University of North Carolina Athletics
Friday Practice Notes
August 14, 2009 | Football
Aug. 14, 2009
By Kathryn Young
Coach Davis worked with special teams today, working on field goal formation with Trase Jones and dummy kickoff routines with an alternating cast of Casey Barth, Trase Jones, and Brian Gupton. The first and second string coverage players alternated, as Davis urged them to "squeeze" into the kick returner. Davis said later that having veterans on special teams, particularly on the interior punt team, is extremely helpful as they immediately start "making calls, and talking about protection, and coaching the other guys", an upgrade from the inexperienced 2007 team which was "truly a frightening experience."
During these kind of practices, any available players stood on the sidelines, cheering on their teammates. "All you got, baby, all you got" yelled Deunta Williams to Johnny White during one kickoff play. This kind of enthusiasm is a must during these days of two-a-day practices. To keep momentum and energy at a high, players are constantly pumping each other up. Even stretching, seemingly the most mundane part of practice, is characterized by high fives and chest bumps.
Defense got more than just enthusiasm during tackle practice today. Coach Connors used some visuals to help the players picture what they were trying to accomplish. To get the most efficient tackle but also keep themselves safe, he told them to get under "the imaginary blue arc" when hitting their opponent.
Offense spent time practicing what T.J. Yates classified as their Wildcat offense, he said it was "a good day of hard work." Greg Little agreed saying "the guys are just working hard, playing around, having fun." Coach Davis said that the starting quarterback spot was "obviously" T.J.'s but all three backups: Mike Paulus, Braden Hanson, and Bryn Renner, were all getting chances to get in reps with the second-string but even sometimes with the first string. He commented that all three were "competing well...getting better every day."
Marvin Austin and Jheranie Boyd did not practice today, the first because of a bruised foot, the second for wisdom teeth extraction.
