University of North Carolina Athletics
Hedgecock Back On Familiar Turf
March 30, 2004 | Football
March 30, 2004
By Adam Lucas
Even Madison Hedgecock has trouble keeping straight his journeys across the Carolina football depth chart.
When discussing the Tar Heel running game, he identifies the last time he began a season at fullback as 2001. It was actually 2002, but he can be forgiven for the mistake. After an uneventful--by his standards--freshman season in 2001 when he played only one position and started ten regular-season games plus the Peach Bowl at fullback, his switches began just months later.
He was John Bunting's starting fullback for the first six games of the 2002 season. But then the Heels' lack of defensive depth became an issue, and he started the final six games of the year at defensive end. That's where he stayed for 2003, notching 55 tackles as a junior, six of them for loss. Now the Wallburg, NC, native is back at fullback, where he'll spend--barring any unforeseen emergencies, of course--his final season as a Tar Heel.
"It was basically a decision by the coaches," Hedgecock says. "They felt like they had enough guys improving on the defensive line improving that they didn't need me anymore, and they knew I was more comfortable at fullback."
He still admires the skill required to sack a quarterback, but he's happy to be back at the position he's played since third grade. He's also making an effort to learn the responsibilities of the tight end on many plays so that he'll be versatile enough to be an integral part of the Carolina offense in 2004.
Already, just having their high-motor senior back in the offensive backfield has expanded the Tar Heel playbook. Coordinator Gary Tranquill was inventive by necessity last season, when he eventually conjured up a two-tailback offense that worked extremely well. It was a nice wrinkle, but it wasn't the way he consistently wants to move the ball.
"We were playing two little guys all the time," Tranquill says. "We need a big guy back there. Hedgecock gives us that big guy."
"It took away a big part of our running game," Bunting says of the lack of a fullback last season. "We were able to manage to get it done, because we became very good at some of the outside and inside zone plays. But we have much more flexibility and variety with Hedgecock back there."
The 6-foot-3, 260-pounder is content to blast open holes for the Tar Heel tailbacks, which he's doing with much greater precision thanks to his stint on the defensive line. Previously not known for being a student of the game, his position switches have caused him to become much more conscious of assignments.
"I understand the defensive line stunts and how the linebackers relate to the line when they stunt," he says. "And when I was playing defense I also had to learn the blocking schemes of opposing offensive lines, so that has helped me know more about our offense. If I know what everyone is doing, that helps me do my job. I don't have as much tunnel vision."
NOTES: Although he did not practice with the team, Terry Hunter was back on the practice field Monday and is participating in academic and football activities...Quinton Person continued to show a knack for being around the football...Cedrick Holt is beginning to mix back into the secondary and had an interception during seven-on-seven drills...After turning in a subpar effort in Saturday's scrimmage, Bunting praised his defense for the way they bounced back in Monday's practice. "They bounced right back and went to work," he said. "That's a tribute to the two new coaches and to the seniors who have stepped up their leadership. The way they played Saturday might have lingered around in the past."
Adam Lucas is the publisher of Tar Heel Monthly and can be reached at alucas@tarheelmonthly.com. To subscribe to Tar Heel Monthly, click here.
