Hester Cementing His Transformation

CHAPEL HILL – Kevin Hester, a redshirt sophomore defensive lineman who played one year of high school football before arriving at North Carolina as a project with considerable potential, met with the media following UNC’s practice Thursday morning.

Hester, who is 6-foot-4 and 305 pounds, discussed his growth as a football player, the challenges of learning on the fly at the college level, and where he is right now as a player.

After redshirting his first year at UNC, Hester saw action in 10 games last season, playing a total of 126 snaps on defense. He registered 10 tackles, including one for a loss of yardage, forced a fumble and he recovered a fumble.

Above is video of Hester’s interview from Thursday and below are some notes and pulled quotes about what he had to say:

*Hester’s name has been one we have heard a lot going back to his development in the spring, and certainly through the first two weeks of fall camp. A high school basketball player until his senior year, what has been his process in getting to this point?

“I feel like I’ve progressed a lot,” Hester said. “Technique-wise, I’m more sound knowing the offensive line’s schemes and stuff, I’m getting better at learning that. How to play physical; always got that. I started playing physical first and the technique stuff is coming now.”

*The Tar Heels have 10 scholarship defensive linemen, and from what we have been told by coaches and players, each could have a role this season, perhaps some more situationally than others. So where is Hester in that process and is he working more at tackle or nose guard?

“Nose and tackle, but primarily nose,” he said.

*As noted, Hester was a really good high school basketball player who decided to give football a chance in the spring before his senior year at North Cobb High School in Kennesaw, GA, so what has been the biggest adjustment as he’s morphed into a legitimate P5 college lineman?

“I would say technical like my steps and knowing how to play certain blocks,” Hester said. “But I feel like I’ve gotten a lot better at that.”

*Kristian Varner also came in at the same time as Hester, so what has Hester seen from his classmate as he has also shown considerable progress in his development?

“Yeah, he came in at the same time, (and) when we first got here, we started working together, getting our steps right, extra time. But Kristian Varner, he came a long way, it’s crazy now. He’s coming up.”

Hester noted that Varner is mostly playing at tackle.

*Nose guards are lined up either right on the center or in a gap to either side of the center, and with former walk-on Quiron Johnson getting the bulk of the work with the ones right now at center as Brian Anderson works his way back from an injury, what has impressed Hester with Johnson’s play?

“Q is a great opponent,” Hester said. “I love working against Q, it’s always a bull battle between us. We always go at it. It’s a dog fight every time I go against him.”

*Nose guards don’t always rack up big numbers, but they play a huge role in the numbers teammates accumulate on that side of the ball. They still register tackles, sacks, and cause fumbles, but Hester and other noses take pride in doing their job which often results in linebackers and other making plays.

“I’m actually cool knowing I have Jeremiah Gemmel (and) Eugene Asante behind me, I’m willing to protect those guys, I don’t care who makes the play – someone’s going to make the play, either me or them,” Hester said.