Short Area Quickness Improving For UNC's Defensive Front

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CHAPEL HILL – A new term surfaced this past spring, at least with respect to how North Carolina’s defensive coaches speak with the media.

It first came from defensive coordinator Gene Chizik when describing tackle Tomari Fox.

“He’s got really good short-area quickness, toughness, brings a presence to the middle of the defense,” Chizik said. “He’s a really, really effective pass rusher, a tough guy, really hard to move, plays with great leverage.”

Short-area quickness?

“Really good short-area quickness,” Chizik reiterated. “And as a really great interior defensive lineman, you have to have that.”

In other words, Fox is super quick within his space at the line of scrimmage. The term is key for a defensive front that must show considerable improvement for the rest of the defense to take necessary steps forward. It begins in the trenches; always has and always will.

That is an area lacking consistent effectiveness for UNC in recent seasons. The talent has been there and the sheer number of players has been there. Carolina Coach Mack Brown is confident in d-line coach Tim Cross, but something has been missing.

Identified by combing over every nook and cranny of last season’s film that was sometimes tough-to-take for the staff, one absolute stood out: They must be better off the snap. Quicker to the point of contact, quicker to establish ownership of their assignment area, also known as their gaps.

So, once the spring workouts concluded, another absolute to any football eye was that Carolina’s defensive front got off the ball faster than before. Certainly Fox, who missed last season serving a suspension, but who will also play 30 or so snaps a game this fall. Also, massive sophomore Travis Shaw, whose changes may have been one of the more positive developments of the spring.

Shaw played last season at 375 pounds and was down to 350 when spring practice started, and at 345 by the spring game. The goal weight for him is 335 pounds. But even at 350, Chizik said his short-area quickness had improved considerably.

“He can be a dominating inside player,” Chizik said. “He’s definitely shown flashes this spring of what we want. He’s still growing as a player. He’s got exactly what you want down there. He’s got size, strength, he’s got short-area quickness, he just needs to continue learning the game.”

Jahvaree Ritzie? Quicker off the ball. Myles Murphy? Quicker off the ball aided by a healthy ankle, and appearing slightly leaner, too. Kedrick Bingley-Jones? Quicker off the ball. Kevin Hester? Quicker off the ball.

Across the board, Brown says the entire front, including ends such as Des Evans, Jacolbe Cowan, and Beau Atkinson, are all better on the snap than a year ago.

“We’re quicker off the ball, we’re playing with lower pads, we’re using our hands better, and we’re penetrating more,” Brown said. “We’re being more violent, and that’s something you have to do to disrupt an offense and is something we haven’t done.”

As a result, two things have stood out to astute, experienced teammates who have the best vantage points in the program.

First, graduate center Corey Gaynor, who faced the d-line all spring: “They’re doing a lot more to disrupt the passer. They’re doing a lot more to disrupt the run game. They’re moving a lot, they’re more technically sound. They’re in their gap a little tighter.”

Second, senior All-ACC linebacker Cedric Gray: “What I’ve seen from the d-line improve the most is being more gap sound. I think they’re really understanding how to not peek into other guys’ gaps, and how to really and build the wall on the defense, as coach Chiz likes to say; to keep teams from running through them.”

So, the front is getting more pressure on quarterbacks, and owning their gaps more, which means stopping the run forcing teams to pass in longer stick situations.

All of that gives the defense more of an advantage than the Heels regularly dealt with a year ago.

Pressure in the backfield, gap discipline, and short-area quickness. Hence, that’s the anatomy of a contending team’s defensive front. And if the Tar Heels get that this fall, they could be in for an impressive season.