CHAPEL HILL – With North Carolina closing in on concluding fall camp with the Tar Heels holding their 13th practice of the month Thursday, afterward, three players met with the media.

Among them was former running back-turned defensive back D.J. Jones, who is getting in work at the safety and star (nickel) positions.

Jones moved asked to move to defense because he fell behind in the running backs room last season. Jones started Carolina’s opener last fall versus Florida A&M, gaining 10 yards on five attempts. For the season, he ran for 124 yards and a TD, and had 12 catches for 102 yards and a score as well.

Above is video of Jones’ Q&A session, and below are some notes and tidbits from what he had to say:

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*So, instead of moving to a side of the ball he’d never previously played, did the idea of transferring ever enter into Jones’ thinking?

“Not really, not really. I knew I wanted to be here. I feel like I’m supposed to be here. So the transiting of changing positions was just a better option for me; honestly the only option for me because I didn’t want to leave.”

*Now that Jones has been on defense since the winter, how has he adjusted learning to react to the snap instead of knowing in advance of what was going to happen?

“I feel like the reaction part has bene the fun part for me. As far as learning defense, kind of being on offense and being a student of the game, I had to learn defense while I was on offense. So, that part wasn’t that hard for me.

“But the only thing with my transition was probably going through the new checks I’ve got to do seeing different formations; going off formations and reacting off of everything.”

*Jones has gotten reps at star and safety, and with DeAndre Boykins and Stick Lane out right now with injuries, the reps about even at both spots for Jones.

“I’ve been moving around a lot. I’m pretty comfortable at both… I just want to get on the field, and they (coaches) know that.”

*The instincts are about where they need to be for Jones now, as well. But it took some time. He’d never played defense before in his life before going to Mack Brown after last season telling him he would move to defense if it would help the team. So he did after playing running back his entire life.

And with that, Jones has undergone a process of developing defensive instincts.

“At first I was just trying to see everything; it was kind of fast for me, especially learning where my spot was, learning all the checks and stuff, all the adjustments. Now, everything’s pretty slow for me. I can read everything, I can diagnose things pretty fast now.”