CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina offensive coordinator Phil Longo met with the media Monday for his weekly press conference to discuss some things that were learned from the win over Georgia State on Saturday night and looking ahead with respect to the Tar Heels’ running game, the use of Sam Howell, and some concerns about the offensive line.

Above is video of Longo’s full presser and below is the entire transcript of what he had to say:

*UNC’s conventional ground game hasn’t been all that effective through two games. UNC has 13 runs of 10 or more yards, and eight of them are by quarterback Sam Howell. Aside from Howell, the Heels ran 29 times for just 97 yards in the win over GSU. What has been the problem with the conventional ground game?

LONGO: “I think initially we are dealing with some continuity issues. We’ve had Brian Anderson injured for the first two games, he played in this last one, wasn’t at 100 percent, but he played. He didn’t play in the opener against V-Tech, so that has probably been the biggest obstacle to overcome. Week one it kinda led to some communication issues, we had a lot more continuity from a communication standpoint without question this last game.

“I think Quiron Johnson got better in the week since he played at Virginia Tech, and I think Brian added to that because it’s what he does so well. Obviously, this game we had Joshua Ezeudu out, so we really haven’t had our five starters yet. We’re calling on Ed Montilus and Quiron Johnson to play a bunch more, William Barnes played a little bit in the last game. We’re still searching for that comfort level, that rhythm that we got into last year, and I think that’s a big part of it.

“Truthfully, and this is no slight on anybody that we have right now, but Michael (Carter) and Javonte (Williams) were two of the best at the point of attack last year, we were blessed to have two guys like that. Now we have a very young backfield, with one veteran, and that veteran’s starting for us, but still new to this offense. Those guys are starting to feel the system, starting to get into a little bit of a rhythm, but I think those two things are probably the two things that are stealing from us from a continuity standpoint up front.”

*In watching the replay of Sam’s 62-yard TD run the other night, Longo gave a fist pump, and GA coach Nick Polino went over to him saying something as if Longo had predicted Howell would eventually break one. What was he thinking when the run happened?

LONGO: “I’ve really been proud of Sam with regard to how hard he’s training in the offseason. The change in his body and in his explosiveness, and in his change of direction, and all of that stuff that lends his athleticism on the field. He was a very gifted runner, he was a very successful runner in high school, and I think when he first got here that first year, he tried to pull some of that off against Miami and South Carolina and took some hellacious hits.

“He learned quickly that it wasn’t gonna be as easy at this level. In order to maintain being a run threat, he’s worked really hard in the off-season, both offseasons, to improve his overall athleticism on the field. (Strength & conditioning coach Brian) Hess and those guys have done a good job, and he’s been committed to training, and you see the difference in both games so far. He’s much more decisive on when he’s gonna run, he’s getting through pass progression and he’s out, and he’s attacking grass now, we pull on an RPO and it’s not there, he’s attacking grass now.

“On any of the runs where the QB is involved and the pull or the potential run in itself, he’s doing a great job beating the line of scrimmage as we say. After that, you really don’t want to have to coach a guy beyond the line of scrimmage, and he’s been much more prolific in that aspect of the game. That’s probably been his single best, or most improved area athletically, is his run ability off of all three phases of our game.”

*Longo was asked about the offensive line, and more specifically the effect of not having the continuity with the full complement of starters.

LONGO: “I think we all hope that when you have a full veteran returning offensive line that continuity would not be an issue. We’ve kinda stirred that up a bit with the two injuries, our starting center and our overall best offensive lineman in (Josh) Ezeudu. We do have some depth, we do have some guys that can plug in and go, and so I think as we progress through each game, I think our offensive line will improve with each week.

“We really needed to start off at a better rate on game one because we needed to be able to lean on those guys in the opener. I think we’re gonna get better each week, I think our guys will continue to improve, I think you’ll see more and more continuity up front, and I think you’ll see our running backs get into more a rhythm. You just wanna see that process happen faster because when it doesn’t happen, it costs you plays, and potentially games.

“That’s something that we’re emphasizing, and we’ll emphasize again this week, and that’s gotta come along for us to have success on offense and to have success the way we expect to.”

*Virginia comes to Kenan Stadium this weekend, and the Cavaliers have a physical defense that can chase quarterbacks. What has Longo seen on film from that side of the ball for the Cavaliers and how they have improved there. Note that UVA has allowed just 14 points in two games and is giving up an average of just 260 yards per contest so far.

LONGO: “I think they did a really good job of identifying what the weaknesses were of their defensive scheme last year. It’s obvious that they did a very intensive study with regards to what they gave up because they’re doing a very good job in the first two games of not giving that stuff up to offenses now. They’ve done a really good job from a staff standpoint schematically of taking away the things that people were picking on them for last year.

“Where people had success last year, they’re doing some different things. I don’t know their personnel situation, but typically with that kind of approach with the three down, and you’re more safety heavy, you typically have better personnel at that position. I would guess that they are much more talented maybe in the safety room, in the defensive backs room right now than they may be in comparison to the defensive line. They’re approach right now is not only answering some of the weaknesses that they had last year, but also probably playoff towards their strengths.

“We think that their very gifted at safety, they’re very gifted at nickel, they’re stat safety, which is they’re middle safety, number twenty-nine, is a very, very good football player. They’ve got a lot of really good athletes that can close ground and make plays in the open field, they tackle well in the open field. To me, they’ve improved their defense schematically, and I think they’re playing to their strengths personnel wise.”

