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After serving in a backup role for his first two seasons at North Carolina, defensive tackle Justin Thomason is working out with the Tar Heels this spring knowing full well there's a starting job sitting there waiting for him, for with the departure of multi-year starter Tim Jackson, Thomason now finds himself in position to step up and make his way into the first defensive rotation.

Thomason saw immediate action for the Tar Heels as a true freshman back in 2012, recording seven tackles in five games, and he saw his role increase in 2013, finishing with 22 tackles (seven solo), 1.5 tackles for loss, and three quarterback hurries as Jackson's primary backup.

"I just took everything he (Jackson) taught me last year and the year before that and just tried to master it," Thomason told Tar Heel Illustrated about his former teammate. "He was a great role model, him and Kareem (Martin). And I'm just taking what they taught me."

"We're just taking what Tim and Kareem taught us and what our coaches are telling us and just mastering that, working on our techniques (this spring)," he continued.

Thomason knows that his time is now, and naturally he's trying to make the most of it.

"It's a different world for me this year. I'm starting. I'm just trying to take it all in---just take it all step by step---and it's going pretty good," Thomason replied.

"It's going great. Justin Thomason, he's one of the key guys. He's put a lot of work inside the weight room. We work together on Saturdays. He's put a lot of work in," added Thomason's teammate, rising senior nose tackle Ethan Farmer.

Heading into the 2014 season on the gridiron, UNC has the luxury of multiple seasoned, experienced veterans along the defensive line including Thomason, Farmer, fellow seniors Devonte Brown and Shawn Underwood, as well as junior Jessie Rogers.

And while the Tar Heels are losing two key contributors and leaders in Martin and Jackson, Thomason believes this unit of returning players will be one of the cornerstones of the 2014 UNC squad.

"That's a big help (having so many returning players along the defensive line), because Ethan has been here for a while. Devonte has too. I'm still learning stuff that Tim taught me too. They're still teaching me stuff. So it's a big learning curve," Thomason said. "We've been together for a while now."

It's also a benefit this spring for Thomason and the other UNC defensive linemen that they have the same coach, Keith Gilmore, working with them as last season. That's a new thing for the Tar Heels, as Thomason had Deke Adams coaching him when he first got to UNC in 2012, and then adjusted last year to Gilmore's teaching.

With Gilmore still in town, things are progressing even more smoothly for Thomason and the other Tar Heel down linemen.

"We've been with our coaches for two years, so we know what each other can do, and we know what to expect," he said.

The fact that Thomason now has 18 total games' worth of collegiate experience, along with improved physical development from two years in Lou Hernandez's strength and conditioning program, means that the sky is the limit for him as he works out with the Tar Heels this spring.

He knows much is going to be asked of him as one of the lynchpins of the UNC defensive line rotation, but he feels that he's finally ready for the responsibility, having picked up numerous things over the last two seasons to help him.

"It's a lot helpful (to have game experience)," he told us. "When I got here as a freshman and did my first spring, I was like, 'Man, I don't know about this.' But now I'm getting used to the schemes. We've had our coaches for two years, so I'm just used to it all."

Thomason gave us a little tutorial on his position, the 'three technique' defensive tackle.

Unlike the interior nose tackle position, which shades between the opposing center and guard, the 'three technique' has to take on opposing guards and tackles on the strong side.

The 'three technique' has to be able to support the run and hold the line of scrimmage, as well as stunting on various blitzes.

It's a demanding job that requires a great deal of athleticism and overall talent, but Thomason is eager for his chance to prove that he can follow in the footsteps of recent UNC 'three technique' standouts such as Jackson and Quinton Coples.

"The three-technique, you've got to be strong and quick. You've got to be smart. You've got to know how to play the end, play the 'three' (gap), stunt inside, stunt outside. You're doing a lot of stuff, so it's a really difficult position," said Thomason. "Individually I'm just trying to dominate my position, and just try to win."

One of Thomason's goals this offseason---aside of enhancing his knowledge of his position and the defensive scheme---is to gain some weight to better help him take on those guards and tackles who will be coming after him.

"I'm trying to gain (weight)," he said. "I'm (trying to get to) about 285 (pounds). I'm at about 280 right now, so I'm still trying to gain."

Thomason and his fellow UNC defensive linemen saw first-hand last season how much of an impact they can make by getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks. When the Tar Heels struggled early on getting after signal-callers, they gave up lots of yardage and quite a bit of points.

But later in the season, when they started getting more pressure, things turned around.

Now, as he prepares to become a starter for the Tar Heels, nobody has to tell Thomason how important it is for him to hold the line of scrimmage and get after those quarterbacks every chance he can get.

"We know if we get pressure on the quarterback, it makes it easier for everybody," he replied. "We're just taking that momentum from Blue Dawn and conditioning and going into training camp. We know we can do it, so we're going to get it done."