CHAPEL HILL - North Carolina’s fall football camp is well underway, with 25 true freshmen getting their first real taste of college football since stepping foot in Chapel Hill.
Since camp kicked off on Aug. 6, UNC Coach Mack Brown and a handful of players have met with the media after practice via Zoom. A hot topic during these interviews has been the freshmen, 13 of whom enrolled early in January, and how they are progressing in the early days of camp.
So, what kind of impression have the newest Tar Heels been making on their new head coach and teammates? Here’s what they’ve had to say so far:
Tony Grimes
Mack Brown
“Tony Grimes is a tremendous athlete.”
“Tony Grimes doesn't look like he should be starting his senior year in high school.”
Myles Wolfolk
On Grimes’ game:
“Tony Grimes coming in now is a big addition. He’s going to be a great player. He’s looking good flying around. He’s coming from high school, so he’s getting used to the college speed and the way we practice and all, but he’s going to be a great player.”
Can he see that Grimes is a year behind?
“Yes. Me personally, I early enrolled so I know what it’s like, (but) he did a whole year. I did a semester early, he did a whole year early. The fact that he’s supposed to be in high school right now and he’s coming out here with that competition level and doing what he’s doing out here in practice is just amazing the fact that he’s that young. He’s got good size, he can run, he’s going to be a good player.”
Trey Morrison
On what he’s seen from Grimes:
“Tony Grimes is a great player. He made a couple of plays today. He’s long, he’s got speed, can run. He’s going to be a really good player.”
Does he stand out in any way?
“He looks good out there. He looks like all the corners, is really athletic, can run, so he looks good.”
Kyler McMichael
On his first impressions of Grimes:
“It’s, one, very impressive how he was able to skip a whole year of high school and come up to college right away and get going. He’s definitely a quick learner. He’s adapting really well, getting the technique down, just adjusting to the speed of the college level. So, I’ve got to give that to him.”
Does what he can do athletically and physically standout at all?
“Definitely. I feel like, in high school, he definitely would have been dominating. Here, he’s a quick learner like I said, so he’s gonna get it down pretty quick.”
Stephen Gosnell
Emery Simmons
On Gosnell’s route running ability:
“I really like what he’s doing. He’s a real smooth route runner, he reminds me of like a Danny Amendola from the league. His routes are very crisp and he’s a technician.”
Tylee Craft
Emery Simmons
On his first impressions of Craft:
“Tylee Craft, long, rangy guy. I really like the way he plays. If he gets you deep, he’s gonna take it. I really like the way he’s playing.”
Myles Murphy
Jahlil Taylor
“He’s a big kid, he loves to do spin moves and pass rush.”
Kendall Karr
Mack Brown
“We've got John Copenhaver, we've got Kendall Karr, and both of them are doing well.”
Garrett Walston
On Karr’s potential:
“The two young guys (Karr and Copenhaver), I think, are gonna be great players. They’re obviously young and making young mistakes, which is good, but they didn’t have spring ball and this is their first four practices in a Carolina uniform. But they’ve looked good.”
Ja'Qurious Conley
Trey Morrison
“JQ is looking really good. He’s really big – he’s a really big guy. He’s about 220, he’s huge, he can run.”
Mack Brown
On Conley’s performances in camp:
“Ja'Qurious Conley is a tremendous athlete… They're (Conley and Tony Grimes) two of the best young high school players in the country last year, and they look really good… And Ja'Qurious Conley, nobody has blocked him yet. And he can fly and we'll get Jeremy to get you the exact weight but I think Ja'Qurious is up to like 225 and can fly. He hasn't lost any weight whatsoever. So, we feel like those two guys will play immediately.”
Kaimon Rucker
Mack Brown
On Rucker’s progress so far:
“You've got the two young outside linebackers with Des Evans and Kaimon Rucker, and those guys are doing a really good job. I'm so proud of the older guys teaching the younger guys.”
Tomon Fox
On Rucker’s progress so far:
“They’re both (Rucker and Evans) just willing to work. They ask questions all the time in the meetings, they try to link us with us older guys to clarify some things. And, when we’re out here on the field, they’re always the first one’s trying to jump up in line and get this drill work in. So, I know they’re ready to play, they’re eager to play. They’ve just got some things they need to work on, but they’re going to get there.”
Jonathan Adorno
Mack Brown
“We're really excited about Jonathan Adorno. He is playing backup left tackle, and he's playing center, along with Ty Murray.”
Brian Anderson
On Adorno’s game:
“Adorno’s got a great frame. I think any o-lineman coming in as a freshman would look at that frame and say, ‘Man, that’s something I wish I could have.’ He’s just got an outstanding frame, great strength and great ability. He’s very flexible and (has) great movements but, just as a young guy, he’s gonna take time and I think he’ll get it very quickly. He knows the playbook like the back of his hand already, which is something I’ve been very surprised with. He’s very smart when it comes to just being on the field and finding defenses. Really putting the ball on the field and getting to it, that’s something that’s gonna come quickly for him. He’s adjusting very well to college football.”
John Copenhaver
Mack Brown
“We've got John Copenhaver, we've got Kendall Carr, and both of them are doing well.”
Garrett Walston
“The two young guys (Karr and Copenhaver), I think, are gonna be great players. They’re obviously young and making young mistakes, which is good, but they didn’t have spring ball and this is their first four practices in a Carolina uniform. But they’ve looked good.”
Josh Downs
Emery Simmons
“I like the way that he’s handling himself. Him coming into that slot position and being able to rotate in with Dazz Newsome and Toe Groves is really impressive.”
What makes him so good?
“He’s very savvy. His game is very savvy. He understands it, you can tell he’s been around people that know the game and he just knows how to maneuver.”
Elijah Green
Mack Brown
“We like both Elijah Green and DJ Jones. They're both very talented. They're both fast. We haven't tackled them yet even though we've been in shells, but we like both of them. So we think that's going to be a really strong room for us.”
Des Evans
Mack Brown
“(He’s) working with the outside linebackers. He and Kaimon Rucker are working with Chris Collins and Tomon Fox and Tyrone Hopper.”
“You've got the two young outside linebackers with Des Evans and Kaimon Rucker, and those guys are doing a really good job. I'm so proud of the older guys teaching the younger guys.”
Tomon Fox
On Evans’ frame:
“The big thing with him is his height and his length. When I see him, I think about Chris Collins on what they can bring on the edge. Some of that speed and that length to get to the quarterback, that’s what we need. But, also, he’s a smart kid. He’s soaking things up day by day, learning what to do and I think he’s going to be a big factor this year.”
DJ Jones
Mack Brown
On Jones' progress so far:
“We like both Elijah Green and DJ Jones. They're both very talented. They're both fast. We haven't tackled them yet even though we've been in shells, but we like both of them. So we think that's going to be a really strong room for us.”
Clyde Pinder
Jahlil Taylor
On Pinder's game:
“Clyde Pinder is really excited to get in here and play. He’s a quick kid, he kind of reminds me of myself.”
Cameron Roseman-Sinclair
Trey Morrison
“Sinclair, he’s going to be a good player, he’s really physical.”
AJ Beatty
Mack Brown
“A.J. Beatty, he plays outside and so he’s a guy we’ve got to decide will he be a defensive end.”
