University of North Carolina Athletics
Thursday Practice Notes
August 25, 2005 | Football
Aug. 25, 2005
By Adam Lucas
In many ways, the 2005 Carolina football training camp has been just like other John Bunting-led camps. Some days feature two-a-days, some days feature scrimmages, and every day is scripted right down to the minute.
But in one important way, 2005 has been very different.
"In years past it's been the offense, with Darian (Durant), dominating most of the days," linebacker Tommy Richardson said. "But carrying over from the spring, the defense has done a great job. Now the offense and the defense are trading off days. There are days we dominate and days the offense dominates. I love to see that, and it's been a while since that has happened here."
He's right. Offense controlled most of the last three training camps, which usually drained some of the emotion from the defense by the end of camp. This year, however, the defense seems to have gained confidence as the days progress, whooping it up on the practice field with each big play.
"It's been even so far," cornerback Cedrick Holt said. "We have our ups and downs and they have their ups and downs. It seems like the defense has had more intensity this year."
It sounds contradictory, but the improved defensive performance could lead to better offensive showings. There were times in the recent past when offensive players, aware opponents would score big points against the Carolina defense, have said they put too much pressure on themselves to score on every drive...
Sometimes it almost seems like John Bunting plans these things. He'd been asked a question about freshman Garrett White Thursday after practice and was bragging on the rookie from Miami. "He has one of the greatest attitudes as a freshman I've ever been around," Bunting said. "He has a smile on his face all the time. He bounces around, and he wants to do whatever he can do to get on the field to help us. He's a linebacker and he's now playing the `DPR' (Designated Pass Rusher) position."
Just then, White walked by. "G White, are you smiling?" Bunting asked.
"Of course, Coach!" White responded brightly.
"What'd I tell you?" Bunting said. "He's a neat kid and fun to have on this football team. And he's going to be a good player, it's just a matter of when. Right now he's in the thick. He's trying to find a way on the bus." That doesn't mean White is trying to master the Chapel Hill bus system--it means he's competing to earn a slot on the travel squad...
These days it seems there's no better way to keep up with the basketball Tar Heels than by going to football practice. After appearances early in the week by Jackie Manuel and David Noel, Roy Williams and Joe Holladay stopped by on Thursday morning. Williams addressed the entire team and took a moment to rib Jesse Holley --"We're excited about going to the Bahamas soon," Williams said. "I always like to try to do nice things for the team when Jesse's not around." Williams, of course, is a noted fan of every sport in the Carolina athletic department, and told the Tar Heels Thursday how much he enjoyed seeing the win over Miami in person. John Bunting had a similar remembrance about that game. "I will never forget having (Williams) in our locker room after that game," Bunting said. "That was a highlight of my life. Knowing we beat one of the greatest teams in the country at that time and the head basketball coach at my alma mater was in the locker room...To me, it doesn't get any better than that kind of loyalty."...Ralph Strayhorn, a three-year starter and captain of the 1946 team that went to the Sugar Bowl, also stopped by practice and addressed the team...
The Ben Lemming/Steven Bell competition continues in practice, with both players splitting repetitions with the first team. Lemming got most of the first-team snaps in Wednesday night's scrimmage after Bell got most of the first-team snaps in Saturday's scrimmage. Although Lemming had never snapped a football prior to this year's spring practice, he says he's comfortable both physically and mentally at center.
"I'm 100 percent ready," he said. "If the Georgia Tech game was tomorrow I'd be ready to go in and make the calls and physically play the position."
To prepare for some of the lesser-known (but equally important) roles of the center, such as making blocking calls at the line of scrimmage, Lemming has been studying tape of Jason Brown, who also made the switch from tackle to center at UNC.
Adam Lucas is the publisher of Tar Heel Monthly and can be reached at alucas@tarheelmonthly.com. He is the coauthor of the official book of the 2005 championship season, Led By Their Dreams, and his book on Roy Williams's first season at Carolina, Going Home Again, is now available in bookstores. To subscribe to Tar Heel Monthly or learn more about Going Home Again, click here.
