University of North Carolina Athletics
Coach Caldwell On The Offensive Line: Part II
June 14, 2001 | Football
June 14, 2001
By: Joe Bray
TarHeelBlue: Who is your best pass blocker?
Coach Caldwell: "It's hard to say, but consistently if you picked out one one-on-one, it would be Adam Metts. He's got a great punch and great feet.
"I hope they all become real good at it. You hate to single out just one, but it's got to be Metts."
TarHeelBlue: How about run blocking?
Coach Caldwell: "Jeb Terry's good at that, so is Adam. You can put a man on Jeb and tell him to knock him off the ball, and he'll do it. He's got great size.
"We've got to get these younger guys to step up and knock guys on their butts like these guys can."
TarHeelBlue: How does one of your big linemen improve his mobility?
Coach Caldwell: "During conditioning they work on change of direction, shuttle drills, anything they can do to stop, start. Bench jumps, ropes, trying to become lighter on their feet. Stop, start, go, go, go.
"Backpedal. Change directions. Plant, go. Fast-twitch muscles is what they've got to be working on. Coach Connors is really spending time on that.
"They (Strength & Conditioning) have what we need to improve on with each individual this summer. They will be specific with that individual in that area."
TarHeelBlue: So each position coach gives Jeff a list of what each player should be working on?
Coach Caldwell: "Right. Of course, he sees it too, because by the time we say anything he's usually already working on it.
"Jeff has a guy watching each group. They come by and take notes and ask us about the different areas they need to work on.
"As a group we've got to get much more efficient with our hands, using the punch, playing more with our hands so we can follow up and stay on blocks. It's hard to keep on someone body-to-body, the defensive players use their hands so well.
"We've got to counter by using ours' better. That's a problem with most young guys when they come from high school. They don't use their hands much, even though it's legal."
TarHeelBlue: Can you tell much difference in your guys' level of conditioning now as compared to last December?
Coach Caldwell: "Yea, a great deal, because that's a point of emphasis every day. You can tell a big difference.
"Jeff's out there with them, getting right on them, it's pretty neat. He's got an energetic staff, they work hard at it.
"The thing that impresses me is how much they're on top of everything. They don't leave anything to chance."
TarHeelBlue: How did it work out having Coach Browning helping with the line?
Coach Caldwell: "Fantastic, and I really mean that.
"I've known him for a long time, he's a great coach. I don't have to worry about something getting done now. If we send the tackles over to the tight ends, I know they're going to be worked and coached hard. We can send the right side over to him, and I can work with the left side, or vice versa.
"It gives more eyes, more reps, more coaching. When you're as quality a coach as he is, my goodness they're getting some expert instruction.
"More people got more quality reps by doing it this way. Plus, with more eyes on them a mistake doesn't slip through quite as easily. When you're coaching all five, and you're the only one watching them, sometimes it's hard to do.
"Now, we've got eyes both front side and back side. It will only make us better.
"Kenny loves working with linemen. Now, he enjoys working with the tight ends, as well. They're linemen, too, they're just on the end of the line. They catch a pass every once in a while. (Laughing) Just a glorified lineman."
TarHeelBlue: Is the new offense more or less complicated than last year's?
Coach Caldwell: "Is it more complicated? No. It's just different.
"It's like anything else, a change is a change. I do think it's a change for the better.
"I love the system. I'm excited about it, I know the players are. I'm excited about Coach Tranquill. His approach to football and his love for it have been fun for me."
TarHeelBlue: Why is it a change for the better?
Coach Caldwell: "It's versatile, plus I like it because they really coach the backs hard. It's not always the lineman's fault.
"That impressed the heck out of me, because I always think it is if we don't make yards. I always look at myself and the offensive line first.
"The public may not see that maybe the hole was here, but the back didn't run there. Coach Powell does a great job coaching those running backs, he puts a lot on their shoulders.
"It's their job to find the soft spot, and the system's built to try to make one up there somewhere. I just think it's fantastic."
TarHeelBlue: The running attack is not as hole-specific this year. How does that affect the blocking?
Coach Caldwell: "I think it can make it easier for us, I really do. I think that's what the players like about it.
"It's going to be exciting for the fans. It may start to the right but end up going to the left. If you're on the left side of the line and the play is called to the right, you better be doing your job.
"That's the way football should be, everybody's got to be doing their job. This is a great system to take advantage of what the defense does. You use their momentum against them sometimes."
TarHeelBlue: I assume you won't play any true freshmen this fall.
Coach Caldwell: "Well, you never know, because we are thin.
"Ideally you'd love to redshirt them and give them a chance to learn, because there's a lot to learn at that position. It's a big jump, it's a very big jump.
"The speed of the game changes, and they have to learn to catch up to that speed. That's hard sometimes."
TarHeelBlue: How was the wait between the time Coach Bunting was hired and you were told that you would be retained?
Coach Caldwell: "Coach Bunting was very open and honest right up front. He did everything he said he was going to do. He said he had to name an offensive coordinator, and I certainly respected that, I understood that.
"I've developed such a great love for this university, and I just kept working. I didn't actively pursue anything else, I just said I'm going to let the chips fall where they may.
"I understand that when new people come in, they want their people. I told Coach Bunting, 'Hey, if you don't want me here, I don't want to be here.' ut, I did tell him that if he did want me, there's no question that this is the place I want to be.
"I wanted to see it through for several reasons. This great university is reason number one. Number two is the great people here. Number three, and these are not necessarily in that order, is my concern for those linemen. They've had several coaches in several years. There hasn't been a great deal of continuity.
"I asked Coach Tom Osborne of Nebraska about their success, and the first thing he mentioned was the offensive line. You ask him why and he'll tell you number one, great players, number two, a great coach. In 29 years he had the same offensive line coach for 27 of them.
"An offensive line isn't built over night. It takes a while. You have to get the type of people you need in your system. This incoming class is the first one that I've had any involvement in with recruiting.
"There's been several different coordinators here recently, and all did things differently.
"One was a passing guy, one was probably a running guy. You've got to get the type of people you need to run your system. Some of these guys fit in the new system well, some of them don't. That's just a fact of life.
"We're trying to help them fit in as best we can. Obviously, we've got to bring some players in year after year after year who have what we need to compete in Coach Bunting and Coach Tranquill's system."
TarHeelBlue: Do you think maybe there was a lack of emphasis in recruiting offensive linemen in the past?
Coach Caldwell: "That's really not for me to say, since I wasn't here. I do know there was a gap of time where they didn't sign any offensive linemen.
"Why? I don't know, I would have had to be here to really understand. I don't like to second guess other coaches.
"Obviously, recruiting is not an exact science. You're going to miss on some kids, and some will turn out great when you didn't expect them to be very good. I do know that these young people are very excited about Coach unting, because he has a great passion for the school and a great passion for the game of football.
"He's a great coach. I think there's great days ahead for the University of North Carolina."
