Tweet of the Day
After recently retiring, Im now extremely excited about the opportunity to serve in football player development at my alma mater, UNC!!
Despite the questions that may attempt to loom around @TarHeelFootball, the team is in great hands under the leadership of Coach Withers!
After being on staff for the first week, I've already learned a great deal from Withers & his assistants. He's surrounded by solid leaders!
It is refreshing to see a Tar Heel coach utilizing social media. I know it has caused us some problems, but it is also an important part of the modern world. It is a tool that needs to be utilized. I am happy to be able to follow a Tar Heel coach. However, we need to get Thornton in some Tar Heel gear for his twitter icon!
Word Out of Fall Camp -
Football Practice Insights
Strength and Conditioning
- This has been the first season in recent memory when we haven't had any players suffer any conditioning injuries, e.g. hamstring pulls, non-contact ACL tears, ect. To date, all injuries suffered have been a result of football contact. Coach Mylo is doing a great job!
Quarterbacks
- Bryn Renner has become a great leader on the team. He is a fiery guy that isn't afraid to get in your face. He is well liked by both sides of the ball (offense and defense) and really gets the guys fired up. Renner has a great command of the huddle and is performing well in practice. While not as accurate at TJ Yates, he is connecting well with the wide receivers and making good reads. Renner has a reputation of a gunner, but so far in practice he hasn't tried to force things deep if they aren't there. During the Saturday scrimmage, he progressed well through his reads and hit the underneath route if it wasn't there deep.
- Braden Hanson is playing well and should be a serviceable backup if necessary. Deems May feels like he may be the most improve player on the team.
- Marquise Williams is having a good fall camp for a freshman that is digesting a complicated pro-style playbook. Williams has the "it" but "it" will take time to develop. His ability to red shirt and learn is important to his future success. However, the future is bright.
Running Back
- Gio Bernard injured his hand during Saturday's scrimmage but will not miss time. He is currently wearing a non-contact jersey and will be evaluated weekly as to his return to contact drills, but could play this week if necessary. Every practice report I have heard or read starts with Bernard. Expect good things if he can stay healthy.
- Ryan Houston is still wearing a non-contact jersey.
- AJ Blue and Travis Riley are practicing like they may be first and second on the depth chart for week one. Better safe than sorry.
- AJ Blue has a great skill set. He is a hard runner, can catch the ball out of the back, and understands what the offense is trying to do. Further, Blue is a big presence in the running back meeting room because he has such a command of the offensive concepts and ability to effectively communicate it to the other backs.
- Romar Morris has a gear that few people have, but he doesn't have the size yet. He has made some WOW plays and, if he gets into the open field, he is gone. However, he has also taken some hard hits that may not have appeared so hard if he had a little more size. Make sense?
- In the past three season, UNC has utilized at least four backs throughout the course of a season. Depth could become an issue.
- James Hurst is running with the ones. He is better blocker than he is a receiver, but he is a really good blocker. Check out this interview on Inside Carolina: http://northcarolina.scout.com/2/1097184.html.
- Eric Ebron is getting a lot of love for both his down field blocking and big play ability in the receiving game. I expect he will make a contribution this season.
- This just in - Dwight Jones is really freaking good!
- Eric Highsmith looks like he has put on some good muscle.
- Jhay Boyd is healthy again. Boyd suffered from nagging injuries all season last year after the season opener against LSU.
- Like Ebron, TJ Thorpe is also making waves. He was running with the twos recently in practice and is really making a name for himself as a play maker. And also like Ebrn, Thorpe also caught a nice TD pass during the Saturday scrimmage.
- Reggie Wilkins has been talked about since spring camp and that has carried forward to August.
- The offensive line has really improved since the start of camp with blitz pick up. During Saturday's scrimmage, the offensive line did very well with protection and opening up running lanes. It will be strength of the team this year.
- Yeah. It is really, really, really good!
- Donte Paige-Moss has returned to practice and is currently running with the twos as he gets back up to speed. Kareem Martin is practicing with the ones. At times, Martin is lining up at strong side and Quinton Coples opposite his normal side at weak side rush.
