Papuchis On Staying Sharp, Tackling & Getting Guys Back

CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina defensive coordinator John Papuchis met with the media following Tuesday’s practice at Kenan Stadium to discuss the long layoff between games for the Tar Heels, tackling, Allen Cater, possibly getting back some key injured players and Saturday’s opponent, Virginia Tech.

Here are some snippets of what Papuchis gad to say:

*By the time Saturday’s game kicks off, the Heels will have played just two games in a 35-day span, and they were five days apart. Also, the Heels are in the midst of a 16-day stretch between games. Papuchis was asked about the challenge of keeping the players focused and sharp.

“I haven’t thought focus has been an issue, but it has been kind of a weird rhythm because three of the four Saturdays over the last couple of weeks we’ve been at home watching other teams play… We’ve played one home game and it’s mid-October almost.

“So, the rhythm has been a little bit weird. It’s been something we’ve had to constantly adapt to. But now over this next seven-game stretch we will be in schedule and in sync because we play every Saturday for the next seven weeks.”

*On the positive is that the team has had time to heal and could be getting back some key players this weekend. Because of that, is Papuchis taking a glass-half-full look at things?

“No doubt, you have to look at it that way. So, we should be fresh, we should be rested, we got a little extra preparation on Virginia Tech, so I look at it as a positive.”

*Larry Fedora mentioned Monday that tackling was a big problem for the defense in the loss at Miami, which wasn’t a problem in the first three games. How did Papuchis see the problem from that night?

“One is you’ve got to give credit to Miami. They have two good backs and they’re good at wideout. But beyond that, from a technique standpoint I didn’t think we did a great job and I think as the game wore on we had some letdowns… especially that last series, and that’s really where a lot of the bad tackling showed.”

*UNC should have defensive tackle Aaron Crawford for the first time this season, which would be a huge addition. Crawford just might be the best defensive player on the team and is a certain NFL prospect. How does having him back change things, if any, for UNC?

“It doesn’t change us schematically, it just makes us a lot more stout on the inside.”