University of North Carolina Athletics
A Q&A With Coach Dave Huxtable: Part II
July 31, 2002 | Football
By: Joe Bray
TarHeelBlue: Let's take a look at the defensive line positions.
Coach Huxtable: "Up front, at the end position, Issac Mooring is probably our best defensive end. He had a good spring, and has got to have a good fall camp for us. He's the guy coming back at this position with the most experience. He's got to be a leader for us at that position.
"Jermicus Banks is guy who has worked really hard this summer. Sometimes he shows you some things that make you think he's going to be a really good player. He's a guy who's just got to get more consistent. If he does, he can be a player there for us.
"Jocques Dumas played some for us this past season as a true freshman and did a good job. He has got to come on and have a good summer and a good fall camp. He's got all the tools to be a good player. He's worked hard in the weight room this summer and gotten bigger and stronger. Hopefully he can transfer that to the field and have a good fall for us.
"Tommy Davis is a kid who I think is going to surprise a lot of people. He's got a great attitude and a passion for the game. He really enjoys playing. He's another one who has gotten bigger and stronger.
"He did a good job this spring moving from linebacker to defensive end. But again, he's a redshirt freshman. He hasn't been on the field under fire yet. He's inexperienced, but I think Tommy is going to end up being a good player. I'm looking for some exciting things from him.
"Larry Jessup was injured and missed some of spring practice, but Larry is a tall, rangy player with great quickness who can run. But, again, there's the inexperience. I've said that about a lot of guys. I think Larry's going to give us some good downs.
"Eric Davis is our strongest defensive tackle. Eric did a good job in the spring. He's a steady, consistent player who's going to give you every thing he has on every down.
"Donti Coats is an extremely talented player who could be our best defensive lineman if he can overcome his ankle injury. He is a guy who is going to be a real key for our defense. If he comes around and plays the way he's capable of playing, he's going to be very important for us.
"Carl Smalls, the transfer from South Carolina, started very slowly in the spring. But, he's another guy who could be key to our defense. He did progress during the spring and came on and did some things really well. He's going to be very important for us this fall.
"Will Chapman didn't go through spring ball, but what a great kid. He was a starter last year before he got hurt. I'm excited to see him play, because I know he's going to give you every thing he has on every down. He's also got excellent speed.
"Chase Page played offensive line in the fall before we moved him over this spring. He really did a nice job, and I think he's got a bright future. He's gotten bigger and stronger, he's quick, he's athletic. He's going to be a good player for us.
"I think we're solid up front in the middle.
"Overall, I'm excited about our group of kids. The inexperience concerns me some, but I think their attitude is great and their eagerness to get out there and play really excites me."
TarHeelBlue: Do you wake up at night worrying about the inexperience?
Coach Huxtable: "No, not at all. It's always in the back of your mind and it concerns you, but I don't fear it at all. I really don't."
TarHeelBlue: Is there any way to make up for lack of experience?
Coach Huxtable: "Get them playing hard. As defensive coaches, every thing we talked about as a unit to the squad stressed playing hard. I'm talking about running to the ball, pursuing the ball, swarming to the ball, creating turnovers, just playing aggressively with an aggressive attitude.
"The kids did that day in and day out in the spring. That's how you overcome the inexperience of the group.
"You've got eleven guys out there. Are eleven guys going to be perfect on every play? No, but if you get guys coming to the ball and playing hard, we can overcome a breakdown or two. If you lose a gap and you've got guys coming to the ball, you can overcome that. What we can't overcome is giving up big plays. That's something we can't afford to do."
TarHeelBlue: What role do you have in special teams play now that Coach Fleming has assumed the role of special teams coordinator?
Coach Huxtable: "I don't have any direct role. I've told Coach Bunting that I'd be willing to help out where ever I can, but I don't have any direct responsibility for any of the teams."
TarHeelBlue: Will you be in the press box on game day?
Coach Huxtable: "Yes, I'll be up there. I was upstairs for the spring game and it sure seemed far, far away. There's a calmness and it's quiet, plus you're able to see so much better up there.
"What I will miss is the emotion and the excitement that comes with being on the sidelines. I know I'll miss being able to get with the guys as they come off the field to the bench. That's one of my favorite parts, being able to look them in the eye and having direct communication with them.
"I'll miss that, but it's better that I be up in the box."
TarHeelBlue: Do you look for any different physical and mental traits between a Mike (middle), Will (weak-side) and Sam (strong-side) linebacker?
Coach Huxtable: "Yes. Our Sam linebacker is a guy who a lot of times plays over the tight end. He's got to be a bigger, longer armed, strong kid who can hold up playing a tight end.
"Our Mike linebacker is the type of guy who can plug the hole up the middle. He's got to be able to take on blocks and separate from blocks. He's got to be a strong, physical kid.
"Our Will linebacker probably has to be the best athlete of the three. He's the guy who's going to be matched up on some receivers. He's the guy who we'll try to keep free to use his athleticism to run to the ball and be a playmaker. That's what David Thornton played last year. Malcolm Stewart is there now. Hopefully, Malcolm can become the kind of playmaker that David was."
TarHeelBlue: Is motivation the responsibility of the coach or the player?
Coach Huxtable: "I think it's a combination of the two. I think to be a good coach, you have to be a good teacher, you have to be a good communicator and you have to be a good motivator.
"On the other hand, a player has to be a self starter. You love to have a guy who can motivate himself, a guy who comes to play on every down.
"I enjoy the motivational part of being a coach. I enjoy talking with the kids and getting a little bit excited, seeing them get excited. That's a part of coaching that I really enjoy."
TarHeelBlue: Do you anticipate playing any true freshmen this fall?
Coach Huxtable: "It's too early to tell right now. I think we could have a couple play this year. The closer you are to the ball, the tougher it is to play early because the speed of the game is so much faster in college than in high school.
"The farther you are from ball the easier it is to play quicker because you have more reaction time.
"There may be a couple who play out of necessity. You'd like for it to not be that way, but we may have a couple who will have to play for us this year."
TarHeelBlue: One guy who had an absolutely great season last year was David Thornton. How do you explain a player who went from a former walk-on with relatively little experience to a fourth-round NFL draft pick in one year?
Coach Huxtable: "You know what? He's an awesome kid.
"He's a very business-like guy, a very focused guy. He's very mature, he sat down and made goals for himself. When we got here in the spring, he worked hard at learning a new defense. He went out every day with a great 'Coach, coach me up' attitude. He played with great effort on every play.
"David had a great summer last year. He got in such great condition that he was ready to come back and have an outstanding season. He worked harder at the game than any kid I've ever coached. He was in here every day, he and Quincy Monk, looking at film, studying the opponent, learning the game plan.
"He's a very smart kid. As a linebacker you have to work at the game, not just the physical part but the mental part. He knew exactly what he was supposed to do with every defense we called. Every time that ball was snapped, he knew where he was supposed to be, and he did it at full speed.
"He may be the only kid I've ever had who never missed a single snap in practice. He never took a down off, he was in on every play. He never missed a part of practice for those thirteen games.
"He's just a very special person, and that makes him a very special player."
Part I: Monday, July 29: Coach Huxtable on his first season as defensive coordinator, team leaders, the "quarterback" of the defense, plus a look at the defensive backs and linebackers.
