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CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina held its second practice of fall camp Thursday morning, and afterward, and afterward, graduate center Corey Gaynor fielded questions from the media.

Gaynor, who spent the first five years of his college football life at Miami before transferring to UNC in December of 2021, is in his final year of eligibility. Because of a redshirt year, getting his Covid year back, and then winning an appeal with the NCAA because he lost another season due to injury, Gaynor is concluding his college career after starting it in 2017.

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

*Among the reserve offensive linemen whose name keeps coming up is 6-foot-6, 330-pound sophomore Diego Pounds, who is working at tackle with the Tar Heels. Gaynor was asked about the progress Pounds has made.

“Diego, when you look at him, he’s the prototypical NFL left tackle. He’s a massive dude, great dude, great character. Diego has taken the next step in his career, has had a couple of great days; we’ve been out here three days. I just want him to stick with the process. I’m excited for him.”

*O-Line depth is always a topic around just about every college football team, and certainly that has been the case for a while at UNC. Tar Heels Coach Mack Brown has said multiple times the backups need to get on the field to prepare for next season, since most of the starting OL will move on after this campaign, but also to get guys enough time they won’t look elsewhere.

Gaynor discussed that group behind the starters getting closer to being on the field, and the challenge at building chemistry when there is a lot of movement early in fall camp.

“O-line is one of the only positions, aside from quarterback, there’s really no subs. You play the same five guys. You create that continuity, you create that web with them, that relationship; you guys (line) think the same.

“With that being said, we have a couple of guys on the white group (second team) that are busting their tails, and I’m very excited for them… Not everything is going to happen so quickly for them; stick your nose to the grindstone, and I’m excited for these guys.”

*Coaches always say the goal for the offensive line is to have eight players that are trusted to handle being on the field in critical situations. Gaynor said the Heels “are getting near eight. That’s the goal.”

*William Barnes has moved from starting at right guard to starting at left tackle. Gaynor says as long as Barnes has been around, any o-lineman is going to get work at multiple spots over time. The toughest part in going from the right side to the left side is having the left hand in the dirt as opposed to the right one. Gaynor has “high confidence” in Barnes at left tackle this season.

*Gaynor half-joked in the spring he’s Drake Maye’s body guard. So, with that and him snapping the ball to the 2022 ACC Player of the Year every day in practice, Gaynor summed up what it’s like playing with Maye.

“He’s a super star. It’s exciting to wake up every day and serve. It’s my job is to serve.”