days here to get them ready to start competing,” he said. “We talked about today our job really is to teach each one of them how to compete in this tough world, that's our job.
“Last year's team didn't compete all the time they were inconsistent and then we can't do that so we have got to have a coaching staff and a team that competes every week and brings it every week.”
Position battles are in abundance as camp opens. Most eyes will set on Jacolby Criswell and Drake Maye, as they compete for the starting quarterback job. But running back is unsettled, movement along the offensive line is something to watch over the next month, and the volume of talented players along the defensive front is encouraging, but will also be a task for d-line coach Tim Cross to figure out.
Regardless, everything is essentially open right now. That is part of the process when fall camp commences, and certainly feeds the atmosphere the staff wants right now.
“We're telling the guys it's the one that practices the best who's gonna play,” Brown said. “The bench is our friend. We're not trying to get a depth chart to please you were trying to get a depth chart to win games.
“We're not worried about who's at those positions if we've got three guys at that position we are going to rotate them. If they are good enough to play. But they've got to earn the right to be good enough to play, and that's being accountable.”
The Tar Heels will hold their second practice of fall camp Saturday morning inside Kenan Stadium, and it is open to the public. Fans can watch the entire practice that begins at 10 AM.
UNC will break from fall camp just before classes begin August 15.
*Brandon Peay contributed to this report.