University of North Carolina Athletics
Friday Practice Notes
August 15, 2008 | Football
Aug. 15, 2008
By Turner Walston
Two weeks in to Butch Davis's second training camp, the Tar Heels know that expectations are higher from both the players and coaching staff. With 19 starters returning, Davis is able to build on the foundation laid in 2007. If last year was Algebra I, this year is Trigonometry, and the equations only get more advanced.
"After last year, we've realized how much talent we have, and we know, two years in, we can play with anybody who steps on the field, and beat them," said junior fullback Bobby Rome. "The coaches put in the little kinks and stuff, but most of all, they just let us play."
"It's a little more advanced. It's like a step up from last year," Rome said. "Last year, he just threw everything at us, to see who could figure it out and who couldn't, and the guys that figured it out pretty much played. Now they're bringing everybody else along."
Rome said the first week of training camp is for base package installations, and the second week, wrapping up with a scrimmage tomorrow, is used for maintenance. "Everything we missed that first week, like little things on special teams, close punts and stuff like that. Everything that we messed up last week, we want to clean up." . . .
T.J. Yates will be smarter in 2008 - just ask free safety Deunta Williams, who has spent two weeks trying to intercept the sophomore quarterback. "He looks for the big play, and if it's not there, he goes to his check-down. That's smart for a quarterback." But it also means the secondary isn't forcing as many turnovers in practice. "It's bad for me, because T.J. doesn't like to throw it my way. I told him, I don't want him to throw me an interception all training camp." Williams said he doesn't mind if his own numbers are low in practice, if it means Yates is taking care of the ball in games, too. "That's going to help our team out. It's going to keep me on the sideline a little bit longer, so I'll be a little fresher when I go out there."
Williams was one of the young players who saw lots of playing time in 2007. Maybe it wasn't ideal to play so many freshmen at the time, but those players are experienced sophomores in 2008. "It's paying dividends," Williams says of the trial by fire. "You've seen it before, so you play a little bit quicker. You understand things a lot more so if you see something in front of you, you know something's coming behind you. You don't give up as many big plays."...
Players continue to come through Davis's system, cutting their teeth on special teams and fighting for more playing time. "Jon Smith, he went home and learned the entire playbook last night," Williams said. "Coach challenged him yesterday in the meeting room, and so he came back and learned everything about everything. He's incredible on kickoff, and he's trying to get a role on defense now, and we'll have packages for him."
Putting the time in off the field will give you more time on it, Williams said. "We have the athletes, we just have to be able to trust you to get on the field and not mess up. If you can do that, you put yourself in a position to make plays."...
Inside the Huddle with Butch Davis, the Carolina coach's weekly television show, will begin airing around the region next weekend. This year, the show will air on both Fox Sports South and WTVD Channel 11 in the Triangle. For the first two weeks (August 23 and 30), Fox will air the show at 2:30 p.m. on Saturdays. Beginning September 6, Fox will move the show to its usual slot at 9 a.m. every Saturday morning. WTVD will begin its broadcast schedule on Sunday, August 24, at 11:30 a.m., where the show will air for the remainder of the season. Fans can also interact with Butch Davis on his weekly radio show, when he chats with Woody Durham and takes phone calls from Tar Heel football fans. This year, that one-hour show will move to Wednesdays. The first broadcast will be August 27 at 7 p.m. from Top of the Hill in downtown Chapel Hill...
Following tomorrow's scrimmage, Davis will address fans at Meet the Heels. Gates open at 5:30 p.m., with children's games, autographs, posters and schedule cards available. Click here for more information.
