| Spring Ball Productive For Heels |
The challenges and opportunities were plentiful for the Tar Heels during spring practice.
There are two new coaches on offense and the system of coordinator Frank Cignetti to install. There are two new quarterbacks. The demand looms to find three offensive line starters, a backup tailback, a starting fullback and a new compliment of wide receivers. On defense, there is one new coach and sundry holes to fill left to graduation.
"We've got a lot to do this spring," John Bunting says. "There are lots of opportunities for the young guys. We need help in a lot of positions. More than anything, we have to develop our mental toughness. That's the most important part of this great game of football - being mentally tough. It's time for a lot of young guys to grow up and become men."
Cignetti takes over for the retired Gary Tranquill. Mark Weber is the new offensive line coach, coming with Cignetti from Fresno State, and Danny Pearman is the new defensive ends coach, moving from Virginia Tech. Receivers coach Dave Brock is the new recruiting coordinator.
"I really like what we've done with this staff," Bunting says. "We lost some quality coaches, but I think we're every bit as strong as before."
Through the first five practice sessions concluded March 9, the defense had an edge on the offense, but that was no surprise given the number of returning starters and veterans on defense and the unit's familiarity in year two of coordinator Marvin Sanders' playbook. Senior Melik Brown is playing with abandon at end. Kyndraus Guy and Shelton Bynum are forces inside, and freshman Cam Thomas is establishing his credentials as well. Larry Edwards is leaner, faster and more mature at linebacker. Kareen Taylor will be a senior and is playing and acting like an elder statesmen of the secondary. Jermaine Strong and James "Cooter" Arnold are newcomers at defensive back who are making some plays.
The storylines are plentiful on offense, where injury and graduation have ravaged the unit of starters from 2005. Receiver Jesse Holley, tight end Jon Hamlett, guard Charlston Gray and tailback Ronnie McGill are the only returning starters participating in spring ball. Tackle Brian Chacos will be out all spring following shoulder surgery, and center Ben Lemming had not donned pads through the first week. Fullback Nick Starcevic is out following an appendectomy, and guard Bryon Bishop has not played in the wake of recovery from a back injury.
Joe Dailey, the Nebraska transfer, took the most snaps with the No. 1 offense, but it's certainly too early to say that he's the guy over freshman Cam Sexton. There's a lot of time between now and August. Both have athleticism, brains, savvy and good arms.
"I'm very pleased with their progress," Cignetti says. "I see two guys that know how to prepare and that love the game. When you talk about the mental preparation of a quarterback and functional intelligence, I see two guys that have what you want. I've seen great progress in five practices. Personally, I'm very excited to see where we're going to be come August with these two young men."
Neither quarterback has taken a live snap in a real game in nearly two years - Dailey the 2004 season at Nebraska and Sexton his senior season at Scotland County High.
"They're competing hard for the job," Bunting says. "They're going to be fun to watch. They've both thrown some good balls, threaded some needles. They've both shown some poise."
Dailey says the West Coast offense installed by Cignetti has some similarities to the offense he knew at Nebraska. But he says the detail work taught and demanded by Cignetti is far more intricate than what he learned at Nebraska.
"Coach is very specific in what he wants done," Dailey says. "The offense is taught very well. Every play is critiqued in detail. We're learning all the details right now. It's important to pay attention to the little things to make this offense work. This offense will allow us to make plays. It's very dynamic. But right now, we're still learning the basics of it."
Calvin Darity, who is returning to the field after a lengthy recovery from a foot injury, has moved from guard and is playing center this spring with the graduation of Steven Bell and Arthur Smith and the injury to Lemming. He was running with the first team through early spring drills, with Scott Lenahan with the No. 2 offense. The first-team line has three members of the 2005 recruiting class - right tackle Garrett Reynolds, right guard Kyle Jolly and left tackle Andre Barbour. Kenny Price and Aaron Stahl have moved over from defense to bolster the offensive depth.
"We've got a lot of work to do on the O-line," Bunting says. "We've had some center-exchange problems, but that's to be expected with a new center and new quarterbacks. Darity has played center before, so he knows what he's doing there. He has a chance to be really good. We're going to try Stahl at center and guard and see what he can do. We're giving Price an opportunity at guard. We have an idea what they can do on defense, and we wanted to see them on offense this spring. Based on what we see this spring, we'll make decisions for the future."
The line has a new coach in Weber, who is replacing Hal Hunter. So the line is learning not only a new system but new blocking techniques as well.
"They're eager, they're good kids, smart kids, and they're nice athletes," says Weber. "That's a good combination to begin with. Coach Hunter did a great job with them. Now they're learning new techniques and new terminology. It was a little difficult at first, but they're fast learners."
Cignetti came into the spring knowing there would be some raw stretches getting the pieces to synch into smooth operating order.
"What we've talked about is, 'It's a journey,'" Cignetti says. "Every day we want to go out there and improve. I think what we've seen with each practice is that we have improved. At times we've run the ball effectively, at times we've thrown the ball effectively. We've had some throws and catches. On the other side, the ball's been on the ground too much, and we've had too many missed big-play opportunities.
"But as each days goes, we'll continue to improve and get better."
Senior Ronnie McGill has been unofficially designated "Coach McGill" for the spring and is getting limited live running opportunities. The staff knows what he can do, but it is searching from among Justin Warren, Richie Rich, Barrington Edwards, Antwain Carey, Bobby Rome and R.J. Waters for a back-up tailback. Ditto at receiver: Holley is proven, and now it's time for the next generation of Brandon Tate, Brooks Foster, Kenton Thornton and Dirk Engram to evolve.
The Tar Heels had hoped to get onto their new practice field during the spring, but delays on the FieldTurf installation kept them in Kenan Stadium for all 15 workouts. The old defensive field is being covered with 84,000 square feet of FieldTurf, a popular synthetic surface that is safer and more grass-like than older artificial turfs. The defensive field (the one closer to Parker Dorm) was about five feet lower than the offensive field and is more shaded, thus it has dealt with drainage and poor turf issues for years. |
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Volume I | Issue No. 02 | April 01, 2006 |
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