CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina's football program held its summer press conference last Wednesday at the Kenan Football Center, in which every assistant coach and 11 players were made available to the media.

One of the players we spoke with was graduate running back British Brooks, who ran the ball 31 times for 295 yards and four touchdowns last season. He had seven carries for 89 yards versus Wofford, then was huge with 124 yards on 15 attempts in a narrow loss at NC State, before running for 72 yards on five attempts in the bowl loss to South Carolina.

Primarily a special teams performer the last few seasons, Brooks has seen action in 656 plays on the kickoff return, kickoff coverage, punt return, and punt coverage units. He was Carolina’s special teams captain last fall.

As we roll through each interview, here above is the full video of Brooks’ presser and below are some tidbits from his interview:

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*Brooks is confidence the team is primed to compete better than a year ago, citing the PLPs (player-led practices) and the intensity and focus his teammates have exhibited for why he is so confident moving forward.

“It’s the most since I’ve been here,” he said.

*Asked why the offensive system will still work for the Tar Heels even though Sam Howell is off to the NFL, Brooks said, ‘Because we’ve prepared for it. If somebody goes out, it’s next man up. We all process the same things.” He went on to explain it’s more than just one quarterback that makes the system work, it’s everyone.

*This has been a very different offseason for Brooks, as he’s now the starter at running back after mainly being a special teams guy the last few summers. So how much more vocal has he been?

“It’s definitely made me talk a lot, lot more. Just making sure my teammates hear me and see me as a leader and not just me saying I’m one. It’s about taking action.”

*Former 4-star running back George Pettaway enrolled in January and has impressed Brooks all along. Brooks says Pettaway has learned a ton since arriving, and even Omarion Hampton, who enrolled in early June, has shown signs of progress as well.

“He knows a good bit of the playbook,” Brooks said about Hampton, who was also a 4-star prospect in high school.

Brooks also says both players can make an impact this fall, including special teams.

*A preferred walk-on from Gastonia, Brooks fully invested himself into the program and is now on scholarship and a very important player as the season approaches. He never stressed about getting into the role he now has, instead he just plowed ahead and stayed focus on what he had to do each day.

“I wasn’t worried about it if it did come or didn’t. I just stayed the course and it came to me.”