University of North Carolina Athletics
Thursday Practice Notes
August 14, 2008 | Football
Aug. 14, 2008
By Adam Lucas
As Butch Davis promised earlier this week, Thursday's practice had a heavy emphasis on special teams. Tar Heel punt returners began the session fielding punts off the JUGS machine. But they weren't just fielding one punt. Instead, the drill was to find out how many footballs they could hold while fielding the next punt. The returners had to catch the first punt, stick it under their elbow, and then catch the next one. If they succeeded, then it was time to try and field a third. Freshman Todd Harrelson was the champion on this day, as he grabbed four straight punts and narrowly missed snagging a fifth. It might sound easy, but go out in the yard and try holding onto four full-sized footballs while catching an arching punt and you'll see how athletic Harrelson is...
Also as Davis promised, there is a continuing defensive emphasis on forcing turnovers. One segment of practice was devoted to defensive backs, linebackers, and defensive linemen all trying to strip the ball from a ballcarrier. In Davis and Everett Withers's scheme, the goal is for the first tackler to make a sure tackle, and the second and third tacklers to try and force a fumble...One player who has quietly had a solid camp is receiver Kenton Thornton, who is still holding onto the fourth receiver spot despite a corral of young talent at that position...
The Tar Heels received a surprise mid-practice visit from new University chancellor Holden Thorp. The energetic Carolina football fan watched a couple periods of practice and also addressed the team. "Now I know what it's like to wear a uniform," he told the full squad. "I wear a white shirt and Carolina blue tie. It's an awesome responsibility that we both have to represent the University." Thorp also touched on one of his main messages when addressing student gatherings (sometimes you forget that the guys in helmets and shoulder pads also happen to be UNC students): he wants each of them to find out what they enjoy while at Carolina, and find out what they really care about. "We want your North Carolina education to be useful five years from now, but we also want it to be useful 10, 20, 30, or 50 years from now," Thorp said. The chancellor has first-hand knowledge of how UNC can provide a lifelong education. His mother was a theatre major who graduated 55 years ago. At 75 years old, she's still working--in a theater...
T.J. Yates will be wired for sound at Friday's practice for a feature that will air on a future Butch Davis television show. Stay tuned to THB.com for information on show dates and times...A couple of freshmen who are putting themselves in contention for the two-deep include end Robert Quinn and linebacker Zach Brown. If Brown, who seems to have a knack for being around the ball, can contribute on special teams, he's very likely to see playing time in 2008.
Adam Lucas is the publisher of Tar Heel Monthly. He is also the author or co-author of four books on Carolina basketball.
