Midweek Defensive Player Interviews & Notes

CHAPEL HILL – Tuesdays during the season are when North Carolina’s players are available for midweek interviews, so in this edition for the defense, four Tar Heels discussed putting to bed the win over South Carolina, their thoughts about the reaction to their victory, and about this weekend’s opponent, Miami.

Here are interviews with senior safety Myles Dorn, junior safety Myles Wolfolk, senior defensive tackle Aaron Crawford and junior linebacker Chazz Surratt:

Note: Player interviews included

*Many explanations for why UNC’s defense got a lot better as the game went on Saturday have focused on the improved tackling and players such as Chazz Surratt simply adjusting. But Myles Dorn said the Heels got more comfortable communicating as the game went on. And anyone that has followed this team closely from the start of fall camp understands how important that is to Jay Bateman’s defense properly functioning.

“I think communication is something that we tightened up throughout the game and you kind of saw that with the stat sheet,” Dorn said. “I think after the first three drives, we tightened it up the communication and it was reflected on the stat sheet.”

The Tar Heels allowed 10 point and 133 total yards to the Gamecocks in their first two possessions, but just 137 yards over USC’s final 11 possessions.

*The Heels to a man have consistently expressed confidence in Chazz Surratt as a linebacker, but was Dorn surprised, even just a little?

“I wouldn’t say he surprised me because I saw it coming,” he said, smiling big time. “He’s fast, he can hit, he can run, so if he knows what gap to hit, he’s going to make a play.”

*Talking smack or trash or whatever you want to call it is part of Myles Wolfolk’s game. In addition to grabbing a pair of interceptions in the win over South Carolina, he was also barking all game long, especially later in the contest when the Tar Heels seized control. It’s about being in the moment, a zone that allows him to play the way he needs to, Wolfolk said.

“It’s just a feeling when you’re out there on that field, it’s something that is unmatched,” the Maryland native said. “Everything that’s in me comes out of me and that’s just the competitor in me. I talk a little junk sometimes, but they talk it, too, and it’s just fun going back and forth. But at the end of the game, it’s a mutual respect.”

*It’s just one game, and this program is still learning how to win, but do things change now that they've notched an important victory, are their expectations higher?

“Nothing’s changed on our end,” Wolfolk said. “I hope people around us are starting to notice us and taking heed to what we’ve got going here, but nothing’s changed on our end. We’re going out there and trying to get a win every week.”

*Coaches generally put wins or losses behind the team within 24 hours of a game ending, and often sooner. But Mack Brown allowed his team to celebrate a little longer than what is the norm because he wanted them to enjoy the reward of their labor. He clearly understands what they’ve been through and felt it was necessary to allow their good feeling to last a little longer than most coaches.

“He definitely saw the struggle that we’ve endured over the last two years, to take note of that and then to allow us to extend it a little bit," Crawford said. "Personally, for me, I’m a fan of the old way. I sit on losses a lot harder than I sit on wins. I woke up the next morning and I wasn’t even thinking about South Carolina anymore. But, if had lost that game it would have been something in my head the entire day.

“I think it is special for especially this coach and this team to be able to relish the win, but after the victory dinner Sunday night it was put to rest for everybody.”

*Crawford’s emotion after the win was pretty clear to those watching on TV and later to the media who watched the tape of the game. He had a tough season last fall, playing just seven snaps as injuries derailed his year and plan to seriously consider leaving for the NFL. So, after the game, the Virginia native was pretty emotional and for good reason.

“I was really just overwhelmed,” he said. “The guys were joking at me a little bit because I’m not really one of the high emotion guys, I’m straight faced. I was straight-faced the entire way through the game and then it really just caught up to me.

“This time last year, I couldn’t really walk. I (wore) a brace from ankle to thigh, having crutches to get around campus, getting carted around. It was a special moment for me knowing that we not only closed out a team but we closed it out on defense going out there and getting three or four straight stops when we’re up.”

*Brown and defensive coordinator Jay Bateman both said once Chazz Surratt got through a few series his game picked up a lot. It was his first time playing linebacker since his freshman year in high school, so he gets a bit of an excuse for a few early mistakes. But once he got it, Surratt got it, as he finished with 12 tackles, including a sack, and registered a PBU and QB hurry. Was there a moment he recalls in which he realized he had fully adjusted?

“No, I just think settling down,” he said. “I was really excited to play, so I think as the game went on and as the game goes on, you just settle yourself down mentally and do what the coaches taught us the past couple of weeks.”

*Surratt said last week he misses playing quarterback but was also enjoying playing linebacker. That was before being in an actual game on defense, so how much fun was it?

“It was a lot of fun, it was a lot of fun,” he replied, smiling. “Being out there with some guys I like to call brothers and then being able to go out there and play well as a defense as a whole.”