- Sly Williams is killing it in camp and IC reported that one observer said that he is the best player on the defensive line. Not bad considering there are three NFL first round prospects on the d-line. This is a good read about Sly Williams and should show you why he is one of my favorite players: Sylvester Williams goes from assembly line to defensive line
- Withers recently said that Jordan Nix is the surprise player of the year and is really pushing Tydreke Powell. Most draft gurus have Tydreke Powell rated as a first round draft pick, so that is high praise.
- Depth Chart:
DE - Kareem Martin/Donte Paige-Moss, Dion Guy
DT - Tydreke Powell/Ethan Farmer/Shawn Underwood
DT - Sylvester Williams/Jordan Nix/Devonte Brown
DE - Quinton Coples/Tim Jackson/Adam Curry
- The two new comers that are making the most noise are Travis Hughes and Fabby Desir. Both should be contributors this year and solidify the linebacker corps for the next couple of years.
- Despite losing two four-year starters to the NFL, there is confidence that the linebacking corp is going to continue to be a position of strength. Kevin Reddick and Zach Brown are big time veterans. Ebele Okakpu has stepped up his play this fall and is currently running with the ones. There was never a question of physical talent with Okakpu, but he has been inconsistent. It appears that he is finally putting it all together. You can read up on Okakpu here: Seizing the Opportunity. With Hughes and Desir coming in, the depth is not as much of a concern as it was this summer.
- Depth Chart:
Sam - Zach Brown/Travis Hughes/Curtis CampbellSecondary
Mike - Kevin Reddick/Fabby Desir/Keone Virgil
Will - Ebele Okakpu/Darius Lipford/Norketus Otis
- Projected starter Jabari Price injured a tendon during tackling drills which will require surgery. He is expected to miss time, but it will not be known how much until after surgery. Surgery is scheduled for Friday, August 19. Typically, a tendon injury requires four to six weeks of no contact to ensure healing with no nerve damage.
- Todd Harrelson has moved from wide receiver to cornor. Harrelson made the catch in the Music City Bowl that also resulted in the 15 yard launching penalty on the Tennessee safety. It was a great catch and his ability to hang on to the ball was pivotal to our field position at the end of the game. Harrelson was an All-State corner in Virginia and has great size for the position. Check out this video to see him talk about the transition:
- Tre Boston practiced at corner yesterday following Price's injury. Prior to the injury, Boston was the projected starting free safety. Boston is obviously very versatile. The staff would prefer to utilize his athleticism at free safety where he can utilize his range against the passing game and hard hitting against the run, but he is also a solid corner. While Matt Merletti is an excellent contributor to special teams and a strong leader on the team, he does not have the athleticism and speed we need for free safety. As a result, I speculate that the staff will try to move Boston back to safety as soon as possible. Probably once Todd Harrelson comes up to speed.
- I keep hearing Tim Scott's name. Scott is playing very well and is expected to make an impact on Saturdays. He is a very physical football player and very smart. Scott came in committed to learning the playbook and it is showing.
- Depth Chart:
CB - Tre Boston/Todd Harrelson/Kameron JacksonMiscellaneous:
FS - Matt Merletti/Brian Gupton/Darien Rankin
SS - Jonathon Smith/Gene Robinson/Brandon Ellerbe
CB - Tim Scott/Charles Robinson/Alex Dixon
- Congratulations to Tommy Heffernanon on earning a scholarship for the 2011-12 year.
- It is official. David Thornton has accepted a role on the player development staff. Thornton is a former walk-on that went on to earn All-ACC honors. Thornton recently retired from the NFL's Tennessee Titans where he played nine season. Thornton is a great example of perseverance and hard work. In addition to walking on and later earning a scholarship, Thornton struggled with grades early, but was able to succeed in the classroom and graduate before moving on to the NFL. He is a great addition to the staff. Thornton and Withers worked together during their shared time with the Titans under Jeff Fisher.
- More than 16 NFL teams observed practice on Monday including the Bears, Bills, Broncos, Falcons, Giants, Patriots, Seahawks, Steelers and Texans.
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