*Antoine Green had a big game versus GSU with three receptions for 117 yards and a score. Does Longo see Khafre Brown getting more involved this week?

LONGO: “With regards to AG, I recruited him for a long time, very heavily at Ole Miss, and was elated when I got here, and he was on the roster. I’ve always thought very highly of his upside, and what his potential was, and I thought this last game gave him an opportunity because we got him some targets. I think the more we target him, the more he’ll heat up, and I think he’s gonna be a guy that we can depend on this year.

“With Khafre, last year he was, like they say in basketball, he was that sixth guy off the bench. He came in, he made some plays, he played more sporadically. He’s gonna be more of an every-down player, an all-drive player this year, switching it off with Emery (Simmons) and AG.

“I think the more he plays the better he’ll get, he didn’t make the catch on a walk in opportunity last weekend, but those are plays we know that he can make, those are plays we think he will make. I think the biggest key is to keep him out there and keep playing him. I think that’s the most important part of this thing for Khafre.”

*Khafre Brown had some big plays a year ago, including in the game at UVA, and a lot has been expected of him. Hs Longo or the staff had to coach him up some to keep him mentally in the game?

LONGO: “Khafre’s probably as positive, as happy go lucky, and as upbeat a guy as we have in that room. I think he’s dying to make plays. I’ve never known him as one to get frustrated. If anything, he was frustrated over his drop because he knew he had a walk-in touchdown and he let it go.

“From an attitude standpoint and a personality standpoint I think he’s been fantastic, and I think it’s just a matter of time before we get him going. The focus for Khafre is we gotta keep him focused in on every play, so he’s doing a good job at his position away from when he’s getting targets. Blocking, complementary routes, the RPOs, and some of the things are in his job description with regards to our offense away from when we’re throwing him the ball.

“From an approach standpoint and an attitude standpoint, I think he’s about as positive as anybody in the room. I think he just wants to make plays he made a great catch in the end zone that I still think is a touchdown, but they didn’t give it to him, and we lined it up got it in a different way, and came back to Khafre a little bit later on. We’re gonna keep doing that because we think he can make plays for us.”

*Offensive line issues were a big topic Monday, and Longo was asked for more specifics about what has been a concern, though he stayed some on the positive.

LONGO: “The improvement from game one to game two, it was great. We did a better job of blocking with the second level, there was no communication issues, there was a lot more continuity. I think we’ll play better this week in game three just because we’re progressing, some of the issues in game one were erased in game two.

“In game two we had some opportunities to break some tackles and we didn’t, we had some opportunities to hit some holes a little bit differently, some of them we did, some of them we didn’t. I think Ty (Chandler) did a really good job on our stretch play to open the second half, he hit it a little bit faster and more aggressively. I thought we settled down in the second half, and I was much happier where we were up front in that second half than I was in the first half.

“This whole thing, not to be too vague about it, but it’s five guys on the same page doing the same thing over, and over, and over. We’re not overly extensive in the run game, and that’s so we can be aggressive, we can keep it simple, so we can play downfield and play physically, and I think as we keep playing, that’ll get better for us.”

*UNC had two ineligible receiver penalties in the loss at Virginia Tech and one in the Ga State game. Is this a concern to have three in two games, or is there an explanation for the high number already?

LONGO: “We’ve had two or three in the last two years, it really hasn’t been an issue. I always tell coach (Brown) I’ll take three a year if you compare it to all of the yardage we make, and all the production we have, and all the explosive plays we have with regards to the RPOs. Those penalties are not an issue, but I think to have three in two games, Virginia Tech specifically, it was two communication issues that got lineman down the field, otherwise we would not have had any, we had two calls that were different from what we were doing, and we had lineman down the field.

“This one against Georgia State, I think it was Williams Barnes that got down the field, on a complete pass protection call, there was no run call at all. It really just was William didn’t do a good job of holding the line of scrimmage with the pass protection we ran, which is really obscure, it doesn’t happen that much.

“He said he just kinda lost place of where he was and before he knew it he was down the field which is not something that happens very often, I can’t remember the last time that happened on a pass protection. I think that seems like it’s more of an issue than it really is, and it’s not really a concern of mine at all.”

*Four tight ends accounted for seven receptions Saturday night, including sophomore Kamari Morales. He has clearly emerged as the second tight end behind Garrett Walston, and how does Longo envision using him moving forward?

LONGO: “I love Kamari. What you love about a guy like Kamari Morales is he loves the game of football. Inherently he’s talented, he has some talent, and he can do some things. Blocking in the box for a guy like Kamari is all about want to. If he wants to be good in the box, he can be, and he puts that kind of effort into his run blocking, and I think he knows it’s just as important as what he does out in the open field.

“We have been very happy with his progress in the box the last two years, you’re gonna see him on the field a bunch this year, we’re gonna utilize him because he’s earned the right to be on the field. Athletically, he does a really good job after the catch. He catches the ball well, he runs good routes, and I think he’s athletic enough to, you saw him make somebody miss on two different occasions.

“I think he gets vertical really quick. I think he can accelerate quickly, and our quarterbacks feel comfortable throwing to him. It’s nice to have Garrett Walston now, and Kamari Morales where you can use the two of them and keep the two of them fresh. That’s why I told you going into the season I felt like we’re happy, because we’re a lot deeper in the tight end room maybe than we were the first two seasons that we were here.”