CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina's football program held its summer press conference Wednesday at the Kenan Football Center, in which every assistant coach and 12 players were made available to the media.
Junior cornerback Tony Grimes was among the players who spent time with the media discussing improvements for next season, life under new defensive coordinator Gene Chizik, dealing with expectations, and more.
Above is video of Grimes’ press conference and below are some notes and pulled quotes from what he had to say:
*The pressure of being a big-time recruit could be so immense that most people would struggle dealing with. However, Grimes had been on the radar of college football coaches before he enrolled in high school. So, to deal with expectations that come with being an elite prospect, Grimes has leaned on cornerback coach and College Football Hall of Fame inductee Dre’ Bly for advice on taking the next step. And Bly let it be clear to Grimes that consistency separates the good players from the greats.
"Having someone who has been through Carolina, that's been to the league, that's made it to the pro bowls hearing his words of wisdom gives me better encouragement... What me and Dre talk about is definitely consistency," Grimes said. "Me being consistent helps me in the draft, and that's where I want to go. I have to be more consistent and treat every game like it's my last."
*A common phrase around UNC's defensive staff is “less is more.” Carolina's coaching staff has made no secret of their plan to simplify the defensive approach to allow the unit to play faster and take advantage of its physical gifts. According to Grimes, there are more opportunities in the new scheme for defensive backs to make more plays on the ball.
"He gives us a lot more chances to make plays, I’ll tell you that," Grimes said. " In the secondary, he's running more zone coverage than we did last year."
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*North Carolina finished ninth in the ACC in passing yards allowed last season. Many of UNC's woes for its pass defense came from a lack of efficient communication along the defensive unit. Several plays saw all eleven defensive players standing straight up at the snap of the ball because no one was clear of the play call. However, Chizik has taken a back-to-front approach, meaning the information that needs to be given starts with the defensive backs and works its way up to the defensive line. Grimes thinks this has improved the communication for the defense as a whole.
"We got the communication handled," Grimes said. "Everybody on the defense knows in order to win, we got to talk."
*The physicality of college football is often the most challenging part for a player transitioning from high school to the collegiate level. Even more so for Grimes, who enrolled in classes at UNC a year earlier than the rest of his high school classmates back in 2020 due to Virginia High School football being canceled due to COVID 19. Now, entering his final mandatory year of college football before he is eligible to become a pro, Grimes recognizes that he must become more physical to turn heads on the next level.
"I wasn't as physical as I wanted to be on the field," said Grimes. "Making the league coaches love physical DB's. So, I want to be more physical on the field."
