Holcomb Ready To Put Everything Together
North Carolina football coach Larry Fedora recently heaped some serious praise upon junior linebacker Cole Holcomb. It really was quite a mouthful.
“Going into the season, we had a feeling that Cole was going to be something pretty special,” Fedora said. “He’s 6-2, 225 pounds – pound-for-pound he’s the strongest guy on our football team – and he’s going to run 4.5 every time he runs, he can really run. He’s smart.
“Ek’s (linebackers coach Mike Ekeler) coached a lot of really good linebackers that are still playing, and he’s really excited about Cole Holcomb and what Cole brings to the table.”
On top of that, in July, Holcomb registered a vertical leap of 40.5 inches. So what kind of season should being pound-for-pound the strongest player on the team who runs a 4.5 and jumps nearly 41 inches have?
“A great one, man,” Holcomb replied. “We’re just gonna be out here and have some fun. I love football. I’m excited with what we’ve got. The guys out there make me more excited knowing I’ve got my boys with me. I love those guys and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Holcomb led the Tar Heels with 115 tackles last season. Not bad for a guy who wasn’t on scholarship until mid-August.
But now Holcomb is an established player on the field and in the locker room. He’s sporting a grizzled look, carries himself with swagger not seen much last season, and he radiates confidence.
THI caught up Thursday with Holcomb to discuss those things and more. Here is the rest of that transcript with the video interview above:
Given a year ago scholarship and beaming, how are things different now?
“Last year, it was kind of like I didn’t know if they (coaches) had that confidence in my like I had nothing to lose. I’ve still got that, but there’s definitely a sense of more people counting on me to come out and start making plays.
“Last year, I was a consistent guy who did his job all the time, but now I’m starting to learn I can go make plays and be a contributor in that kind of way.”
On if the offseason was any different this year being an established performer
“I definitely understand the defense light years ahead of where I was last year. I’m at the point now where we’re focusing on things that are going to put us ahead instead of what my job is. And now that’s come second hand, so it’s now like ‘Lets go make plays.’”
On what he improved on the most, beginning with covering the pass last season…
“I’d say there and this summer basically stopping the run not going one-for-one with blocks. Because last year, I’d see them pullers and I’d go hit them and I’d go one-for-one and I’d just take myself out of the play. Where now with Coach Ek (Mike Ekeler), he’s teaching us ‘Don’t, don’t go for them. We don’t need our safeties, we don’t need anybody lets go make the plays as linebackers.’ He always calls us being an eraser, we don’t need the safeties.”
On how new LB coch Mike Ekeler's teaching of technique has played into that…
“Coach Ek is all about technique. We’ll just sit there for an hour-and-a-half and will just talk about technique. As old guys, we already know the defense, so there’s no point in going over that, we’re already doing that. Now it’s what’s our technique like, because that’s playing backer, it’s all about technique. You’ve got to be efficient in everything you do.”
On a year ago being the position group that had the most questions asked about it, and now being the most established group, if it means they carry an added responsibility…
“Yeah, everything goes through the linebacking corps. From the plays to the checks to the calls that are made. We definitely have that weight, but we wouldn’t want it any other way. That’s what we like.