Tuesday Defense Report: Boykins & Evans

CHAPEL HILL – Tuesdays means North Carolina’s football players are made available to the media to field questions about their most recent game, themselves, and look ahead to the coming contest that week.

So, four Tar Heels were available Tuesday, with two more doing zoom Wednesday morning before UNC Coach Mack Brown does his mid-week Q&A session. The two defensive Heels on Tuesday were defensive back/star DeAndre Boykins and defensive end Des Evans.

Carolina (4-1, 1-0 ACC) visits Miami (2-2, 0-0) on Saturday for a 4 PM kickoff at Hard Rock Stadium. The game will air on ESPN2.

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Boykins was asked a lot about the defense, himself carrying a nasty edge onto the field, his favorite hit so far this season, JQ Conley being back at practice (sort of, he’s not doing as much as Boykins said), the success of the dime package, Miami, and if he’s cross training any or solely at the star position.

*The defense and its struggles were the talk of last week, but they played their best game of the season by far in the 41-10 win over Virginia Tech. Boykins offers what he thinks the key was.

“I feel like everybody locked in doing their 1/11,” Boykins said. “That made us lock in and be more successful on defense.”

Anything in particular?

“It was the whole defense; everybody just doing what they’re supposed to, just locking in after being talked to by the leaders Power (Echols), Ced (Gray). Just locking in and doing our 1/11.”

Boykins added, “We knew we had it in us, everybody just had to lock in.” He repeated that multiple times, and it’s clear absolute focus was a big issue prior to the win over the Hokies.

*Boykins said he isn’t doing any cross training during the season, “I’m strictly a star right now,” he said.

*Miami scouting report:

“I see a lot of speed and a lot of quick guys who can make plays in space,” he said. “So, we’ve got to rally and tackle well.”

*Regarding Boykins’ broken wrist, he says, “It’s holding up pretty well,” and he must keep the cast on for “two or three more weeks.”

Evans discussed the difference form the defense’s performance in the loss to Notre Dame versus how they played in the win over the Hokies. He said the meeting the day after the loss to the Fighting Irish was very helpful in the defense taking a step forward. He also discussed his comfort now solely as a defensive end, applying more pressure on opposing QBs, Miami, the Coastal Division, and an interesting story about how Corey Gaynor has helped him.

*So, what was the difference for the defense from the first four games to the rout of Virginia Tech?

“I feel like communication and everybody being together as a team,” Evans said. “Because last week we lost to Notre Dame and we had a team meeting where we all came together and talked freely to understand what was going on, what was messing up, and what we need help on. That’s why we executed last week.”

*Did Evans notice an immediate effect that the meeting loosened up everyone because they shook the tree and some needed stuff fell off?

“Yes sir, you can say that.”

*Evans played the hybrid DE/OLB position in the previous defense, and in the spring said he was “home” as a traditional defensive end. He didn’t play with a hand on the ground his first two seasons at UNC, so has he fully adapted to that now?

“It’s (comfort) always been there, it’s always been there,” he said. That said, Evans says his eyes and “being in the right place at the time” is something he’s improved over the first five games. He said it’s, “helping me make plays.”

*How does the defense keep their foot on the pedal every day to connect a really good defensive performance with another one?

“That’s every day,” Evans said. “The standard is ‘standard over feelings’ every day. So, you don’t feel like waking up every day, you just go to your apartment and remember ‘standard over feelings.’ That’s all it is, that’s what we live by every day.”