Walston Embracing Role In TE Room

CHAPEL HILL – In just one year, Garrett Walston has gone from seldom-used apprentice to the old man in the tight ends room. And with that, he carries a heavy load into the season for North Carolina, one in which the senior is fully embracing.

Walston leads what is easily the least experienced position group on UNC’s offense and in some respects the entire team when factoring in the defensive line's broader base of experienced players.

Walston’s room has just one experienced player, himself. He was in all 13 games, starting eight, last season playing 467 snaps. The 6-foot-4, 240-pounder caught nine passes for 76 yards and a touchdown. He also had an important two-point conversion at Wake Forest.

Walston is entrenched, but otherwise, the only other Tar Heel playing tight end who has been on the field in a college game is redshirt freshman Kamari Morales, who played 20 snaps last season. Morales caught a pass versus Mercer, so in total, the unit has just 11 career receptions, as Walston grabbed one ball during his sophomore campaign. That’s it.

Yet, the responsibility being heaped onto the Wilmington, NC, native’s broad shoulders is considerable.

“Garrett’s gotta carry that load and Kamari has got to come on until the young ones can come,” UNC Coach Mack Brown said.

Walston, however, is ready, and there’s nothing overwhelming about his role.

“I’m just trying to be the every-down tight end, the guy that can do it all: Block; pass game; blocking power; run game; stretch the field vertically in the pass game, as well as over the middle,” Walston said. “I just want to be that complete guy and do it all.”

Aiding Walston’s continued growth is new tight ends coach John Lilly, who recruited Walston to Georgia several years ago. Walston committed to the Bulldogs but later flipped to the Tar Heels. Lilly moved on to the NFL, where he has considerable experience.

And that’s what Lilly brings to the room and where Walston is benefitting the most. Lilly is a teacher, and Walston is a hungry pupil.

“It’s been awesome so far,” Walston said about having Lilly coach his group. “He’s bringing a lot of stuff from the NFL to us that he shows us and talks about. It’s really great having him here, as I’ve had a previous relationship with him..

“It’s been awesome having Coach Lilly here, I’m really learning a lot from him.”

Among the primary areas of emphasis has been footwork when blocking. Given the limited number of catches (18) and targets (30) collectively by the group last fall, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand how important blocking is for tight ends in Phil Longo’s air raid offense.

And it’s not just the more traditional trenches stuff or extended near the line of scrimmage hoping to pop free a faster receiver or running back, it’s all over the field. As a result, Walston is grinding through preseason practice with increasing self-assuredness as each day passes.

“I’m really feeling good about that,” he said. “Feeling more confident in my footwork as we go (through) the team periods.”

Now, the tight ends aren't just glorified offensive linemen who are granted a greater range with where they can block on passing plays. Longo and quarterback Sam Howell have both said they expect the tight ends will factor more in the passing game this season.

Walston said the same thing, but he’s not getting caught up in thinking too much about it. He has his goals, and if he improves in each area and the ball comes his way more, the plan is to be ready and make plays.

And in the process, Walston plans on serving as the group’s leader. He’s not a rah-rah guy, isn’t going to get in a teammates’ face or pull them into a corner and break down what he saw on the practice field. He is a very willing helper, though.

“I’m not really doing a lot of the teaching,” he said. “I’ve told the guys, ‘If you’ve got questions call me, text me, look at the script the night before (and) call me with any questions.’ I’m more so letting Coach Lilly do the teaching since he has the NFL pedigree.

“I’m just trying to be that leader for them – be a leader by example, and also be a guy they can count on if they ever need any questions answered.”

And he’s trying to win.

Walston’s personal goals are to make one of the All-ACC teams and get to the ACC championship. That’s personal - a team goal is his goal. And who knows, he says maybe they can make the College Football Playoff.

“I really think we can be special this year,” he boasted.

Of course, so much must go right for the Tar Heels, including Walston and his group filling whatever need is asked of them on a given weekend.