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CHAPEL HILL – One of the prevailing themes throughout the first several months of the offseason for North Carolina, which included 15 spring practices, was a need for greater physical passion, toughness, and violence.

The word “violence” was used quite a bit with respect to the defense, but it also applies to the other side of the ball, notably up front and with respect to a power run game new coordinator Chip Lindsey worked to install this spring.

It isn’t that the Tar Heels are going all Nebraska circa 1980s or anything, it is more that Lindsey emphasized having that in their bag. Often mentioned as a priority before, it never fully materialized.

Lindsey set out this past spring to make it into a reality, and everything begins is up front with the offensive line. In fact, perhaps the most important position group on the team this past spring was the o-line. Lindsey wants to balance quarterback Drake Maye’s amazing passing gifts with a ground attack that better complements him than was the case with the Heels last fall.

So, it starts up front.

“As a running back room, we’re getting more north and south; that’s very important,” graduate center Corey Gaynor said. “As an o-line, we’re coming off the football more and putting more of an emphasis on getting off the ball and getting to the second-level guys and getting some yards that we need.”

The offensive line has been partly responsible for UNC ranking No. 90 in tackles for loss allowed and No. 101 in sacks allowed last fall. A year earlier, Carolina gave up a whopping 49 sacks.

So, it isn’t just plowing ahead and road grading defenders paving paths for backs to run through, it’s about everything encompassing the jobs of the five guys up front.

Pass protection was a huge emphasis in the spring. New offensive line coach Randy Clements, known as a glass-chewing grinder who builds lines in that image, implemented a series of new drills for the linemen to improve footwork and body balance. Thus, increased quickness means being more adept at reacting to blitzes, when to help a teammate in pass protection, and so on.

While the defensive front got the better of the o-line in the spring game, progress was made with Clements’ group.

“We think we’ve improved in the offensive line,” UNC Coach Mack Brown said.

But truth be told, the line had to take several steps forward. Maye took way too many hits a year ago, and to avoid having to use him so much in the run game, the guys up front must consistently open holes so a conventional run game removes some of that from Maye.

The first step in elevating performance is right at the point of attack.

“Getting off the ball. It’s all about attitude,” Gaynor replied when asked what is Clements’ greatest emphasis. “You can’t draw an inside zone play so many different times.”

Clements and Lindsey have an experienced group comprising its rotation up front. In addition to Gaynor, who is in his seventh year in college, the first five of which were at Miami, UNC has holdovers William Barnes at tackle, Ed Montilus at guard, and Harvard transfer and second-year Heels tackle Spencer Rolland back. Jonathan Adorno, and Coastal Carolina transfer Willie Lampkin, the Sun Belt Conference Offensive Lineman of the Year last season, are vying for a starting guard spot as well. Lampkin can also play center.

Inching closer to the rotation are 330-pound sophomore Diego Pounds and 340-pound redshirt freshman Trevyon Green. Expect them to play some, if for no other reason, than to gain needed experience for 2024 and beyond.

Behind them, however, is a bit of a cavern before finding the next players in line. Clements and Lindsey say they want eight in the rotation, but it appears they will begin fall camp in August with just six, plus Pounds and Green closing in.

The staff would love to see the switch flipped for former 5-star prospect Zach Rice. Eli Sutton and Malik McGowan have progressed, and true freshmen early enrollees R.J. Grigsby and D.J. Geth made outstanding impressions in the spring.

“It’s time for some of those young offensive linemen to step up,” Brown said. “They’ve had three offensive line coaches in one year. If three of them felt like they are not ready to go then they are probably not.”

In other words, the staff isn’t going to anoint anyone who isn’t ready. So, if the rotation heading into the opener versus South Carolina in September 2 is just six deep, than only six will play.

Increased physicality and in an offense that could go faster than when under Phil Longo may not be a perfect recipe. But the approach won’t be altered.

Road graders across the board, ones with nimble enough feet, quick reaction skills, and violent dispositions are the only Heels that will get on the field up front.

That is no longer just being talked about, it has been put into action.